Legislation Update February 2013 - Changes to the ACOP (L8)

In the wake of the Legionella outbreaks earlier this year, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released important information for users and suppliers of water treatment systems.

From 1 February 2013 it will be illegal to sell or use water treatment systems that use elemental copper in order to add copper ions to water as a biocide. It will also be illegal to supply the copper needed for their use. Action has been taken at an EU level under the Biocidal Products Directive, because no manufacturer supported the use of elemental copper for use as biocides in these systems during a review period that ended in September 2011.

Along with this information, HSE have also produced a simple FAQ document which aims to answer any questions installers have about Legionella, the control of Legionella and monitoring systems.

APHC PR and marketing manager Charlotte Murray said: “We would like to direct all installers who use water treatment systems to this new information from the HSE. We have received queries from concerned members about Legionella control and monitoring systems so this information is a welcome development.

British Establishments to be checked on Legionella Control

British Establishments are going to be checked up and down the country by the HSE. Currently, the gaze has been turned to Scotland, but its only a matter of time before the rest of the UK gets involved, especially following the recent outbreaks in England. The full article reads:

Businesses are organisations in the West of Scotland with cooling towers are facing checks to ensure they are managing legionella risks appropriately. 

Currently, Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities are visiting cooling towers and evaporative condensers in Glasgow, North Ayrshire, Inverclyde and Renfrewshire; however checks are expected to be carried out across similar sites in Britain. 

These inspections follow the publication of a safety notice in July warning of the legionella risks posed by cooling towers and evaporative condensers, and are also part of a wider initiative to promote better control of legionella.   

“Our research has confirmed that cooling towers pose the biggest legionella risk. If we, or local authority inspectors, find that the appropriate controls are not in place, we will take enforcement action. 

A review of legionella outbreaks by the HSE in 2011 highlighted cooling towers and evaporative condensers as being responsible for the majority of the most significant outbreaks in Britain in the past ten years. 

Commenting on the visits that the HSE are currently embarking on, David Snowball, Director for Scotland and Northern England, said: 

“We are doing these visits to focus businesses' attention on ensuring they are doing what is required both to protect their workers and the wider public.

"Inspections are a valuable part of our regulatory action. They are however no substitute for companies meeting their legal duties on a daily basis, given that legionella levels can increase to high levels in a matter of days or weeks."

Legionella Found at Guernsey's King Edward VII Hospital

The BBC's statement reads:

"The water system at Guernsey's King Edward VII Hospital is due to be flushed after "unusually high levels" of the legionella bacteria were found.

A Health and Social Services Department spokesman said nobody had been infected by the bacteria.

To combat its spread the showers have been shut off, water temperature increased and staff have been briefed. 

The water is due to be shut off for two hours on Tuesday so the pipes can be flushed before testing on Wednesday. 

The King Edward VII has 100 beds and provides rehabilitation, continuing care and day-hospital services for patients with physical needs, mostly those aged more than 55. 

The bacteria was discovered during routine testing. 

Earlier this year the water systems at the island's Princess Elizabeth Hospital were also found to include high levels of legionella. 

It was only reduced to "acceptable levels" after the water system had been treated twice."

Man dies after Legionella found in Reading Council Care Home

Britain sees another legionella outbreak, and in a high risk building no-less. The article reads:

"A 95-year-old man who was recovering from a stroke in a council care home had died from Legionnaires' Disease. 

The man was staying in The Willows Care Home in Hexham Road, Whitley when he contracted pneumonia which was found to be caused by the Legionella bacterium.
He was taken to Royal Berkshire Hospital where he died on October 30. 

Reading Borough Council which runs the home has acknowledged "the possibility exists that the resident may have contracted Legionella bacteria at the care home, although that has not been established beyond doubt". 

After exhaustive checks to the water system, traces of the bacterium were found in a tap.Residents, their families and staff were informed. 

Spokesman for the council Derek Plews said: "The health and well-being of vulnerable residents is the council’s highest priority which is why, as a precautionary measure, we have engaged an independent expert consultant, carried out extensive testing and cleaning of the water system at The Willows and fitted special bacteria filters to all water outlets in the building. 

"We believe, on the basis of expert independent advice, that our maintenance programme at the home is fully in line with the Health and Safety Executive’s Approved Code of Practice and that the risk to residents from Legionella is as low as possible. 

"We are continuing to monitor the water system to ensure that this remains the case.
"We understand that residents, their families and staff will be concerned about this matter. 

That is why we have taken steps to keep them updated about the situation. Residents have been given the choice of a move to temporary accommodation and one person has taken up this option. 

"The council would like to emphasise that it has worked closely with the Health Protection Agency and the Heath and Safety Executive in responding to this matter. 

