CIBSE Staying Alive Legionella Risk Management Are you aware of your duty of care? Prepared by Tony Burns Senior Environmental Health Officer - PHU Wagga, & Legionella Consultant - NSW Health July,2016
Microbial Control
Legionella (Microbial) Control Public Health Act, 2010 Part 3 Environmental Health Division2 Commencement 1 September,2012
Section 26 Definitions Duly qualified Install Maintain Prescribed installation, operating, maintenance requirements
Regulated system air handling humidifying hot water
Warm water system Water cooling system
Section 27 Exemption of certain premises Section 28 - Installation of regulated systems Section 29 Operation of regulated systems Section 30 Maintenance of regulated systems
Section 31 Notification requirements where a water cooling or warm water system are installed on premises See PH Reg Cl 12 Section 32 - Director-General may give training directions Guilty of offence S s 28(3) or 29(3) or 30(3) Direction to undertake training Prohibition from undertaking specified functions
Investigation of outbreaks of Legionnaires disease Approved procedures Order in writing directing maintenance Direction prevails Prescribed maintenance requirement improvement notice or prohibition order
Public Health Regulation, 2012 Part 2
Clause 4 Interpretation AS / NZS 3666 2011 Air handling and water systems of buildings microbial control Part 1 Design, installation and commissioning Part 2 Operation and maintenance Part 3 Performance based maintenance of cooling water systems
Clause 5 Exemption of regulated systems dwelling single occupancy dwelling Unless there is a water cooling system installed
A warm water system in any premises other than a hospital Hospital defined in PHA,2010
A water cooling system used solely for making snow
Clause 6 Prescribed installation requirements AS 3666.1:2011 Air handling system must be fitted with supply air filters Warm water system not to be installed in a hospital Unless it is of a kind approved in writing by the DG NSW approval process
Clause 7 Prescribed operating requirements AS 3666.2:2011 Safe and easy access to a regulated system for the purpose of Cleaning; Inspection; and Maintenance
Water cooling system: Must be equipped A disinfection procedure Operation at all times Designed to control microbial growth So that Legionella is not more than 10cfu/mL; and hpc is not more than 100,000 cfu/ml;
If the legionella level of 10cfu/mL OR The hpc level of 100,000 cfu/ml is exceeded Remedial action must be taken as soon as practicable by a competent person or a person acting under the supervision of a competent person.
Competent person Tertiary qualified chemist; Chemical engineer; Engineer: or Microbiologist, and Who has relevant expertise
Clause 8 Prescribed maintenance requirements Varied requirements for cooling towers AS 3666.2:2011 AS 3666.2:2011 or AS 3666.3:2011 but only if the occupier of the premises notifies the local authority Thermal Power Stations Trigger Action Response Protocols (TARPs)
Clause 8 Prescribed maintenance requirements (cont d) AS 3666.3:2011 competent person Tests carried out by NATA
Additional maintenance requirement for hot water systems Water > 60 C Additional maintenance requirement for warm water systems Compliance with MOH document requirements for the provision of cold and heated water
Clause 9 Maintenance precautions Maintenance on regulated system Contractor or any other person Minimise contamination of adjoining areas / ambient environment by aerosols, dust, particulate matter or effluent Prevent public access
Clause 10 Certification of water cooling systems Occupier of premises where water cooling system installed Certified annually Competent person Equipped with disinfection procedure effective under a range of operating conditions ordinarily expected for the system concerned
Clause 10 Certification of water cooling systems (cont d) Occupier Copy of most recent certificate At the premises Available for inspection
Clause 11 Notification of installation of water cooling system and warm water system Section 31 of PHA,2010 Local government authority Notice in writing Prescribed fee (not > $100) Changes within 7 days No fee applicable
Clause 12 Register of water cooling and warm water systems Each LGA must maintain a register of water cooling and warm water systems
Register must contain: Address and telephone no of the premises Name and contact details of the occupier, incl residential address e-mail address home, business & mobile phone nos. ABN or ACN of occupier Type of regulated system Details of inspections by LGA
Register must be made available for inspection
Clause 13 Display of prohibition orders
Public Health Act,2010 Division 5 improvement notices and prohibition orders Section 40 Definitions enforceable requirement (a) A prescribed installation requirement, prescribed maintenance requirement or prescribed operating requirement with respect to a regulated system under Division 2.
Section 41 - Non complying premises.. Section 42 Improvement notices Section 43 Compliance with improvement notice Section 44 Failure to comply with notice relating to regulated system
Section 45 Prohibition order Sections 46 49 inclusive apply
Public Health Regulation, 2012 Division 6 Miscellaneous Cl 91 Powers of Authorised Officers Cl 96 local government authority to notify D-G (MOH) of improvement notices and prohibition orders before 1 st August each year details for previous financial year
Thank You & Questions