250
declared over on the 18
th
July. In the last report fromNHS Lothian (National
Health Service Lothian, the healthcare organisation for Edinburgh and
surrounding areas), published in July 2013, the outbreak was detailed as
having caused 92 cases and 4 deaths. [2] The profile of the outbreak bore all
the hallmarks of being a cooling tower related event, although no individual,
or group of cooling towers, has been proven to be the cause. The cost borne
by NHS Lothian as a result of the outbreak was calculated at £725, 800.
After this outbreak, in response to an independent report of health and
safety legislation, it was recommended that the HSE should review all its
Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) and technical guidance.
Additionally, the decisionwasmade by theHSE to visit all the evaporative
cooling systems operating in theUK. It is calculated that there is between5000
and 7000 cooling towers in the UK. This was a proactive process designed
to check levels of compliance with the Approved Code of Practice and the
Guidance issued by the HSE.
In October 2013, the HSE published a report entitled “Programme of
interventions for controlling
Legionella
risks in workplaces 2013 – 14: half-
year report”. [3] This report gave details of the findings of the first part of this
intervention and inspection programme.
The report detailed that 645 inspections were completed at sites operating
evaporative cooling equipment. These inspections were carried out by HSE
and LA (Local Authority) inspectors from April through to September in
2013. The purpose of these visits was to focus on the on site risk assessment,
the written scheme of control, the implementation and management of
control measures and record keeping.
At 465 of the visited sites, no formal enforcement action was taken.
