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Northeast HVAC
News
ASHRAE Legionella Standard Adopted in
New York Following Outbreak.
With 12 confirmed dead and more than 120 cases of
infection due to legionellosis, New York City Council on
Thursday adopted legislation that requires adherence to part
of ASHRAE’s newly published Legionella standard.
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The legislation addresses registration and inspection of cooling
towers. It requires owners to create and file a plan to maintain
equipment to comply with Section 7.2 of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard
188-2015, Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water
Systems.
The standard provides minimum Legionellosis risk management
requirements for the design, construction, commissioning, operation,
maintenance, repair, replacement and expansion of new and existing
buildings and their associated water systems and components.
“Standard 188 was published just two short months ago,” ASHRAE
President David Underwood said. “Although the circumstances
surrounding its use are tragic, ASHRAE is grateful that the standard
is available to set requirements to manage risk of this bacteria. We
are hopeful other governments will follow the lead of the New York
City Council to help safeguard public health.”
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Michael Patton, a
member of the committee who wrote the standard, testified before the
Council earlier this week on behalf of ASHRAE. He spoke to the
Council’s proposal to adopt Section 7.2, noting that other sections
also would play a role in reducing risks. Section 7.2 lists common
tasks and steps for items such as new system start-up and seasonal
shutdowns, general system maintenance, water treatment, disinfection
plans, etc.
While Patton
encouraged full adoption of the standard, he said it was helpful
that at least Section 7.2 was included. Patton was thanked by
chairman Jumaane Williams for making himself and ASHRAE available so
quickly.
“Section 7 is very
good by itself,” Patton testified, “but it doesn't really address
the whole idea of informing building owners, managers, property
managers how to put a plan for a whole building into place and what
it should contain.”
Underwood said ASHRAE
will continue its work in getting the full standard adopted in New
York City and in other locations.
Specific
requirements in the standard include:
• Minimum Legionellosis risk management requirements for buildings
and their associated potable and non-potable water systems.
• Establishment by
building owners of a Program Team and (in turn) a Water Management
Program for which they are responsible in order to comply with the
standard.
• Provision of
specific and detailed requirements for what Legionellosis control
strategies must accomplish and how they are to be documented – but,
does not provide (or place restrictions on) what specific strategies
are to be used or applied.
ASHRAE, founded in
1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through
sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and
its more than 50,000 members worldwide focus on building systems,
energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and
sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing,
certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s
built environment today. More information can be found at
www.ashrae.org/news.
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