"We have adhered to the Health and Safety Executive’s approved code of practice on Legionella before this incident and the measures taken since are over and above the HSE guidance. 

"Reading Borough Council would like to express its sincere condolences to the family of the resident who passed away." 

The Willows, formerly Tanfield, was completely refurbished in September last year including the renewal of much of the water system. 

It has 26 beds including 15 for residents with dementia, 10 for intermediate care and one for respite care."

Go to source of article

UPDATED! | Hospital Wards Close Due To Legionella Scare | Hornchurch, London

------ UPDATED BELOW ------

Orig Post |

Hospital wards close as patients fall ill with suspected cases of Legionnaires Disease, reported today, 22nd October 2012.

The wards closed last Friday (19th) in St George’s Hospital in Hornchurch when the disease was suspected to be affecting patients - They moved the patients when they received a high counts of legionella in the water systems back from laboratory tests, indicating that the patients my have contracted the disease, however, no confirmed cases have been announced.

The patients at the surrounding hospitals have been closely watched over this weekend to ensure the confirmation of the diagnosis. When such details become available, we'll post an update as soon as possible.

As this is a potential legionella outbreak in the County's Capital, we are sure to see a further rise in the HSE's interest in the ACOP (L8), as previously has been seen with the latest few legionella scares. Dare we say more spot checks and closer monitoring procedures are on the horizon.


------- UPDATES 23/10/2012 -------
Out-patients are now not being admitted to the hospital due to the high legionella counts found in the

Basildon Hospital Prosecution For Careless Legionella Monitoring

(Repost)

A hospital in Essex will be taken to court after they were alleged to have failed to stop people being exposed to legionella bacteria.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is prosecuting Basildon Hospital under the Health and Safety at Work Act, with the single charge from the HSE relating to a case of legionella at the hospital between February 2004 and December 2010.

Official figures show there have been 13 cases of patients catching the legionella bacteria since 2002.

Chief Executive of Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Trust, Clare Panniker, said the hospital had spent £3m and introduced a number of changes in the past decade in an attempt to control legionella. She said:

"The trust has not had any cases of Legionnaire's Disease since 2011 and we will continue to work with the HSE and other experts to do all we can to combat Legionella. As new chief executive, I will be reviewing the leadership structure to ensure we have the right experience at board level."

She said that the report concluded that the current risk of contracting legionella at the hospital was about "one in a million".

The prosecution centres on an alleged breach of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 which refers to the duty of employers to protect non employees from "risks to their health or safety" and the first hearing in the case is expected to take place at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court at a later date.

Peterborough Primary School Closed after Legionella is Found! Updated 17/09/2012

LATEST UPDATE:

School to Re-open:

A primary school in Peterborough, closed at the beginning of September after legionella was found in the water system, is to reopen on Monday.

Bacteria that can cause the potentially fatal Legionnaires' disease were found at Newark Hill School.

Peterborough City Council expect it to reopen after workers carried out chlorination of the system to kill the bacteria.

Tests have been completed to ensure the water system is now safe.

Headteacher Lorraine Mann said: "I am pleased to report that we have been advised it is now safe to open the school on Monday.

"I would like to thank everyone for their patience and assistance during this time."

The Old Report reads:

“A primary school in Peterborough was today (Monday) closed for a week after the venue tested positive for legionella.
 Council chiefs have confirmed that routine monthly testing of the water systems at Newark Hill Primary School in Eastfield Road has generated a positive result for legionella.
 A council spokeswoman said: “A full chlorination has been carried out in the hot water systems and will continue with the cold water systems tomorrow.
 “Chlorination kills the bacteria and makes the systems safe.
 “However, it has been decided to delay the school opening until Monday 10 September 2012 as a precautionary measure pending the receipt of the re-test results, which are due on Friday 7 September.
 “Routine tests are carried out at all schools on a monthly basis. ”
 “There is nothing further we can add at this stage.”

Updates will follow....

Hinchingbrooke Invests £120k to reduce Legionella risk

It was reported that:

When Circle took over management of the hospital in February on a 10-year management franchise, the company’s head of facilities and estates, Mark Cammies, set up a new regime of inspection and testing for the legionella bacterium, which is often found in stored water and can cause pneumonia-like infection when ingested as droplets.

Circle stressed yesterday (Tuesday) that no one had been infected and that the £120,000 was precautionary investment to ensure that clean bill of health continued.

“The previous regime was not thorough enough, so we have put in a programme of much more rigorous testing,” a spokesman said. “As a result, we found a few isolated areas where there are higher than normal levels of the bacteria. The presence of the bacteria is not unusual in NHS hospitals,” she added.

