The Notification of Cooling Towers and Evaporative Condensers Regulations 1992 require that you notify your local authority, in writing, if you have a cooling tower or evaporative condenser on site and include details about where it is located. You must also tell them if and when such devices are no longer in use.
Evaporative cooling systems, such as cooling towers and evaporative condensers, are particularly susceptible to colonisation by Legionella bacteria. There is evidence to show that they can be responsible for sporadic outbreaks of infection, ranging in scale in terms of both numbers infected and severity. It is often the case that when an outbreak does occur, it is usually members of the public, rather than workers, who are infected. This poses a significant real public health concern.
If you have a case of legionellosis in an employee who has worked on cooling towers or hot water systems that are likely to be contaminated with legionella, you must report this under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR).
Legionnaires’ disease can be fatal. It comes from the Legionella bacteria and is a type of pneumonia that leaves everyone susceptible to infection. The infection risk increases with age and people with particular health issues are at a greater risk. It is contracted by inhaling small droplets of water suspended in the air that contain the bacteria.
The Legionella bacteria are commonly found in natural water sources such as rivers, lakes and reservoirs, but they are generally present in low numbers. It is therefore very rare for people to catch the disease from these sources. The bacteria may also be found in purpose-built water systems such as cooling towers, evaporative condensers, hot and cold water systems and spa pools, and in favourable conditions, the bacteria can grow, increasing the risk of Legionnaires’ disease.
At sites where such water systems are located, it is also important to control workers’ risk of contracting Legionnaires’ disease by ensuring appropriate measures are in place.
