by Cassie Lee
As industrial facilities have gotten back into full production, Cornerstone has received a myriad of inquiries about worker safety. Some questions have been standard while others have not. One less common topic that we have had to address lately has been Legionella.
What is Legionella?
In brief, Legionella is a bacterium found naturally in freshwater environments. The bacteria can grow and multiply in a building’s water system when water becomes stagnant or water usage is low, such as during the recent shutdowns. When the water containing Legionella is aerosolized through media such as industrial water systems, cooling towers, showers, hot tubs, and fountains. The mists from such contaminated sources can be inhaled and lead to the development of Legionnaires disease.
What is Legionnaires’ Disease?
Legionnaires’ is a serious lung infection or pneumonia with a case fatality rate as high as 15 percent, especially in older adults and those with a history of smoking or lung infections. Symptoms of Legionnaires include cough, fever, chills, shortness of breath, muscle aches, headaches and diarrhea. If these symptoms look familiar, it is likely because you’ve seen them in the media or posted by officials as potential symptoms of COVID-19. Employees who have lung illnesses but come back with a negative COVID-19 test could instead have Legionnaires’ Disease.
Worker Safety and What Employers Should Know
So, with that, let’s break it down:
- Stagnant water systems or those that have missed maintenance during the unexpected shut down can lead to growth of Legionella.
- Airborne exposure to environmental sources of Legionella can cause disease, especially in older or immunocompromised people.
- While Legionnaires disease is more prominent in summer and early fall, it can happen any time of year.
- Legionnaires' disease is not contagious. Workers cannot catch Legionnaires' disease from someone else and cannot make someone else sick if they have it.
- Good News: Water samples can be collected and tested for the presence of Legionella bacterium.
For more information or to explore Legionella testing options at your facility contact Cassie Lee at
clee@corner-enviro.com or (317) 983-1719.