Managing Non-Compliances with LegionellaDossier: A Step-by-Step Guide

December 4, 2024
7 min read

So, your Legionella samples just came back with bad news—heavy Legionella positives, including Pneumophila serotype 1. Alarm bells might be ringing, but don’t worry—we’ve got you covered.

Let’s walk through how to effectively manage non-compliances using LegionellaDossier, turning what seems like a crisis into an actionable plan.

Step 1: Assess the Situation

Before we dive into action, it’s crucial to assess the scope of the problem. For example:

  • In how many locations do you have Legionella? In this example we've got three rooms with little to no Legionella.
  • And three other rooms are showing Legionella concentrations over 1,000 CFU/L.

The location of the affected rooms can help pinpoint the issue. If all three rooms with high counts are clustered together, it suggests a localised problem.

Step 2: Immediate Actions

Point-of-Use (POU) Filters:

The first step we can take is to place POU (Point-Of-Use) filters on taps or showers to protect users immediately.

  • Create a task in LegionellaDossier to place filters.
  • Assign it to a team member, set a due date, and log the task in the system.

Flushing Tasks:

Rooms with Legionella outbreaks require daily flushing to reduce stagnation and growth temperature and remove possible high Legionella concentrations.

  • Schedule flushing tasks in LegionellaDossier, specifying the assets to flush, the assignee, and the frequency.
  • Add a procedure for flushing, such as “until temperature constant,” and track progress with a Bluetooth thermometer for real-time insights in temperature flow.

Step 3: Dig Deeper

After addressing the immediate risk, it’s time to investigate the root cause:

Review Control Measures:

Check your control scheme for the affected rooms. Were regular flushing tasks or other preventive measures in place?

If not, stagnation could have contributed to the problem.

Audit Past Risk Assessments & Recommendations:

Look back at technical recommendations from your last risk assessment. For example:

  • Shower hoses may have been replaced in unaffected rooms but not in the affected ones.
  • This oversight, combined with stagnation, could explain the positive samples.

Plan Remedial Actions

Armed with insights from your investigation, plan targeted actions:

  • Order new shower hoses and create tasks to replace them
  • Schedule resampling after initial remedial actions to confirm improvement.

If the issue is clearly localised, you may not need a full-system disinfection. Instead, focus on solving the specific problem and verify with follow-up samples.

Step 4: Execute and Track

LegionellaDossier makes it easy to manage and track every step:

Point-of-Use (POU) Filters:

The first step we can take is to place POU (Point-Of-Use) filters on taps or showers to protect users immediately.

  • Open your app and navigate to the task.
  • For filter installation: scan the filter barcode to register it.
  • Save the task and data is automatically synced to the web portal

Flushing Tasks:

Rooms with Legionella outbreaks require daily flushing to reduce stagnation and growth temperature and remove possible high Legionella concentrations.

  • Open your app and navigate to the task.
  • Connect your Bluetooth thermometer and hold it under the asset.
  • Measure until the temperature stabilises, and the data is automatically logged and synced to the web portal.

Step 5: Review and Adapt

After resampling, review the results:

  • If the problem persists, revisit your risk assessment and consider additional measures.
  • If resolved, update your control scheme to prevent recurrence.

Don’t let Legionella non-compliance keep you up at night. With LegionellaDossier, you’re in control every step of the way.

Step 6: Management Insights

Get ahead of the game and always know what's happening at each site. With smart dashboard to keep you posted on performance and results to give you full control of Legionella Compliance.

  • Spot growth temperatures
  • Fix issues before they become disasters
  • Manage sites more efficiently
  • Get in-depth insights on performance and results

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