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Volume 4 No 15; 16 April 2010

 

Draft British Standard on legionella risk assessments

The British Standards Institution has published for public comment a draft standard on risk assessment for control of Legionnaires' disease [1]. The proposed standard, BS 8580: Water quality - risk assessments for legionella control - code of practice, would supplement the existing British Standard on sampling for legionella in water systems and the Health and Safety Executive Aproved Code of Practice, known as L8, that describes the statutory duties - including for risk assessment - arising out of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations [2].

The consultation closes on 31 May 2010.

Reference

1. BSI. BS 8580, Water quality - risk assessments for legionella control - code of practice, 8 April 2010. Available at: http://drafts.bsigroup.com/Home/Details/485 (requires registration).

2. Health and Safety Executive (2000). Legionnaires' disease - the control of Legionella bacteria in water systems. Approved Code of Practice and guidance L8 (third edition).

Bioaerosols from commercial-scale waste composting sites

The Health and Safety Executive has published the results of environmental surveys carried out in the vicinity of a number of commercial-scale organic waste composting sites in the UK with a view to assessing the extent of aerosolised atmospheric emissions from such operations [1].

In line with previous studies, the HSE found little evidence of any significant contribution to the overall atmospheric bioaerosol burden at a distance beyond 250 metres from the composting operations. Beyond 250 metres of the sites, the majority of bioaerosol concentrations were within “typical background levels”.

Nevertheless, there is a potential for composting site workers to be exposed to higher concentrations and further research is recommended to determine, for example, the extent of the potential allergic respiratory ill health hazard for such workers. For the purposes of occupational risk assessment, a “risk zone” approach is described in the research report to assist operators and regulators determine whether significant concentrations of bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi, or other biologically active particulates might arise in the immediate vicinity of composting sites.

A Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections working group is developing advice for health professionals who need to respond to concerns among those living or working in the vicinity of waste composting sites, which will be published in the near future.

Reference

1. HSE. Bioaerosol emissions from waste composting and the potential for workers’ exposure (RR786). Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr786.htm.