Legionella Growth Control and Prevention in Healthcare Facility

For decades, copper was used as a component in biological safety cabinets and other facilities, but now the use of this chemical has been found to be ineffective and can cause health issues. Thus, copper is no longer used in the development of biological safety cabinets. However, there are certain uses for the chemical in various industries including drinking water treatment. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Safe Drinking Water Act (SWPA) have placed restrictions on the amount of copper used in drinking water systems as well as in the production of drinking water supplies. In order to meet these standards, most facilities add other elements that are naturally occurring in water, such as zinc, to increase the concentration of copper in the water.

An effective method of reducing the risk of illness from bacteria is the use of a combination of Copper, Silver and Zinc in a closed circuit. Copper-silver ionization in healthcare facilities helps you comply with OSHA 188 legionella prevention standards when such secondary potable water purification is necessary to prevent the proliferation and growth of bacteria in the facility's water supply. In fact, outbreaks of legionnaires' disease in the health care industry have been directly linked to the use of contaminated drinking water. Studies have shown that the increased presence of Cu/zinc in drinking water resulted in a reduction in the number of people who had developed legionnaires' disease.

As a matter of fact, it was not only the people in the health care industry that were affected. Employees in water treatment plants and other food processing plants also became ill. Fortunately, the new regulations for the protection of public health and the environment have resulted in the development of various methods of copper-silver ionization. The most popular is the galvanic potential which uses an electric current to produce ions with negative charges. Another method involves the use of submicron filtration.

It has also been found that the use of such treatment equipment for the regulation of water supply resulted in the production of healthy bacteria in the vicinity of the facilities. Such positive effects are the outcome of the use of active ingredients such as Silver, Copper, and Zinc. These three materials are very useful in ensuring the proper growth of microorganisms in the vicinity of the treated water. It is these methods that are being used now to control and prevent legionella. In fact, the only downside about copper-silver ionization is that it does not allow for the growth of pathogenic bacteria.

Copper Silver Ionization Treatment Implementation

The implementation of water treatment equipment and the implementation of the latest methods such as galvanic potentials, sub micron filtration and other such methods have resulted in the reduction of the risks associated with the growth of legionnaires. However, it is always wise to restrict the consumption of contaminated potable fluids to avoid any accidents at the workplace. The safe storage of potable supplies is also a major issue that is needed to be considered for the safety of the employees. In addition, this also helps to maintain the standard of hygiene within the healthcare facilities. Thus, if followed properly and strictly, the implementation of such methods for the treatment of the water supply within the facilities will help to reduce the risks of legionnaires.

These methods will allow for the reduction of waterborne diseases like legionella through their various means. However, to ensure complete prevention and hence to minimize the risk of occurrence of such diseases, it is important that the right type of water systems and plumbing should be employed. For this you must consult Consult CSI Defender and ensure that there is no contamination in the vicinity of the facilities and thus enabling the establishment to function smoothly.