Legionella – No. 1 in Legionella Control
PEST CONTROL EXPERTS
Legionella Control
It is mandatory to perform Legionella control (Legionella, Legionella pneumophila) in any facility or organization that uses water or generates aerosols. At Gimasur, we specialize in conducting a personalized study of risk installations following the guidelines of Royal Decree 487/2022, of June 21, which establishes the health requirements for the prevention and control of legionellosis.
Not everyone contracts this disease; according to studies, several factors can favor its development. Some of these factors are:
– Most registered cases are in people over 60 years old.
– The incidence among males is much higher than females.
– Alcohol and tobacco consumption promotes it.
– Previous respiratory diseases.
– People suffering from other types of diseases such as cancer or diabetes, among others.
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Legionella Control and Prevention Process
Control
We develop a specific maintenance or self-control program for each type of installation, considering the identified risk level and possible detected deviations. This program includes a list of corrective measures to be implemented in each scenario.
Disinfection Procedure
We perform regular and/or intensive cleaning and disinfection procedures. Gimasur personnel have completed the mandatory accredited courses (according to Order SCO/317/2003) to issue the corresponding certificates after carrying out cleaning and disinfection treatments.
Legionella Sample Collection and Analysis
We begin with the collection and analysis of Legionella samples in our certified laboratory. This step is fundamental to ensure water quality.
Equipment Installation and Maintenance
Our team is responsible for the installation and maintenance of dosing equipment for biocides, maintenance products such as corrosion and scaling inhibitors, automatic purge systems, chlorine and pH regulators, among others.
Personalized Training
If necessary, we provide training for personnel in charge of facility maintenance. We want them to perform maintenance operations correctly and record them properly in the corresponding Registry Book. Additionally, we create a customized registry book for risk installations, following all current regulations.
Legionella Control Service in Granada and Málaga
- CLEANING AND DISINFECTION of risk installations, with their corresponding Health Certificate and a Photographic Dossier of these actions. Because we do thoroughly clean tanks and accumulators.
- Laboratory analysis, accredited by ENAC or certified by ISO 9001, of water samples for the analytical determination of the presence/absence of Legionella.
- Development, implementation, and maintenance of a Legionella Prevention and Control Plan (PPCL) or a Legionella Health Plan (PSL), as established by Royal Decree 487/2022. It describes in detail all installations and responsibilities subject to the Program, specifying all tasks to be performed, including reviews, analytics, as well as cleaning and disinfection. For each of these, it specifies: frequencies, methods and procedures, and those responsible for each task. It includes a hydraulic plan or diagram of the installation indicating the sampling points and different representative points.
- Analysis of the installation’s situation, through the preparation of an Installation Diagnosis.
- Preparation and Advice for the implementation of the Registry Book, as established by the applicable regulations for each installation.
- Accompaniment and/or Advice during Inspections by the Health Authority. We also offer a 24/7/365 days alert service, for resolving any incidents and providing relevant advice.
- We deliver, along with the documentation, the appropriate accreditations through a Dossier that includes: operator licenses, safety data sheets of the products used, and the registration certificate in the Official Registry of Biocide Establishments and Services of Andalusia (ROESBA 0809-AND-450).
Legionella Treatment: Stages for Legionellosis Prevention
Stage 1: Entry Route
This first stage consists of controlling the quality of the water entering the facility and verifying that the water has an adequate concentration of chlorine to guarantee its microbiological quality.
Stage 2: Interior of the facility
It is important to prevent the proliferation of the Legionella bacteria within the facilities to maintain a safe and healthy environment. To achieve this, specific preventive measures must be implemented.
At Gimasur, we are responsible for carrying out rigorous monitoring to prevent and control the conditions that promote the proliferation of this bacteria, such as temperature (with a range between 25 and 45ºC, higher between 35 and 37ºC) and the presence of water stagnation (with little circulation), presence of nutrients, bacteria or algae.
One of the most effective measures is to carry out a rigorous cleaning and disinfection of water systems susceptible to harboring Legionella. Disinfection is performed through hyperchlorination.
Stage 3: Aerosolization
In this phase, the aim is to avoid or reduce the generation of aerosols, a fundamental process in the transmission of legionellosis. To achieve this, actions such as controlling the location of cooling towers or increasing the size of aerosol droplets released into the environment can be implemented.