Circle’s investment has already extended to installing filters in shower-heads in wards – a practice that is commonplace in hotels – and the programme includes spending £30,000 on a new chlorination system, £70,000 on the hospital pipework to eliminate areas where water can stand, and putting in a new flushing system in wards where showers are used infrequently.

Legionnaires’ disease is so-called because the bacterium was isolated as the cause of an outbreak of a ‘mystery illness’ at a convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia in 1976. it is believed to have been transmitted through a hotel air-conditioning system.

Another Confirmed Case in Stoke-on-Trent ; Legionnaires' Disease

 Another case of Legionnaires' disease has been confirmed in Stoke-on-Trent following an outbreak in the city thought to be linked to a hot tub.

The Health Protection Agency said the latest case brings the total to 21.

The patient, who is being treated at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, is a man in his 70s.

Two patients being treated for the disease since the spate of illnesses began in the middle of July have died.

An HPA spokeswoman said: "This new case is not unexpected.

"It can take up to two weeks following exposure for people to develop symptoms of Legionnaires' disease and a further few days before they might see their GP."

A spokesman for University Hospital of North Staffordshire said: "Three patients remain in hospital and all are in a stable or improving condition."

It was revealed earlier this month that the probable cause of the outbreak was a hot tub at JTF Warehouse in the city after samples were found to have an unusual strain of legionella bacteria, which matched that of the strain taken from patients with the illness.

Dr Sue Ibbotson, regional director of HPA West Midlands, said the organisation has taken detailed histories from those with Legionnaires' and the majority of confirmed cases visited the warehouse in the two weeks before they fell ill.

The samples from the hot tub at JTF Warehouse in City Road, Fenton, were confirmed by the Health Protection Agency's specialist laboratory in Colindale as being the unusual strain legionella bacteria.

The HSE Drop Standards When Monitoring Legionella

Seem's the old HSE needs to up their game in monitoring the leginella control scene- it has come to light, since the Edinburgh outbreak, that the frequency in which they check that duty holders are taking their responsibilities seriously has declined in recent years. The following report reads:

An investigation launched in the wake of the Edinburgh outbreak of the illness has exposed reductions in the number of Legionella inspections carried out by the Health and Safety Executive.

 

The probe by the publication Environmental Health News found the number of pro-active HSE inspections across the UK fell from 833 in 2009 to 464 in 2011.

The number of Legionella inspections at cooling towers dropped from 237 in 2010 to 134 in 2011. Around 2900 cooling towers are subject to inspections from the HSE.
 

The source of the Edinburgh outbreak is yet to be determined but attention has centred on cooling towers in the city.
 

Professor Hugh Pennington, emminent microbiologist and chair of the public inquiry into Scotland's fatal Wishaw Ecoli outbreak, said: "It is clearly time for a rapid root and branch reform of the regulatory system for Legionella."
 

Lawyers representing victims of the Edinburgh outbreak, in which more than 100 people fell ill and three people died, expressed serious concerns about the findings.
 Clive Garner, of Irwin Mitchell, said there were fears that towers which could pose a serious public risk will not be inspected until it is too late.

Edinburgh Cooling Tower Inspected Once a Decade!

Yet again, Scotland has fallen prey to the bugs of legionella, and inquiries have been made. The findings are crazy - one cooling tower was found to be only checked once every 10 years; apparently, being suspicious of some cooling towers, around the area, being completely ignored isn't a mad idea either. The details are ludicrous in following report:

SCOTLAND’S top virus expert has called for a public inquiry into the recent legionella outbreak which claimed the lives of three men.

Professor Hugh Pennington has warned of more outbreaks after discovering many of the country’s cooling towers are being inspected as infrequently as once every ten years.

“Legionnaires’ disease is one of the nastiest and most lethal of infectious diseases in the UK,” he said. “But it is utterly 
preventable. Something went badly wrong in Edinburgh. A public inquiry is the most 
effective way to establish the facts around what went wrong and to prevent yet more outbreaks.”

More than 100 people contracted the bug, which began in the south-west of Edinburgh in May. Investigations to find the source are ongoing and continue to centre on industrial cooling towers in the area.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has already issued notices to some of the businesses that run towers being investigated, calling for them to be 
better maintained and regulated.

There are about 6,000 cooling towers across the UK and the HSE only has responsibility for inspecting about half of them. The rest are checked by local councils.

Latest figures show in 2011 the HSE inspected just 134 cooling towers – compared with 237 the year before.

Prof Pennington, emeritus professor of bacteriology at Aberdeen University, said the towers were being inspected ten times less often than premises which sell food.

“There is a real lack of co-ordination regarding who inspects all of these towers, how often they do so and even where all these towers are,” he said.

“There are genuine fears some towers will be going under the radar and not inspected at all.

