ELECTRONIC SENSORS Reimagining Legionella Risk
Management with IoT Legionella has been making headlines recently, and not for the right reasons. These waterborne bacteria, responsible for severe respiratory illnesses, like Legionnaires’ disease, pose a significant public health risk, especially when they are not managed properly.
T
he traditional approach to Legionella risk prevention, relying on manual, labour- intensive readings at monthly intervals of water systems, has proven insufficient, and can miss outbreaks that can occur between these readings, leaving room for improvement. By harnessing the power of IoT and automation, alongside the use of low power sensory devices and powerful network connectivity, this method for monitoring the water outlet and sentinel temperatures within the pipes of water systems can be streamlined, offering benefits for health and safety, compliance, and the bottom line. Gareth Mitchell, UK Partner Manager, Heliot, and Richard Braid, Managing Director, Cistermiser, explain.
The Legionella Problem
Legionella bacteria is found in both freshwater environments and man-made water systems, and can become a health risk in the latter when it is allowed to spread. This most often occurs when water remains stagnant and reaches temperatures that are conducive to Legionella growth. By inhaling water droplets from these contaminated sources, people can develop Legionnaires’ disease, which results in similar symptoms to a lung infection. In the UK and the EU, Legionella outbreaks are not uncommon, occurring at a rate of around 1.9 cases per 100,000 people in the EU in 2020, for example. These outbreaks can have severe consequences, in terms of public health and business compliance. Although specific statistics may vary from year to year, they consistently underscore the importance of effective Legionella management. For instance, just consider the recent backlash off the back of the recent news about the Bibby Stockholm barge and the health and safety crisis that occurred. Additionally, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the UK provides crucial guidance for Legionella monitoring to be adhered to. This guidance emphasises the importance of proactive management to prevent outbreaks and maintain public safety. Compliance
Reinventing the Monitoring Process For many organisations, the current process for Legionella risk management relies on labour intensive processes and could be enhanced and streamlined. Monthly readings are typically taken at sentinel points within water systems, which is both resource- intensive and costly to many organisations. This is because they often involve using a person to take readings of water systems, using paper-based systems to keep track and record measurements. The challenge with using this paper record-keeping and manual approach introduces the chance of human error creeping into taking and recording readings.
Furthermore, and importantly, relying solely on monthly readings increases the risk of missing Legionella outbreaks that occur between readings. All of this is exacerbated by the fact that readings are often taken by non- specialist staff, rather than experienced, highly trained industry professionals. For example, this kind of job can often be passed down to an office manager or other kind of support staff within an organisation who may have other duties to execute.
An automated IoT solution, on the other hand, provides real-time monitoring through
FEBRUARY 2024 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS 41
sensory devices connected to water pipes. These devices ensure continuous surveillance of the temperature of the water inside pipes throughout a building, eliminating the potential for missed outbreaks in between readings. The data collected by these readings is then transmitted and stored in the cloud for management teams to assess and draw insights from.
and reporting according to HSE regulations are vital, and failure to do so can result in significant legal and financial consequences.
Once the time comes to submit relevant readings to the HSE, in compliance with the HSG274 regulation, a logbook can be generated quickly by this kind of technology, collating the information in a compliant reporting document, demonstrating the real- time insights that traditional methods cannot match.
The Role of Technology: IoT, Connectivity, and Operational Efficiency
IoT technology, powered by sensors and connectivity, is at the heart of automated Legionella detection solutions. These sensors can, for example, continuously monitor parameters such as water temperature, flow rates, and chlorine levels. Dashboards and alerts generated by these automated solutions are invaluable for compliance with HSE legislation. Facilities managers and those responsible for Legionella monitoring within buildings can access real-time data
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54
