ASHRAE unveils “vital” legionellosis guide

USA: ASHRAE has published long-awaited industry guidance on legionellosis in a new standard.

The document establishes minimum legionellosis risk management requirements for building water systems.         

“The industry interest and input into developing this standard has been tremendous,” presidential member Tom Watson, chair of the committee that wrote the standard, said.

“With 8,000 to 10,000 cases of legionnaires’ disease reported each year in the United States, and with more than 10% of those cases fatal, it is vital that we set requirements to manage risk of this bacteria.”

ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188-2015, Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems, is intended for use by owners and managers of human-occupied buildings and those involved in the design, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance and service of centralised building water systems and components.

In addition to minimum legionellosis risk management requirements for buildings, the standard includes specific requirements for the establishment by building owners of a programme team and, in turn a water management programme. It also includes specific and detailed requirements for what legionellosis control strategies must accomplish and how they are to be documented.