FormWorks is Here!

After trialing and liking, Spectrum have decided to go ahead with Digital Solutions' FormWorks system. Our engineers have been armed with iPads and Spectrum have taken a big jump towards eliminating that nasty hard copy paperwork, in favour of the environmentally-friendly, electronic kind.
    FormWorks is an online data collection system, which as you know, Spectrum have been looking into for a while. Its speed, versatility and easy-to-use interface won us over and now we can offer, our clients, an even more efficient service. Technical Reports and Risk Assessments will be flown, through cyberspace, quicker than ever before. I think we need a catchphrase - from iPad to eye? (I'll keep working on that one!)
   Spectrum opted to create our own forms, on the system, based on our existing hard copy ones. We found it pretty easy to load and edit forms and the only real problem we came across, in the end, was the amount of editable fields we are allowed, per form. We have a lot to say and we don't like being limited!
    So if you see one of our Spectrum engineers wandering around the place, clutching an iPad, you will know what they are up to.

Please join me in crossing your fingers that we won't have any water damaged iPads.

HSE Changing The ACOP (L8)

The HSE are conducting a consultation - it has been called to bring about changes to the ACOP (L8), to make a clearer, more definite set of guidelines.

We found the article on the FM World website; the report reads:

The legionella Consultative Document (CD258) sets out proposals from the HSE to publish an updated Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) on Legionnaire’s disease. 

The consultation provides an opportunity to comment on whether the draft ACOP text provides legal clarification and proportionate advice in low-risk scenarios. 

Accompanying guidance provides advice on achieving compliance, information of a general nature, including explanation of the requirements of the law, specific technical information or references to further sources of information. 

The revised ACOP gives practical advice on the legal requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH). It also applies to the risk from exposure to legionella bacteria and includes information of a general nature including explanation of the requirements of law. 

Interested parties can e-mail for more information: legionella.ACOPconsultation@hse.gsi.gov.uk 
Documents and comment forms can be downloaded here. 

The other two consultations concern the Control of Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 and the amended Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.
Industry and interested parties have until 23 August to respond.

We found the article here : http://www.fm-world.co.uk/news/fm-industry-news/hse-opens-legionella-consultation/?

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

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.

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

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

The Next 'Combating Legionella Conference'

H&V News has announced the dates for the second annual Combating Legionella Manchester conference.

In a statement it said: “Building on the success of last year’s event, H&V News is delighted to announce the dates for the second annual Combating Legionella Manchester conference, taking place on the 28-29th March 2012.”
"This event will bring together facilities managers, designers and engineers from across the industry to hear essential updates on guidance and legislation, and share best practise in preventing and dealing with a legionella outbreak.”

Looks like we all need to keep our eyes open for even more changes after March 2012!

The Changes to ACOP (L8) BS 8580:2010

Okay; There have been some changes to the way things work around here, and it seems no ones really noticed...

What We All Know about the ACoP (L8) and the Control of Legionella Bacteria...

Most of us are aware, in layman's terms, that bacteria beasties can accumulate in water that isn't 'looked-after'. We also know, as duty holders, we have to abide by some rules, namely the ACoP (L8). We know we need an annual monitoring plan, and a legionella risk assessment, at least once every 2 years as a matter of routine to keep these beasties at bay.

This is No Longer the Case!
Not many people realise, some changes were made to the overall approved code of practice, late in 2010. Some added literature, which is available at a rather large sum of money, can tell you the nitty-gritty. All I know is, there's one thing that my customers really need to know, and I'll tell you for free.

Legionella Risk Assessments are now considered 'live' documentation. These changes also specify that the document must be updated in anticipation of changes to the system, and then reviewed after too.
I think it's safe to say, not coordinating the risk factor with your system designer (if indeed, they are separate), is a huge mistake, since modifications to pipework systems is a main contributor in creating 'deadlegs' (a piece of unused or capped pipework, where the legionella can grow quickly in stagnant water).

Luckily, this new course of practice makes way for a lower and more controlled risk. This also means that your supplier of water treatment services could be updating your building's risk assessment as frequently as monthly if needed!

This doesn't mean that you'll never need a full risk assessment again, since the amount of added documentation could crowd and confuse the risk assessment document itself.
It does mean, that any authority or duty holder looking for a water treatment contractor, or has a current contractor working for them, should make sure these new features of the ACoP(L8) are followed.

For a water treatment contractor that does, visit www.spectrum-env.co.uk - stay tuned, more updates of the ACoP (L8) coming soon ...

(For more info see our blog post: How often do I need an ACoP (L8) Risk Assessment?)