legionnaires' disease - how to comply with rapidly developing cooling tower regulations
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Cooling Towers:New Standards-of-Care
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A cooling tower is a heat rejection device that transfers heat to the atmosphere through the evaporative cooling of water.
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Cooling towers vary widely in size, design and application; they are used to air condition buildings and to remove heat from a wide range of commercial and industrial processes.
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Operation of cooling towers involves water temperatures and other conditions that can support the proliferation and transmission of pathogenic bacteria, such as Legionella.
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Legionnaires’ disease -A serious, often-fatal pneumonia, caused by inhalation of Legionella.
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On June 26, 2015, the American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) published Standard 188, the first industry-consensus standard for managing the risk of Legionnaires’ disease associated with building water systems.
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Standard 188 provides a systematic framework for evaluating and managing the risk of Legionnaires’ disease associated with building water systems, including cooling towers, based on the principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP).
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Standard 188 established a new, higher standard of care for domestic (potable) water systems and cooling towers.
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In the Summer of 2015, a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak
in the South Bronx was attributed to Legionella-contaminated cooling towers. 133 cases were confirmed, resulting in 16 deaths.
The outbreak was the largest in the history of New York City.
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In response to the South Bronx outbreak, New York City and New York State have passed new rules and regulations that incorporate the cooling tower provisions of Standard 188. More regulations are in the works.
Other States are expected to follow New York’s lead.
The new rules and regulations incorporate the cooling tower provisions (§7.2) of Standard 188.
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VERTEX has formed a specialized practice, drawing on our proven strengths, to provide highly professional Legionella risk management and compliance services.
VERTEX has teamed with Gordon & Rosenblatt -experts in the prevention of Legionnaires’ disease -to help guide this important new practice.
GORDON & ROSENBLATT
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Benjamin StrongExecutive Vice [email protected]
THE VERTEX COMPANIES, INC. 398 Libbey Parkway
Weymouth, MA 02189
888.298.5162
Contact Information
Erik BorgesenVice President, Air Quality
THE VERTEX COMPANIES, INC. 398 Libbey Parkway
Weymouth, MA 02189
888.298.5162