Health and Safety Cooling Water - Essay Example

HEALTH AND SAFETY IN WATER COOLING SYSTEMS Name: Course Name: Professor’s Name: Unversity Name: City, State: Date: Question 1 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002 (COSHH) control the occupational use of nanomaterials. This body is responsible for legislating laws that mandate employers to carry out proper risk assesment and thus protect employees from any form of occupational hazards they might be exposed to. According to this regulatory body, there are various ways through which this activity can be achieved. Firstly, as an employer, it is imperative to investigate which health hazards the company or establishment might pose to the work force. Having a better understanding of the issue is helpful in drafting out strategies that will curtail the problem. According to HSE, this duty is indicative of the competence of the employer and requires that the responsible party either hires outside resources to carry out risk assesment or perform it internally (GREAT BRITAIN, 2000: 58). Secondly, it is the duty of the employer to ensure that proper risk assement has been done on various departments of the establishment to guarantee the safety of the employees. Thus, a decision should be made on how to prevent harm to health on both the surrounding populations and the workforce. Thirdly, following a thorough risk assessment, the employer is also required to employ a panel that will be tasked with the duty of outlining control measures that can be implemented in the event when there is an imminent risk to health. This is mainly to reduce the impact of the risk if it occurs as well as to legislate the protocol that should be followed in such a scenario. The forth directive is the put in place monitoring and health surveillance tactical team that ensures that the protocol of safety is abided to. This is imperative as it also curtails the issues that might arise following inspection by various safety and health boards within this jurisdiction. Based on the detailed explanation of the nature of COSHH, it is evident to note that this regulatory body is more geared towards ensuring employers control substances which might pose ehalth hazards to the workers. This is inclusive of nanomaterials thus it is not restricted to only chemicals as expressed in the memo to the Line manager, Patrick Smith. Question 2 With regards to the memo, you expressed concern over the lack of HSE publications made availabe to the company concerniing the legionelle disease. Thus, to further understand the impact of this bacterial species, it is imperative to have better comprehension of the epidemiology, pathogenesis, background information and measures of controlling its population in the man made water systems. Definition Legionellosis is a collective term used to refer to diseases resulting from legionella bacterial infection. These diseases are similar and are less serious compared to life threatening ones such as Pontiac Fever. Legionella Pneumophila is a bacterial pathogen that is found mostly in water sources such as estuaries, rivers, reservoirs and lakes, but normally in less appreciable numbers (GREAT BRITAIN, 2000: 5). The bacteria can also be found in hot and cold water system, cooling towers and evaporative condensers as well as spa pools. It undergoes proliferation in temperatures ranging between 20-45 degree celcius in the presence of suitable conditions such as availability of nutrients. In temperatures below 20 degree celcius, the microbe becomes dormant and thus inactive. However, it dies in temperatures above 60 degrees celcius. Legionnaires diseases are considered more severe and fatal variety of pneumonia. The route of entry of the microbe is through inhalation of airborne water particles containing the bacteria. The spray of these water particles can be generated in man made water systems as well as wet air conditioning plan, hydrotherapy baths, hot and cold water outlets and lastly, automisers (GREAT BRITAIN, 2000: 7). The risk of contracting legonnaires disease is standard for everyone, however, there are certain categories of individuals that are at a higher risk. They include smokers, elderly, diabetics, those with cancer and other immuno-suppressive conditions such as kidney and chronic respiratory dieseases. Control measures There are various strategies that can be implemented in the control of legionnaires disease as will be further discussed. Implementation of the said strategies ensures that the work force is protected against contracting the fatal disease as well as guaranteeing a safety work environment. The first strategy involves water temperature control (GREAT BRITAIN, 2000: 23). As dicussed above, legionella bacteria is affected by variation in tempertures and thus can either survive, enter dormancy phase or die depending on the temperature set within man made water systems. Controlling temperatures is crucial in reducing the risk of inculation of legionella within the water systems. Water services within