Legionnaires’ disease is often assumed to be a tropical illness suffered by French Foreign Legionnaires in distant jungles. In fact, it gets its name from American Legionnaires (military veterans), 29 of whom died in the first known outbreak after contracting the disease at a convention in a Philadelphia hotel in 1976.
Legionnaires’ disease is actually a form of severe pneumonia caused by waterborne bacteria. Although preventable, there are nearly 6,000 cases a year across Europe, including about 350 in England and Wales. The mortality rate is usually between 5 and 10 per cent.
Any building with a water system can provide the conditions the bacteria need to multiply – cooling towers, air-conditioning systems and spa pools have all led to outbreaks – so nobody should be complacent. The risk is not only to the health of victims but also to the reputation and finances of organisations and individuals who neglect to maintain systems safely. Failing to comply with legislation related to the control of Legionella could result in unlimited fines, court costs, compensation claims, disqualification and up to two years in prison.
This year, the Health and Safety Executive published specialist guidance on the risks presented by spa pools. These facilities, where water is typically kept warm and has a high organic content due to regular human use, create conditions where Legionella and other unpleasant bacteria can grow rapidly. As the water in a spa pool is agitated, it forms aerosols, which if infected and inhaled are the primary means by which Legionella bacteria are transmitted to humans.
Since proper maintenance of water systems in buildings has been identified as the most effective action to negate the risk, why do cases still occur? Two reasons: lack of awareness and poor-quality maintenance – both of which can be addressed with effective training.
Effectively managing a water system requires regular routines and recording processes, which means managers and operatives need training that goes beyond old-fashioned classroom tick-box exercises. Develop Training takes a ‘hands-on’ approach, building on basic instruction by taking training out of the classroom into real-world scenarios and developing training delivery to account for candidates’ preferred methods of learning. Crucially, training to manage water systems should not be once-only exercises but a continuous process.
This tailored, ongoing approach to health and safety training keeps the risks and the maintenance to avoid them front of mind. Ultimately, that saves lives.