As an employer, under general health and safety law, you have to consider the risk from legionella that may effect your employees or members of the plublic and take suitable precautions.

Costs associated with legionella control may be be significant, however, it has been shown that the costs associated with compromised control strategies can prove to be significantly higher

 

In the UK the Health & Safety Commissions ACOP - Legionnaires' disease: The control of legionella bacteria in water systems (L8) gives practical advice on the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999 concerning the risk from exposure to legionella bacteria.

L8 states: Where biocides are used to treat water systems …there is no requirement to store hot water at 60°C (or distribute at 50°C).

L8 also states: Where biocides are used to treat water systems they, like the temperature regime, will require meticulous control if they are to be effective
 

Some Building Managers have had bad experiences with the biocidal control regime – evidence indicates that there are three generic causes for these bad experiences, 1) poor biocide selection, 2) unreliable and imprecise chemical delivery systems, and 3) sloppy management/control systems.

In our experience when the correct biocide is selected and the correct delivery system installed, then biocidal control of water systems will provide Building Managers with what they require - compliance with L8.

Our experience has also shown that when the right biocide and delivery system is combined with a properly run management and control system, then in addition to compliance Building Managers are presented with the opportunity to acquire further benefits – less hassle, less problems, lower risk, and in a lot of cases the opportunity to significantly reduce the organisations operating expenses.

Scotmas’ BIOX is the right biocide, the Scotmas Bravo is the right delivery system, and Scotmas’ Building Services Division can provide you with meticulous monitoring and management of your legionella control system.

BIOX is a potable water approved biocide that can simplify compliance with the requirements of L8. It is non-hazardous, and can ensure that water supplies are kept free from water borne pathogens including legionella, even at levels as low as 0.1ppm.

The benefits in achieving the biocidal control of water systems through implementation of the Scotmas Energy Conservation Through Legionella Control Programme are:

 1. Treatment with BIOX is a dispersive process, therefore when a residual is maintained in accordance with the requirements of L8; this will ensure compliance is achieved with as little disruption to the organisation as is possible.
2. Reduced corrosion in tanks and pipes – due to the removal of biofilm and sulphate reducing bacteria, often the cause of pitting corrosion.
3. Improved water quality with the reduction or elimination of unpleasant chlorine smells and irritations particularly in showers and therapeutic baths.
4. Reduced energy consumption through lower boiler temperatures, and improved heat exchange efficiency.
5. Removal of the scald risk through reduction of hot water temperatures below the scald threshold, and also eliminating the need for mixer valves, and subsequently the often painful experience of their maintenance.
6. Reduce system scaling and water-softening costs – the application of BIOX will reduce the propensity for scale to be deposited on water system surfaces.
7. Eliminate quarterly showerhead cleaning – showerhead cleaning is performed on a on-going basis by the action of the biocide.

Biox at work in water systems
BIOX is a powerful oxidising biocide that will destroy Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi and Spores - as organisms cannot develop a resistance dosing can be performed continuously, making it an ideal biocide for the treatment of cooling towers.

BIOX strips out biofilm from tanks and pipes and therefore removes the protection given to the pathogens that normally inhabit and multiply in them. The benefit of this cleaning-up process extends over the entire water system.

BIOX will suppress Cryptosporidium and Giardia. Cryptosporidium is lethal to immunosuppressed people whose drinking water should be treated at all times.

BIOX has been proven to control Legionella in hot water systems where thermal control has been unsuccessful.

BIOX will destroy sulphate reducing bacteria, which rapidly populate untreated water systems, significantly reducing pitting corrosion; it will also destroy both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria present in biofilm – NB it has been proven through scientific study that even electro-polished stainless steel surfaces will become coated with biofilm within 30 seconds of exposure to water.

BIOX will remove biofilm from heat-exchange surfaces and consequently efficiency will be substantially improved – it will also be removed from pipes and nozzles improving circulation rates and reducing blockages. And as biofilm interlocks with scale the removal of the biofilm will also assists in the removal of the scale from system surfaces.

BIOX will react with the chlorine in water to reduce the unpleasant taste, odour and irritations associated with chlorine, particularly in showers and therapeutic baths.

The BIOX treatment can be manipulated to provide long-term protection to water systems, or parts of water systems, which may be required to be closed-down for an extended period of time.