Water treatment


Preventing legionella with IoT, automation and digital processes


Chris Potts, marketing director ANT Telecom explains how automation, digitisation, the internet of things and cloud applications can help drive effective change in the prevention of the growth of legionella other know pathogens in fresh water systems


W


Chris Potts, ANT Telecom


hen people become infected with


Legionnaires’ disease, it’s usually from an array of scenarios. These include purpose built systems where water is maintained at a high temperature,


through equipment like a cooling tower; hot and cold water systems used; air conditioning systems; humidifiers; spa pools and hot tubs. These types of systems are installed across


many industries; like healthcare, care homes and hospitality, all of which have to demonstrate good processes are in place to prevent legionella growth within their water systems. Especially since they are accountable for protecting large numbers of people who access their services.


Employers are responsible for mitigating risk


To mitigate risk, employers are responsible for implementing the necessary checks and measures to prevent legionella growth. Not doing so could result in a significant fine or prison sentence. The lengths that an employer needs to go to, to mitigate risk, depends on the system they have in situ: how it is used and what potential risk users can be exposed to? The first step is to undertake is a risk assessment as this will detail the potential risks and outline the ongoing measures that must be implemented to manage and control them.


14 June 2022


The resource problem When practically managing this problem, many hospitals or hotels often use an employee to manually check the temperature of key parts of their water systems on a weekly basis, and to flush water systems appropriately. This can include checking many pipes, water tanks and buffer vessels – what is more, some outlets may require water flushing twice per week, depending on the requirement, and additional weekly temperature checks too. All of this work also needs to be recorded accurately and time stamped to show that it has been executed correctly, and according to HSE requirements. This recording and reporting normally takes place via a paper-based system. As you can imagine, manually checking and flushing each tap or outlet demands a lot of resource and is labour intensive too. To make this problem more troublesome, many cold water storage tanks, and the related buffer vessels that need checking, are often located in places that are not always easy to access, making it difficult to record water temperature, and the status of these parts, quickly and easily. While a manual approach makes sense, and is quick and easy, for one or two taps, what happens when this task load increases to around 2,000 plus taps, for example within a hospital? The time it takes to check, run the water, record the information, and draft the supporting reporting skyrockets and can create enough work for three to five full time personnel. This time spent gets worse when it spans 300 sites.


Another factor to consider is that in some cases flushing water systems can actually compete against sustainability agendas, even if advised by the HSE.


Succeeding with IoT & automation


This is where digitisation and automated monitoring solutions, with wireless IoT sensors, are enabling hospitals, hotels and other organisations to improve processes, as they strive to meet HSE requirements. When installed, these highly sensitive sensors


can record when taps and showers have been used through normal daily use – for example, measuring the temperature of pipes to ensure legionella does not grow, or checking when water has been run. Information tracked is automatically uploaded to a secure online portal. Teams can access this data from a web browser on a PC, laptop or smartphone. Management can then refer to this data and gain a true view of the water temperature / usage across all of their water outlets and storage tanks in real- time, centrally. Reporting can be easily produced and show which taps have or haven’t been used through normal daily use, thereby minimising the amount of work that needs to be done. This modern approach also reduces the paperwork required, as it can be done automatically. Another key benefit for organisations and management teams is that all the data recorded is 100% accurate and reliable. Taps don’t need to be run for more than the required five minutes which helps organisations save water, energy and contribute to a more environmentally friendly process.


Conclusion


IoT, automation and the digitisation of processes is enabling organisations to achieve accurate health and safety gains that were previously unachievable only a few years ago. By trialling newer automated monitoring solutions, that make use of IoT, legionella prevention can be more effectively managed.


www.heatingandventilating.net


DOWNLOAD THE HVR APP NOW


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