“Given all of this, I worry other outbreaks will follow, putting more lives at risk. This risk is real and the bug is not going away.

“Some people who fall victim to Legionnaires’ do have underlying health conditions but it is no good blaming things like smoking and drinking for this.

“The bottom line is that three people died after getting Legionnaires’ in Edinburgh and other areas of the UK.

“People should not be dying from this in this day and age.

“Yes, inquiries are expensive ,but so is the cost of looking after people infected with 
Legionnaires’ in our hospitals. Ultimately, an inquiry would save money and lives.”

Scottish Labour last night backed the inquiry call. The party’s health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie, said: “Prof Pennington’s intervention is significant and his authoritative voice should be a reason for the Scottish Government to pause and reflect on their decision not to have an independent inquiry.”

Legionella Outbreak - Stoke on Trent Update! Hot-Tub may be the Source

A hot tub is the “probable” source of an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in Staffordshire, health officials have said.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said investigations were taking place at JTF Warehouse in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, and the company was co-operating.

A statement from the firm said: “JTF is extremely concerned and the product has been withdrawn from all stores.”

The HPA said there had been 18 cases in the outbreak. One patient has died.

HSE Issues Safety Notice for Legionellosis

THE British Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned businesses that they “must do more” to protect workers and the public from Legionnaires’ disease.

The safety bulletin follows in the wake of a fresh outbreak in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, which yesterday claimed its first victim. A further 15 people have contracted the disease so far. It is the second outbreak to hit the UK within a matter of months, with one Edinburgh man dying after being infected in early June.

Some of the major sources of Legionnaires’ are industrial cooling towers and evaporative condensers. The warm water in the systems can provide a breeding ground for the Legionella bacteria, inhalation of which can cause a high fever and pneumonia with potentially fatal consequences.

HES Legionella expert Paul McDermott says that businesses have “a responsibility to manage the risks they create to protect workers and the wider public.”

“This is a reminder to them of what the law expects,” he adds. “Failure to comply with the law means they may face legal sanctions, including in the most serious cases prosecution through the courts.”

In its bulletin, the HSE says that some of the biggest risks of a Legionnaires’ outbreak can come from changes in maintenance schedules, intermittent use of a plant and unusual weather conditions – the bacteria multiply faster when it is warm.

Read More @: http://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/coolingtowers.htm

Stoke Legionella Outbreak - Two more Cases Confirmed

It brings the total number of people being treated at University Hospital of North Staffordshire to nine, all aged between their late 40s and mid 70s.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is looking into two cases that were identified earlier in the summer as it is believed they may be linked.

The HPA also said it had disinfected seven cooling towers in the area as a precaution.

The agency has been working with the Health and Safety Executive, the NHS in Stoke and the city council to try to identify and control any possible sources of the disease.

'Hospital is safe'

Prof Harsh Duggal, director of the Health Protection Unit in Staffordshire and Shropshire, said: "Early microbiology typing results back from the HPA laboratories show that samples taken from some of the patients look very similar so far and this is consistent with the cases having caught their infection from the same environmental source.

"We are taking detailed histories of the movements of the patients to see if there are similar patterns which would indicate a local source of infection.

"It is important to stress that the outbreak is not hospital related and the hospital is a safe environment for visitors

Healthcare staff in the areas where the patients live have been alerted to look out for symptoms.

Officials have said early signs include flu-like symptoms, with muscle aches, tiredness, headaches, dry cough and fever which can lead to pneumonia.

Diarrhoea and confusion may occur, as well as chest and breathing symptoms. The disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics.

Latest Legionella Outbreak! Stoke-on-Trent!

Recent updates have been issued, following a Legionella outbreak in Stoke-on-Trent, yet again, in a hospital. Is it just me, or should we be keeping those places the most checked? I mean, since they are choc-a-block with high risk peoples... perhaps it's just me.

The story broke last night, and details will be added when updates are issued on the people affected and the condition of the site itself, here are the details on the people affected:

Seven people are being treated for Legionnaires' disease; those affected are six men and a woman, aged between their late 40s and 75, health officials said.

Two men in their 70s are described as "stable" and the other patients are said to be "improving"

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said all seven patients were being treated at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire.

Prof Harsh Duggal, director of the Health Protection Unit in Stafford, said: "While we do not currently have a direct link between the cases, the evidence points to the fact that there is a common source.

"We are taking detailed histories of the movements of the patients to see if there are similar patterns which would indicate a local source of infection.

"Legionnaires' disease is a rare but potentially life-threatening illness. It is caused by a bacteria commonly associated with water systems and cannot be passed from person to person."

The HPA added it was also investigating two cases identified in early summer as being possibly linked to the current cluster.

