[Lee Burbidge]

Hot water systems are increasing in popularity, but how safe are they? When given trainig on your spanky new WFP system it is mentioned that there could be a possible danger of legionella.

Your vans parked up on a hot summers day. It could happen in a cold water system??.

So then, what of hot water systems?. It could be argued that the Thermopure type system heats the water as it passes the element and so no danger, where as other systems might have a small resvoiur of warm water, still are these the places Legionnaire's Disease can live??

Either way, its something worth thinking about.

May be establishing any possible dangers in your system is a start, then should there be a risk, you will need to implement a Legionella control action plan.

A legionella outbreak in your system will have serious consequences, this incudes the risk of company insurance being invalid, business closure, prosecution or even a charge of man slaughter if inaction has led to the death or injury of an employee or public.

[Jeff Brimble]

You should and disenfect your IBC at least once a year as it can occur in cold water systems over 19 degrees.Try putting Legionella into the forum search engine 

[DaveG]

Just dont drink it 

[Lee Burbidge]

You should and disenfect your IBC at least once a year as it can occur in cold water systems over 19 degrees.Try putting Legionella into the forum search engine 

That is good advice. So it could; so how many have a control action plan??

[Lee Burbidge]

Just dont drink it 

Not good thing no........

It is contracted from breathing in droplets/mist...... like the jets on your brush.

[matthewprice]

i have kept a record of temprature of my ibc over last year water never got above 4deg,and by replacing my filter yearly this keeps it safe or am i wrong ,could set up a uv any ideas

[Spruce]

Hi Lee

How many WFP systems are out there in the UK at the moment?

How many outbreaks of Legionaires Disease have we heard about in the past couple of years - I think I heard of 2 affected buildings. I'm sure there is a system in place that doctors and hospitals have to inform the authorities of any legionaires disease outbreak, so it will get handled by the H&S executive.

I'm sure if there had been an outbreak of the disease in the WFP community we would have seen a thread on it on a forum such as this.

Whilst I agree the consequences of Legionaires disease can't be taken lightly, we've had this scaremainering many times before. I'm sure the first scare was a marketing ploy by a ladder manufacturer concerned that the sales of ladders were being jeopardised by the promotion of WFP and legionaires disease was his way of hitting back.

Spruce

[Paul Coleman]

I may be wrong but I understood that the water needed to be 20 degrees or more for over a week in order for legionella to multiply sufficiently to be a potential health hazard.  As the water is not in my van mount for any more than possibly 4 days at most (over a weekend), it gets used up within that time.  Even if there is some left at the next fill, it becomes heavily diluted again by cooler water from the static tank.  Obviously such temperatures won't be reached for at least 8 months of the year so the only danger point is if water is left standing for a week or more during the Summer.  As this is a time of year when window cleaners are getting through more work, it's likely that danger will only emerge if the window cleaner is sick for a week or more and/or goes on holiday.  Obviously sickness can't be planned.  If the weather has been very hot for a week or more temperatures can get high in the van (though water is usually cooler than air temperature).  It would possibly be better to discard a tank of water in this case - just in case.  Holidays are planned events though.  I tend to run the tank as close to empty as possible before going away as I know the static tank won't reach sufficient temperature to breed legionella as it's quite cool where it is.  To be on the safe side though, it's quite possible for me to run both tanks close to empty before going away - so long as I start the filtering at least a few hours before I restart work.
Apart from that, surely the water should drown the little buggers anyway  .

[Lee Burbidge]

Hi Lee

How many WFP systems are out there in the UK at the moment?

How many outbreaks of Legionaires Disease have we heard about in the past couple of years - I think I heard of 2 affected buildings. I'm sure there is a system in place that doctors and hospitals have to inform the authorities of any legionaires disease outbreak, so it will get handled by the H&S executive.

I'm sure if there had been an outbreak of the disease in the WFP community we would have seen a thread on it on a forum such as this.

Whilst I agree the consequences of Legionaires disease can't be taken lightly, we've had this scaremainering many times before. I'm sure the first scare was a marketing ploy by a ladder manufacturer concerned that the sales of ladders were being jeopardised by the promotion of WFP and legionaires disease was his way of hitting back.

Spruce

This topic is worth exploring and is no way a scaremainering one...... some people are unaware of the risk.

[Lee Burbidge]

I may be wrong but I understood that the water needed to be 20 degrees or more for over a week in order for legionella to multiply sufficiently to be a potential health hazard.  As the water is not in my van mount for any more than possibly 4 days at most (over a weekend), it gets used up within that time.  Even if there is some left at the next fill, it becomes heavily diluted again by cooler water from the static tank.  Obviously such temperatures won't be reached for at least 8 months of the year so the only danger point is if water is left standing for a week or more during the Summer.  As this is a time of year when window cleaners are getting through more work, it's likely that danger will only emerge if the window cleaner is sick for a week or more and/or goes on holiday.  Obviously sickness can't be planned.  If the weather has been very hot for a week or more temperatures can get high in the van (though water is usually cooler than air temperature).  It would possibly be better to discard a tank of water in this case - just in case.  Holidays are planned events though.  I tend to run the tank as close to empty as possible before going away as I know the static tank won't reach sufficient temperature to breed legionella as it's quite cool where it is.  To be on the safe side though, it's quite possible for me to run both tanks close to empty before going away - so long as I start the filtering at least a few hours before I restart work.
Apart from that, surely the water should drown the little buggers anyway  .

Purging the tank if the van is going to sit for some time is an excellent idea   

[Mist A Bit]

the risk is very small your more likely to develop pontiac fevor which is a smaller dose of legionaires desiese. i understood that the bacteria can be killed by running a di resin before hose real

[dd]

Do you use wfp Lee?

[James Leet]

Matt on the Cleaning forums has a friend who is a H&S Legionnaires disease specialist. He was Horrified at the thought of preheating the water

Lee pop over and have a read, i know you use the forum.

[Justen Uff]

Just use up yer stored water.  What you worried about?

[Lee Burbidge]

the risk is very small your more likely to develop pontiac fevor which is a smaller dose of legionaires desiese. i understood that the bacteria can be killed by running a di resin before hose real

That is interesting   

[Lee Burbidge]

Do you use wfp Lee?

Yes. Why?

[Lee Burbidge]

Matt on the Cleaning forums has a friend who is a H&S Legionnaires disease specialist. He was Horrified at the thought of preheating the water

Lee pop over and have a read, i know you use the forum.

Thank you James. Will do 

[Lee Burbidge]

Just use up yer stored water.  What you worried about?

Exactly. No worried, informing..................

 

[richard jagger]

Legionaires Disease some more B S we read about on this forum from time to time. Lets all be afraid of our shadows.Or lets grow up chaps.If you pee in your tank you could aids.be afraid very afraid. 

[dd]

Do you use wfp Lee?

Yes. Why?

Hi Lee, it is just you seem to be doom mongering.

Once the water leaves the brush head it cools VERY quickly so is only hot/warm for a matter of minutes.

As has been posted before wfp has been widely used for years and no cases of legionaires or any other disease has been attributed to it to date.

Only health issue as far as I am aware is the wide prevalence of rsi among wfp'ers.