Free Legionnaire’s Disease Inspections

The humidifier specialist, JS Humidifiers is offering free Legionnaire’s disease inspections to encourage safe operation in businesses.

Legionnaires Disease is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia caused by a bacterium known as Legionella pneumophila and can be found naturally in environmental water sources such as reservoirs, rivers and lakes. However, it can also be commonly found in purpose built water systems such as spas, evaporative condensers and cooling towers. The more favourable the conditions, the more likely the bacteria will grow so it is essential to introduce the correct measures.

Although outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease from humidifiers are very rare, there is still a risk where a humidifier may have been poorly installed or maintained, especially on older units which lack the water disinfection features and automated flush cycles found in modern systems. 

JS is offering the free inspections as part of its ongoing commitment to helping building owners and managers appreciate the importance of the safe operation and maintenance of their humidifiers, and the need to include them in their buildings’ L8 water risk assessments, as required by the HSE.

The free inspection will include checks on the existing risk assessment and water testing regime, verifying correct operation of the humidifier and any associated hygiene features, and a detailed review of the maintenance and disinfection schedule. A report is provided after the inspection, which could be used by the facilities manager to help them meet the requirements of L8.

Alongside these free inspections, JS also offers disinfection services for humidification systems. It is recommended that all cold water humidifiers are disinfected every six months to ensure hygienic operation. This service is also very useful for cold water humidifiers that have been out of use for any length of time or units that haven’t been maintained as well as they should have been.