The agency is working with the Health and Safety Executive, the NHS in Stoke and the city council to try to identify and control any possible sources of the disease.

The seven cases are not hospital acquired, health officials said.

Healthcare staff in the areas where the patients live have been alerted to look out for symptoms.

Officials said early signs include flu-like symptoms, with muscle aches, tiredness, headaches, dry cough and fever which can lead to pneumonia.

Diarrhoea and confusion may occur, as well as chest and breathing symptoms. The disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics.

There were 239 cases of the disease in England and Wales in 2011, including 23 in the West Midlands.

Water Softener Reviews - Comparing the Best

Hello Shoppers! Like many of us, you're probably a little bit unsure which water softener to go for, so we thought we'd add some customer reviews - good and bad -  for the top 10 best softeners on the market today, for you to have a look at, before you buy. 

UK's Top 10 Water Softeners  

We've spoken to plenty of domestic clients about their experiences with the units they buy from us, and how they found the DYI installation. All our customers were asked, in this instance, to give an 'out of 5 rating' and tell us one good thing and one critique about each softener - This is what they've said:

1. Crown Softener Review - £753.94 Buy Now
• Rating 5/5
• Claire, Cheshire: "I chose this softener for a few reasons, because the salt is great value and because you don't need to plug it in - the only downside I can find is that it didn't seem to have clear controls - until I worked out that it was automatic softener!!"  
• (click here to read full Crown review from us!)
2. Crown Ultra  Softener Review - £1,095.00 Buy Now
• Rating 4/5
• Jake, Liverpool: "The good part is how much this softener produced water-wise [flow-rate]. I have a big family; 4 children, and needed a lot more than the standard softeners offer. The bad part is that it's a fair bit more [£££] compared to the others I'd looked at, but it's worth it in my case!"
3. Coral Softener Review - £348.67 Buy Now
• Rating 4/5
• Lara, Sussex: "I found it value for money, and great for my skin and hair since I'm quite sensitive to the hard water ion my area. I would definitely recommend having a plumber install it - I found quite difficult and had a plumber come and connect it in the end"
4. Swan Softener Review - £414.30 Buy Now
• Rating 5/5
• Kate, London: "Great for my home since it's a decent price and had a range of larger sizes - I got a 30 litre timer one for great money and it works fine. I like that it takes tablet salt too, it's less fussy. I did have to wait a couple of weeks for it though, since it's a 'made to order' one [softener]"
5. Home Water Softener Review - £466.44 Buy Now
• Rating 4/5
• Andrew, Devon : "It's one of the slightly more expensive ones, but it came with an installation kit included so I was happy about that - I found it easy to fit too, with a little bit of elbow grease and a youtube video - job done! Just got to make sure you shut the water off before you start chopping into anything! Nothing bad really, but they are a bit expensive"
6. Delta Softener Review - £550.20 Buy Now
• Rating 3/5
• Indigo, Birmingham: "I liked it because it has an install kit included and it's non-electric, but I found that, when I received it and went to put it in, I had to drill a hole to connect the overflow - this is apparently a feature of the unit, since the brine tank and valve[s] swivels to three different positions, so you can get it into compact spaces (another reason for buying) and you wouldn't want three different holes in the softener, but I found it quite annoying! So beware to all of those who purchase this one, you'll need a small drill!! "
7. Domestic Fleck Softener Review - £458.64 Buy Now
• Rating 5/5
• Rachel, Leicester: "I got this because we have a big duplex 'Fleck' softener at work - they're not really glamorous or anything but they're really reliable since the make is an industrial one, primarily; works well for me!"
8. Mistral Softener Review - £363.88 Buy Now
• Rating 4/5
• Gary, Hertfordshire: "I hate parting with my money, so I was looking for the very best deal I could - this seemed like the best thing I could find, so I went for it, Installed it myself, and it's been fine. Took me a while to get a hand of the 'regeneration' business, but I got round that pretty quickly"
9. Pallas Duo Mini Softener Review - £1,009.58 Buy Now
• Rating 5/5
• Anna, Bradford: "Oooh I love my softener! It's such a better looking model than the ones you usually see too, so I'm not embarrassed when people see it in my kitchen - I love the display, and the slider compartment. In general, I was looking for s duplex one, and this one really caught my eye. I didn't install it myself, since it looked quite complicated"
10. Pallas Duo Maxi Softener Review - £1,165.23 Buy Now
• Rating 5/5
• Oscar, Hampshire: "Brilliant for my house - we have a big home with en suites, so needed a good one. The top is great and easy to use. Very expensive though"

Legionellosis Training in London - Sign Up

Legionella Awarness Training
	Water Hygiene Course in London City Spectrum News Bulletin 17/07/2012

Spectrum ES Limited will be holding various Legionella Awareness Courses across London in September 2012! The first program is being arranged and spaces are being booked! - Call Spectrum to secure your no-obligation* space on the course!

