Resources to Mitigate Legionella Exposure Risks in the Built Environment

The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) announced earlier this year that it was investigating multiple cases of Legionnaires’ disease that were reported between October of 2022 and March of this year. In that outbreak, two individuals tragically died.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes Legionnaires’ disease as a serious type of pneumonia caused by a bacteria known as Legionella. The bacteria can also cause Pontiac fever, a less serious illness. While Legionella can be found naturally in freshwater environments, it becomes a health concern if it grows and spreads in man-made water systems. This is due to the fact that water containing Legionella can spread in droplets small enough for people to inhale.

Most healthy people exposed to Legionella do not get sick, but CDC warns people at increased risk include:

• People 50 years or older
• Current or former smokers
• Those with a chronic lung disease (like COPD or emphysema)
• People with weak immune systems or who take drugs that weaken the immune system (like after a transplant operation or chemotherapy)
• Those with cancer
• People with underlying illnesses such as diabetes, kidney failure, or liver failure

In addition to large building water systems, other sources of Legionella may include hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, showerheads, and even decorative fountains. In New York, cooling towers have been a common culprit. In response, owners of cooling towers in the state are required to register, maintain, sample, disinfect, and notify local health departments and the public of elevated levels of Legionella. New York City has additional regulations.

“Based on past CDC investigations, approximately 90% of all Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks were caused by problems preventable with more effective water management,” said Frank Selamie, President of CTSI. “This is important information as the disease has a fatality rate of about 10%. To help prevent new cases and optimize water management programs, CTSI’s building science, industrial hygiene, and infection control professionals offer Legionella testing, monitoring, consulting, and training services. These resources not only protect building occupants and workers, they also help building owners comply with national standards and any local and state regulations.”

CTSI recently sponsored an educational video about Legionella and Legionnaires’ disease that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/ZP9AotQ2_gE

To learn more about Legionella or other industrial hygiene, indoor air quality, environmental, health, and safety services, please visit www.ctsiweb.com, email contactus@ctsiweb.com , or call (212) 971-7016.

About CTSI
Established in 1992, Consulting & Testing Services, Inc. (CTSI) was founded on one strong commitment: to provide efficient and expert services to clients based on professionalism, innovation, and cost-effective expert solutions. This commitment has been furthered with CTSI’s reputation in fostering client relationships in all sectors of the Environmental, Health, Safety, and Construction industries. CTSI prides itself in utilizing a high quality service based on its diverse team of staff and professionals’ concise recommendations and solutions to the most pressing dilemmas. The company operates offices in New York and Florida that service clients across the United States.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail