EDITOR’S CHOICE
cannot let the concern about one illness distract them from managing the risk of another. The return to the workplace must not be as rushed as leaving it. Instead, it needs to be a careful and measured process.
ONGOING RISKS While building usage remains at limited capacity, the long-term impacts must also be accounted for. Water systems used below their expected level are at risk of biofilm development. Biofilm is a complex micro-ecosystem formed
of numerous bacteria and microorganisms. Once it comes into contact with a surface, the biofilm begins to put down ‘roots’ and develop a glue-like protective shield, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). EPS acts as a food and protects the
microorganisms within, allowing the miniature ecosystem to grow rapidly until it bursts open or breaks away to spread the outbreak throughout the water system. This type of outbreak has been known to contaminate water systems for months or even years and is extremely difficult to remove. This may not be a risk that disappears once
the pandemic is over; there is much speculation about changing approaches to working practices. Many suggest that we will see much more of a ‘blended’ approach where staff work from home several days each week. The majority of buildings may be operating at reduced occupancy for the foreseeable future.
As a result, we will need a new approach to
water system management. Safety measures need to be more resilient to fluctuating occupancy levels and be able to adapt to future building closures – planned or unexpected. Calls for an urgent formal review of water
hygiene and legionella risk assessments have come from the Health and Safety Executive, Legionella Control Association and other industry bodies. This will require specialist assessors to review each organisation’s previous arrangements and determine the impact of lockdown on the overall use of the water systems, all related assets, the susceptibility of occupants and the new potential for contamination. This will not be a simple or quick process.
As such, many specialists are now advocating for supplementary water sampling regimes as a precautionary measure to ensure controls are effective. Risk reviews and water safety plans, with comprehensive details on how to shift to new measures, will also need to be created and implemented. The future of virtually every aspect of the
built environment has been altered by the pandemic. While this has been a challenging time for many, it is vital that important elements of building management do not slip through the cracks. The pandemic has created a more wary and health-conscious population and building usage must adapt to reflect this.
The pandemic has also shown both our
strengths and limitations in volatile times. We should learn lessons from this period and be prepared to create buildings and systems for the future that are more agile and resilient.
Churchill Environmental Services
www.churchillservices.com/category/churchill -environmental/
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