Legionella Testing

Below is information provided by Pinchin Environmental. Please review before deciding if this testing is right for your building.

Legionnaire’s disease was first described in 1976 after an outbreak of fatal pneumonia at an American Legion Conference in Philadelphia. The outbreak involved 221 cases of respiratory illness and 34 people eventually died. The microorganism identified by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in 1977 as responsible for this outbreak, was named Legionella pneumphila after the Philadelphia outbreak. The source of the Legionella was the hotel’s cooling tower.

Inhalation of Legionella bacteria can cause two separate respiratory infections, Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac Fever.

Legionnaires’ disease is caused by inhalation of water aerosols (find water droplets) containing Legionella Pneumophila bacteria. Typical sources of Legionella aerosols include drift from cooling towers, shower heads, faucets, decorative faucets, water gardens, condensate drip pans, hot tubs and whirlpools.

Legionella bacteria grows readily at temperatures in the range of 20-45 deg C. Typical conditions in building water systems which promote growth with desirable water temperatures are stagnant water, sediment dead legs, corrosion or biofilm.

Cooling towers if improperly maintained can become sites of major Legionella growth. The contaminated drift (water droplets) from a tower can enter the building via outside air intakes, open windows or travel to adjacent buildings and disperse in open public areas via air currents.

In 2005, the Minister of Labor issued “Information Bulletin: Workplace Health and Safety Guideline – Legionella”, reminding employers of their obligation to protect the health and safety of their workers. This would include maintenance of water systems and ventilation systems in buildings to protect workers from the hazards of Legionella exposure.

Pinchin recommends Legionella Prevention Programs for all buildings with systems at risk of developing Legionella growth; particularly hospitals, long term care facilities, or other buildings serving immune compromised occupants.

To schedule for a water sample to be taken at your building and sent in for testing, please call us directly at 204-667-7471 or Toll Free 1-866-415-2595.

Mac-Tower Inc would like to facilitate in your building’s Legionella Prevention Program by providing an initial test at a minimal cost as we believe that education and generation of building mechanical system history is the best way to prevent possible legionella.

Our testing is done through ALS Laboratories in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Water samples are collected at your convenience and taken to ALS for Legionella testing. Results are expected 15 days after collection.

There are two tests available; Presence/Absence and Enumeration. Your building HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) Team and Plan can determine which test is best and the appropriate action to take once results are yielded.

Mac-Tower Inc. will provide a customized Legionella Monitoring Contract based on your building requirements.