Legionella Testing

Legionella Risk Management and Risk Assessment Services

Bacterium Legionella pneumophila

C&IH delivers comprehensive Legionella testing services, risk and exposure assessments, and monitoring design and support services for commercial, industrial, and residential properties including healthcare, hotel, office, recreational, and other facilities. Risk assessment and management activities performed by C&IH are designed to identify and control Legionella amplification and dissemination sources, including exposure through air and water distribution systems. By incorporating both industrial hygiene and ventilation engineering technical resources, we provide a turn-key approach that allows us to perform comprehensive site inspections, for Legionella testing and risk assessments necessary to develop a site-specific risk management program customized to your facility.

Overview of Legionella Services

  • Site assessments and building surveys to inspect potable and non-potable water sources and systems and identify potential areas of Legionella presence, amplification, and exposure
  • Control and mitigation specification to address identified and potential Legionella growth areas and other critical control points
  • Risk and water management programs for proper implementation and validation of Legionella risk assessment findings and recommendations
  • Environmental monitoring to develop baseline data and validate the effectiveness of the implemented water management program through measurable outcomes
  • Technical support for clients in all aspects of Legionella risk assessment, control, and management, including laboratory method selection, data interpretation, and program implementation and auditing
  • Management systems consulting for integrating a Legionella risk management plan into existing or future occupational health and safety management systems for compliance with corporate standards, OHSAS 18001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ANSI Z10, NMA COREsafety, etc.
  • Indoor air quality assessment performed in conjunction with Legionella risk assessments for broad-based building air quality including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) respirable particulates, mold and other microbial contaminants, radon, and other contaminants, pollutants, and irritants
  • Exposure modeling of airborne contaminant dispersion to test, validate, replicate, or predict Legionella transport and pathway(s) pre- or post-outbreak
  • Quantitative risk assessment for simple and complex facilities based on monitoring data and published standards and guidelines from United States and international sources
  • Toxicological evaluations and human health risk assessment including dose-response assessment of airborne exposures, exposure evaluation, data interpretation for clinical and environmental isolate comparisons

Since Legionella bacteria can be present even after a ventilation system has been commissioned, instituting a risk management plan and conducting a proactive risk assessment is essential to identify potential areas of bacterial growth and to design effective controls that will minimize growth and dissemination into the breathable airstream.

Legionella Project Experience

  • Building systems inspections for identification of microbiological sources, amplification potential, dissemination pathways, and receptor locations
  • Legionella and other microbial (e.g., M. avium, thermophilic actinomycetes, etc.) risk assessments, quantitative sampling and analysis, and design and implementation of management and maintenance programs
  • Design and implementation of inspection methods and sampling and analysis programs for Legionella and other microbial entities in appliances and other mechanical equipment using or containing water
  • Design, installation, and effectiveness verification (commissioning) of air handling filtration and particulate control systems
  • Modeling of particulate and gaseous phase particulate dissemination in buildings and outdoor environments

The recent release of the ASHRAE Legionellosis Risk Management Standard calls for a comprehensive approach to the issue of anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of legionellosis in the public domain. Risk assessments for Legionella performed by C&IH incorporate the experience of our multi-disciplinary staff, including certified industrial hygienists proficient in the state-of-the-art science and methodology of biological indoor air contaminants, and ventilation engineers knowledgeable in the design and function of commercial ventilation systems. This combined experience provides building managers with a thorough risk characterization and a more comprehensive approach to disease prevention.

Additional Resources

ASHRAE Standard 188-2018
“Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems”

 

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