We’re offering you the great rate of £70 per person, and your second delegate for only £55 for this event! We also give group bookings special rates, and we can even come to you!

Call: 0870 729 0199 to chat about your requirements!

*There are 'No-obligations' or holding fee's when expressing an interest in this course! All we ask for is your name, email and telephone number, so we can contact you about the course, and we'll give you some dates that may be good for you - We'll discuss the next steps over the phone!


Need a different Course? Get in touch about the following agendas...

- Introduction to Legionellosis, Legionnaires' Disease and Pontiac Fever- Managing the Control of Legionellosis – Your Responsibilities- Site Engineer Training – The Need For Regular Checks- Setting Up A Legionellosis Control Regime

Holby City Air Legionnaires Disease Episode

Holby City are due to air a two-part episode, where a leading character, Luc, is determined to correct his mistakes in missing the diagnosis that led to the legionnaires' disease outbreak, and frantically searches for its source - Episodes air tonight on BBC.

- a great TV bit for those who want to learn about they symptoms and how the disease proliferates!

80 Cases of Legionella in an Outbreak in Scotland - and Rising!

New news from Scottish health officials telling of a legionella outbreak in the south-west of Edinburgh has seen an increase in the total number of confirmed cases -


Of those cases of the disease being treated in hospital, 15 are in intensive care and 27 are in general wards. A total of 16 cases are being treated in the community, 16 have been discharged from hospital. So far one man has died, named locally as 56-year-old Robert Air, from Seafield in Edinburgh.

The Health and Safety Executive and Edinburgh City Council are continuing their investigations into the possible source of the outbreak.

Click here for a look at the Independent article

Click here for a Legionella Control Company

How to Save Water Using a Water Softener

Kennet Water just posted a very interesting article - 

"Hosepipe bans, officially called temporary use bans, came into effect in seven water companies on the 5^th April. Saving water has therefore become a very newsworthy item and an equally worthy goal for everyone to aim for.

Water softeners can help to save water as they make household tasks like cleaning and washing easier by eliminating lime scale and reducing the amount of detergent needed. This is in addition to the recognised benefits in energy saving in heating systems.

In new dwellings, design water consumption is limited to 125 l/person/day Where a water softener is installed, the calculation of the water for regeneration is ignored if it is 4% or less of the softened water produced. This recognises the low carbon footprint of an efficient water softener"

It seems its getting more and more important, environmentally, to save our water, and since water softeners lessen overall use anyway, I would definitely recommend using this Water Saving Coral Softener (low-regen), to reduce use even further.Not only does it have all the great benefits of softened water come with it, but it also has one of the lowest prices on the market today, usually starting at £424!Take a closer look at the model spec, and buy online here

Legionellosis Training in Stoke and Kent June 2012

Legionella Awarness Training – Book Now!
	Water Hygiene Course in Stoke and Kent Spectrum News Bulletin 11/04/2012 Legionellosis Awareness Training is an important part of your Water Hygiene program. We know some of you need to take the training course, so we’re offering our customers the great rate of £70 per person, and your second delegate for only £55 for this event!* DOWNLOAD THE FAST BOOKING FORM Bookings will be taken until May 23rd 2012 Early booking is advisable, since the course is devoted to a limited number of delegates per session. If you cannot download the booking form, send an email to the Event Organiser, Lydia Bradburn, as soon as possible, so that we can send you the PDF form manually. Courses are to be held at: Yarnfield Park Training & Conference Centre in Staffordshire, Stoke on Wednesday 13th June 2012 David Salomons Estate in Tunbridge Wells, Kent on Wednesday the 6th June 2012 The half-day course will include parking, unlimited tea, coffee and biscuits; The delegates have the choice of morning or afternoon courses, due to start at 10:00am and 1:00pm. If you are unsure you need to attend this training, please call our friendly team, or check your latest Spectrum Risk Assessment, under the ‘Remedials’ section. Course Agenda: ×          Questionnaire (Part A) ×          Introduction Video ×          Legionella in the News ×          Legionella and Water Quality General Awareness ×          Legislation in the UK ×          Responsibilities and Communication ×          Record Keeping ×          Competency and Training ×          Legionella Risk Management ×          Water Management in Practice ×          Monitoring of Water Systems ×          Questionnaire (Part B) Go to Facebook!   Go to Twitter! *The first delegate must pay the full price of £70.00 and a second delegate will then receive the offer of £55.00 when attending the same training session. This offer applies to subsequent delegates, i.e., if two delegates pay the full price of £70.00, two further delegates will receive the discounted price of £55.00. This offer is for customers only; however, any persons wishing to attend this course who are not already Spectrum clients, £70.00 per delegate is applicable. VAT is included within these prices. Want to know more about us? You've seen only the tip of the iceburg -- let us show you more. Get connected with us, pick up the phone & give us a call or drop by our offices between 8:30am and 5:00pm! - www.spectrum-env.co.uk - - www.spectrum-softeners.co.uk - - TEL: 0870 729 0199 -

What is a 'Duplex' water softener?

