"As a consequence of the retesting regime after initial cleansing, which was carried out to ensure that decontamination processes had been effective, we have received a positive result of the type of legionella that can cause legionnaires' disease from the HP Bulmer site at Plough Lane," says Andrew Tector, head of environmental health at Herefordshire Council. "This positive test has demonstrated the continued contamination of a cooling tower following the initial cleansing by HP Bulmer. This tower was shut down on 12 November and has subsequently been subject to rigorous cleansing under the supervision of the Health and Safety Executive."
Dr Brian McCloskey, regional head of the Health Protection Agency, comments: "Although we still cannot be certain that plant on the HP Bulmer site is responsible for this outbreak, we have to bear the latest results in mind when looking at the epidemiology of this outbreak."
He adds "Mapping of cases and their movements is showing a pattern consistent with a source within an area which includes the HP Bulmer site."
Dr Mike Deakin, director of public health for Herefordshire, says "Cleansing of equipment at the Bulmers site was undertaken on Friday 7 November. Because we have had positive results from samples taken on Wednesday 12 November, we now have to work on the basis that new cases could appear during the incubation period of two to 14 days, starting from 12 November, when the plant was completely closed."
Commenting on the outbreak, Terry Wyatt, President of CIBSE said: "The conditions under which legionella bacteria thrive and multiply are well understood and therefore outbreaks are preventable. The most common cause is poor maintenance of cooling towers and evaporative condensers. Every building manager and designer must be aware of their responsibility to protect the people who work, visit or even just walk past their buildings."
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Building Sustainable Design
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