the company should ensure that the temperature should inhibit proliferation of legionellla bacteria by a. Ensuring hot water storage cylinders store water at temepratures above 60 degrees celcius. b. Ensuring cold water is stored at temperatures below 20 degree celcius. According to document 3, there was a breach to this specification on dates 21/4/11-26/5/11. The temperatures of the cold water tank varied between 20-22 degrees celcius thus promoting and facilitating the growth of legionella bacteria. c. Ensuring hot water is distributed at 50 degree celcius this is through fitting close thermostatic valves near the outlets to avoid scalding risks. The duty of ensuring the risk assesment is the sole duty of the employer and not the employers. This is inclusive of the contractors. Case in point, Acme Hydrocarbons Ltd is responsible in ensuring the proper risk assessment is carried out through routine check and inspection of the water systems. The protocol followed should be in compliance to the outlined regulation stipulated by COSHH with regards to risk assessment to avoid any implication during inspections. The various areas of concern that requires routine checking which should be carried out on a montly basis include identification of sentinel outlets. In definition, this are the outlets which are the closest and furthest to each tank. A routine check ensures that distribution tempratures are measured. Slight adjustments can be implemented to guarantee the survival of legionella bacteria is inhibited within the water system. The second area is the hot water storage cylinder and the cold water tank. A routine check up should be done monthly and mid-yearly respectively as compliance to water temprature regulation in controlling legionella bacteria. In document 3, there is competence issue which is observed in the negligence in fixing the drift eliminator. This machination is critical in ensuring entrained water droplets are removed and thus failure to fix it was harmful to the employees. This is especially due to the reason that there was breach in maintenance of temperature that should hinder legionella growth and also failure in ensuring water sprays are retained in the cold water system by the drift eliminator. Another area of concern within the water systems in the company is the stand by water tank which is rarely in use. According to the regulatory measures stipulated by HSE with regards to controlling legionella, stagnant water facilitates growth of the microbe and thus contaminating the water and possing a health risk (GREAT BRITAIN, 2000: 45). Measures that can be taken to ensure the water does not remain stagnant is through removal of dead ends and dead legs in the pipe work. This can be also be done through flusing out infrequently used outlets on a weekly basis to clear any build up of any microbes and dirt. Lastly, the hot water outlets should be drained periodically. This allows for inspection to be carried out and check for any indication of erosion of debris formation. Question 3 Dear HSE Inspector Re Implementation of Control Measures following Inspection In 28th May 2011 Referring to the inspection carried out on 28th May 2011, Acme Hydrocarbon has undertaken the following measures in ensuring control of incidence of Legionella bacteria in the water cooling systems as well as guaranteeing the safety and health protection of the employee population. 1) Replacement and installation of a new drift eliminator. According to HSE control measures of controlling Legionella growth, air sprays from the water systems provide a vector for the spread of the infection. The replacement of the drift eliminator with new equipment will guarantee the employees are not exposed to the biological agents, if present in the future. 2) The implementation of strict protocol that return water will be stored at 15-18 degrees Celsius at any one point during the continuous circulation. Growth of Legionella is facilitated by temperatures above 20 degree Celsius thus strict regulations with penalty if evoked in maintaining temperatures at 15-18 degree will inhibit survival of the microbe. 3) The company will also comply with the recommended water circulation rates stipulated to ensure the issue of stagnant water is curtailed. As directed by HSE Legionella control guidelines, stagnant water allows for build up of bacterial load thus a specified circulation rates will ensure water flow is maintained at the required pace. 4) The company has also developed a monitoring and safety evaluation committee which will be responsible for routine and period collection of water samples from the water plant to analyse bacterial counts. This will maintain the bacteria counts to the acceptable standards and also facilitate evaluation of level of risk in accordance to the stipulated risk assessment protocol outlined by COHSS. References GREAT BRITAIN. (2000). Legionnaires' disease: the control of Legionella bacteria in water systems ; approved code of practice & guidance. Sudbury, HSE Books. Read More