It's not always the most straight forward of things, buying a softener. The most frequent question is, "what is a duplex?"

The best way to describe this is to explain a simplex softener first - the 'simplex' describes a single vessel within the softener.

The picture to the right, shows a model with two vessels (the two dark blue canisters) ; this is known as a duplex model.

The simplex softeners were the first ones on the market; These need time to 'regenerate' the resin. Or, in lamens terms, to soak up all the sodium goodness into the small resin beads, before the softening process starts again. This limits the use of your softener, but only on occasion. There are many ways to get around that, one is to use a 'timer' softener (which we will link to another post shortly) and the other is to invest in a 'duplex'.

A duplex softener only uses one canister/vessel at a time, so one of them has a full chance to 'regenerate' before needing to be used - it's a feature that ensures soft water is being made 24/7, and is the choice most people make when deciding to buy a softener.

This is what happens when a softener regenerates...

Crown Block Salt Water Softener Review

The block salt softener everyone's raving about... The Crown and the Crown Ultra - We'll we're going to review them since we've fitted and tested a bunch of them!

Hopefully we'll address some questions you may have about this softener brand too.

OK, a bit about us - you wouldn't want to take advice from just anyone now, would you? - We're water treatment professionals - so when talking chemistry, we think this softener is one of the greatest for softening your water at home since it softens even the hardest water we've come across.
Being a 'duplex' softener, they run around the clock, and since they run on block salt, you'll never wonder whether its time to top up on salt or not, unlike some traditional softeners - it'll be completely obvious! Since it's quite easy to damage a softener if you forget to top-up with salt, the block salt softeners are definitely the best ones.

Of all of them, these are super easy to fit too - they only require a DIY fitting kit that you could buy for about £30-£70 extra, and (helpfully) fitting a softener couldn't be easier with all the tutorials and manuals you can get a hold of on the internet. (Pssst, by the way, we'll upload a few fitting videos for y'all soon...)

The Crown is manufactured in the UK, and promises quality and affordability - bearing in mind this machine will last several years, usually coming with a long warranty which makes the prices look even more tempting, but there are other excellent benefit to investing in this particular model...

Softeners, in general, save money by reducing the amount of cleaning products you use; for example, when having a bath, and shampooing your hair, you would only need to use a small amount with soft water since it suds-up really quickly - or when doing the washing up, and the bubbles just disappear with hard water... or when your scrubbing scale off your shower with an expensive descaler product... The Crown softens even the hardest water, reducing the use of your household cleaning product use to the maximum amount. What we're getting is that, across the softeners lifetime with you, it will have paid for itself !

There are a million good things about this softener we could talk about! Including an amazing flow rate, and the benefits your skin hair and nails feel when bathing in soft water... The only thing I would ever pick on, is the fact that the size of the unit only makes it applicable to homes that have around 1-2 bathrooms.


But I guess I cant complain about that anymore since they brought out the Crown Ultra - a nice big softener for large homes, that has the same benefits.

If you're thinking about a softener, we would have to give this one 10/10. It's simply brilliant.

Guernsey Hospital System Failure of Legionella

The BBC reported an article on the high levels of bacteria and legionella found at Guernsey's Princess Elizabeth Hospital.


... "Legionella bacteria have been eradicated from the water system at Guernsey's Princess Elizabeth Hospital, according to the health department.


Ed Freestone, from the department, said: "We have basically cleared it out of the system and that is a really good result. We have cracked the problem."


Heat treatment was used after chemicals failed to solve the problem.
Unacceptably high levels of bacteria were found in January following the implementation of new, routine checks
"We've found taps we never knew we had," he said.
The source of the bacteria has not been identified.


However, Mr Freestone pointed to the number of phases of development at the hospital over 80 years, leading to water lying stagnant in some lengths of redundant pipe-work.


Mr Freestone said all the plumbing in the hospital would now be "flushed at regular intervals"."

Need a legionella risk assessment? visit www.spectrum-env.co.uk  

News Update: Infection Control: Legionnaires' disease and dental unit water

We came across this brilliant article on : Infection Control: Legionnaires' disease and dental unit water - If you're a dentist, and worried about legionella, we don't blame you...