To regulate these preventive measures, RD 487/2022 has been established, which sets the hygienic-sanitary criteria for the prevention and control of legionellosis.
This disease can trigger illnesses such as Legionnaire’s pneumonia, which is a type of severe lung infection that causes cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. And Pontiac fever, which is milder than pneumonia (like a flu), but should still be treated by a doctor.
What is legionellosis?
Legionellosis is a disease transmitted through the respiratory tract, mainly by inhaling aerosols or aspirating water contaminated with the Legionella bacteria.
In other words, it is contracted when breathing microparticles of water contaminated by Legionella bacteria. Water aerosolization is formed by small droplets created when water is sprayed or when bubbles are made in water, such as in whirlpool baths. Therefore, the smaller the droplets, the more easily they can access the respiratory tract.
If this sprayed water is contaminated by Legionella, the disease will develop. The risk of contracting legionellosis varies depending on the amount of Legionella bacteria concentrated in the sprayed water and the person’s exposure time to this water.
Associated Facilities:
Facilities with a likelihood of Legionella proliferation are:
– Cooling towers and evaporative condensers.
– Hot Water Systems (HWS) with accumulator and return circuit. Accumulators, network, and terminals (taps and showers).
– Climate-controlled water systems with constant agitation and recirculation through high-velocity jets or air injection (Spas, Jacuzzis, Whirlpool baths, etc.).
– Industrial humidifying units.
– Cold Water Supply (CWS) interior installation systems: Tanks, cisterns, reservoirs, network, and terminals (taps and showers).
– Hot water systems without return circuit: such as hot water heaters.
– Ornamental fountains.
– Sprinkler irrigation systems in urban settings: sprinklers and micro-sprinklers in gardens, grass fields, golf courses, etc.
– Fire Protection Water System (FPS): Fire protection tanks, fire hose reels (FHRs), and Sprinklers.
– Outdoor cooling elements by aerosolization: such as diffusers used in terraces and fairs.
– Any other device that accumulates water and can produce aerosols, such as Dental Clinic chairs, Water sweepers, etc.
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How to prevent Legionella?
To prevent Legionella from affecting our facilities, we must carry out the following measures:
– All installations must have a particle filter according to the Technical Building Code (CTE) after the water meter.
– Each water system must have a check valve, according to the UNE-EN 1717 standard, to prevent water backflow due to pressure loss or decrease in supplied flow, and especially when necessary to avoid mixing water from different circuits, qualities, or uses.
– In cold sanitary water (CSW), the adequate concentration of free residual chlorine (FRC) and pH should be frequently monitored, ensuring water of microbiological quality, between 0.2-1.0 ppm of FRC and recommending a pH < 7.5. In hot water circuits (HWC), its temperature should be above 50°C in the network to prevent proliferation and multiplication, and 60°C in Accumulators and Water Heaters.
– Performing purges in water circuits, so that water is renewed weekly after discharge. Eliminating dead ends in pipelines.
– Avoiding or reducing water aerosolization and exposure, by shielding installations (such as fountains, irrigation systems, or cooling towers away from people), trying to make water droplets larger, watering at night when people are not present, etc.
– At least annually, cleaning and disinfection of the installation should be carried out by authorized companies such as Gimasur with ROESBA 0809-AND-450.
Our technicians are highly trained and have received the necessary training in approved courses in accordance with Royal Decree 614/2024, of July 2, which modifies Royal Decree 487/2022, of June 21, which establishes the health requirements for the prevention and control of legionellosis.
Experience and professionalism
Our team has extensive experience in carrying out all necessary treatments, ensuring optimal results for our clients. In addition, our cutting-edge technical resources allow us to offer the best results in the prevention and control of legionellosis.
Analytical controls
The fundamental analytical controls are carried out by highly trained technicians in our own laboratory, which is certified by the Junta de Andalucía for this type of analysis. We guarantee precision and reliability in every report.
Contact us for legionella control in Granada and Málaga!
At Gimasur, we are here to help you with legionella control in your business.
Get in touch with us and tell us everything, through our phone number: 958074444 in Granada and Málaga
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