Matt Freije has specialized in Legionella prevention since founding HC Info (hcinfo.com) in 1995. He has written two books, developed water management plan templates, taught seminars in five countries, and written and narrated nine e-learning courses including the course “How to Survey a Building for a Legionella Water Management Plan.” His first book, Legionellae Control in Health Care Facilities: A Guide for Minimizing Risk, has been distributed in more than 30 countries.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report in early June about the increased number of Legionnaires’ disease cases and the need for building water management certainly caught the attention of the media.
Now is a good time for contractors — along with facility operators and engineering firms — to take a close look at ASHRAE’s pending Legionella standard. ASHRAE 188P, “Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems,” could become a standard as early as July if the latest comments do not warrant another public review.
If properly followed, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 188 stands to affect the way water systems are managed in hundreds of thousands of buildings in the United States.