"On a certain Monday morning in February, some of us were getting the same question from our patients. The question was similar to the questions that dental offices received in 1987 regarding transmission of HIV in the dental setting, as well as questions in 2001 regarding the transmission of HBV in the dental setting. My hope was that you answered these questions without hesitation.
Your current answers should be that your office is doing everything they can to comply with the guidelines, regulations, and laws governing infection control in the dental setting, including infection control procedures that treat the water lines.
In Rome, Italy, it was confirmed that an 83-year-old Italian woman who died from Legionnaire’s disease contracted the infection from the water lines in a dental practice.
The case was quickly diagnosed, and the source of the disease is unquestioned. The woman was admitted into the hospital with breathing problems and a very high temperature. She was admitted to the intensive care unit with continued fever and respiratory distress.
Chest radiography showed several areas of lung consolidation. She had no underlying diseases or conditions. Legionnaires’ disease was promptly diagnosed by a Legionella pneumophila urinary antigen test; a bronchial aspirate was taken for microbiological examination. Oral ciprofloxacin (750 mg every 12 hours) was started immediately. Nevertheless, the patient developed fulminant and irreversible septic shock and died two days later. An investigation to find the source of L pneumophila infection was initiated. After testing, she was diagnosed with legionnare’s disease.(1,2)
The part of this story that makes it clear that the disease was a direct result of dental treatment is what led up to this. The patient left her house only two times within the incubation period of two to 12 days. Both of those trips were direct trips to the dentist and back.
The evaluation of the dental setting included an evaluation of the water in the dental lines. Samples of water were taken from the dentist’s tap, from the dental unit water line, and from the high-pressure pump supplying the waterline. The testing that was done revealed that all three samples of water tested positive for Legionella pneumophila bacteria and the sample from the water pump was particularly convincing. Aerosolised water from high-speed turbine instruments was most likely the source of the infection. Warm temperatures and periods of water immobility provide a breeding ground for the bacteria. Distributed in fine droplets by a spray, the bacteria are then breathed in. Elderly people or individuals with poor immune systems are most at risk.
Genetic sequencing confirmed that the bacteria found in the dental water line directly matched the bacteria that killed the patient. The bacteria is a particularly virulent substrain called Benidorm.
Legionnaire’s disease, as we all know, is unusual. Most cases have involved air conditioning units, spas, and water fountains that are not properly cleaned or looked after. No one previously has identified the dental setting as a possible source of this disease, but we all know it could happen. That is why we are all so diligent in applying infection control guidelines, regulations, and laws into our daily practice of dentistry.
The case report has suggested a number of recommendations, including the use of filters and sterile water and adding a continuous loop of disinfected water. 

What is Legionnaires’ disease? 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines Legionnaires’ disease as a disease that is caused by a type of bacteria called Legionella. The bacteria got its name in 1976, when many people who went to a Philadelphia convention of the American Legion suffered from an outbreak of this disease, which is a type of pneumonia (lung infection). Although this type of bacteria was around before 1976, more illnesses from Legionnaires’ disease are being detected now. This is because we are now looking for this disease whenever a patient has pneumonia.
Legionella bacteria are found naturally in the environment, usually in water. The bacteria grow best in warm water. This is why you will find it in places such as hot tubs, air conditioning units, and water tanks. People acquire Legionnaires’ disease when they breathe in a mist or vapour (small droplets of water in the air) that has been contaminated with the bacteria. One example might be from breathing in the steam from a whirlpool spa that has not been properly cleaned and disinfected, or a dental hand-piece that has water flowing through to cool it down that is aerosolized. This disease is not spread from one person to another, but rather from the environment to the person.
The populations at the greatest risk for developing this disease are older people (usually 50 years of age or older), people who are current, former smokers, those who have a chronic lung disease (such emphysema), people who have weak immune systems from diseases, or those who take drugs to suppress (weaken) the immune system.
The problem with diagnosis of this disease is that symptoms are similar to other forms of pneumonia. It may be hard to diagnose at first. Symptoms of the disease can include a high fever, chills, and a cough. Some people may also suffer from muscle aches and headaches. Chest X-rays are needed to find the pneumonia caused by the bacteria, and other tests can be done on sputum (phlegm), as well as blood or urine to find evidence of the bacteria in the body. Symptoms usually begin two to 14 days after being exposed to the bacteria.
Legionnaires’ disease can be very serious and can cause death in 5% to 30% of cases. Most cases can be treated successfully with antibiotics, and healthy people usually recover from infection. "

Read more at DentistryIQ...

For more information on Legionella Bacteria and control measures call Spectrum Environmental Solutions on 0870 729 0199