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| Legionella and Vehicle Wash Systems |
This scenario applies to car washes; commercial vehicle washes and train wash systems. They all operate on similar principals and have the capacity for pathogen proliferation. What Happens Next? The wash system water is atomised and small droplets of water (aerosols) are released into the atmosphere, which can carry Legionella bacteria; aerosol drift (mists) from these devices is significant and exposed people can inhale contaminated aerosols, even at great distances, which is a recipe for disaster – a disaster that with due consideration must be avoided. The potential risk is described in Appendix One, Checklist 3: Other risks, of the Approved Code of Practice and Guidance (L8), the Control of Legionella Bacteria in Water Systems. Duty of Care In general, these systems have been shown to present a potential risk to health and as such should be maintained in a clean state. They will often require regular disinfection and should be monitored on a regular basis where appropriate. There is a duty of care to carry out a risk assessment, and to maintain records of all maintenance that is carried out together with monitored results. For commercial wash systems a duty of care should be taken for both employees and others in the local environment; due consideration must be given to the surroundings – private dwellings, offices, retail outlets, etc. We only have to look at the Barrow in Furnace outbreak to see how widespread such an outbreak can become. Whilst many of the detergent based products used greatly assist in the removal of the debris, their capacity for pathogen destruction is very limited, especially when facing organisms such as Pseudomonas, Legionella, Coliforms, etc. Chlorine Dioxide This technology is also used widely within the Healthcare and Food industry sectors as part of a managed Legionella control programme. Synergy with the operatives and the consumer is a vital key to the success of any biocidal treatment regime. Safety First Should your organisation operate a commercial Vehicle Wash System, it would be prudent to seek expert advice to review any potential risks to health it may present, and implement an operation / maintenance programme for legionella control where appropriate. Article by: T J Wafer F.Inst.S.M.M.; M.W.M. Soc. T: + 44 (0)1527 875700 |
Chlorine Dioxide is a well know biocide that is widely used in water treatment processes, however, previously there have been concerns about how to generate and deliver this biocide safely. Advances in Catalytic Chemistry means that we can now produce, and deliver, instantaneous safe levels of chlorine dioxide, which can be achieved cost effectively and without any harmful effects to the vehicles being cleaned. |