大象传媒

In 大象传媒 premises, building services are managed by our facilities management partners and anyone requiring more detail information should contact their local FM. This page also provides brief guidance to anyone responsible for renting properties for productions or use as locations. 

What Can Go Wrong? 

• Legionnaires' disease is a form of pneumonia
• It is caused by the inhalation of airborne droplets containing significant numbers of the Legionella pnemophila bacterium
• Symptoms are initially flu-like but can progress to pneumonia, which in a minority of cases can prove fatal
• The bacteria is widespread in the natural environment, where it presents little risk. However, the risk from it increases significantly when it is allowed to proliferate in building water systems, particularly where there is also a risk of water aerosolisation e.g. showers, cooling tower 'drift'. Risk of proliferation is typically associated with low water turnover, water temperatures maintained between 20 and 45 degrees C, accumulation of sludge / slime and lack of an adequate water treatment regime.
• The main risk to 大象传媒 staff is likely to be when travelling overseas, where water systems will be less well maintained than in the UK.

Legal/大象传媒 Requirements 

• In the UK there are legal guidelines under COSHH on how to manage the risk from legionella. HSE technical guidance is given in HSG274 and the ACOP L8 鈥淟egionnaires' disease. The control of legionella bacteria in water systems鈥�.
• Other organisations (e.g. CIBSE) have also provided detailed Guides on how to design and manage water systems to minimise these risks.

Control Measures

If you are responsible for or are hiring a building which has water systems there should be:

• A risk assessment which assesses the risks from legionella
• A set of control measures - often referred to as a 'written scheme'
• Records of precautions and tests
• Someone who is nominated as responsible for the safety management of the water systems.

Precautions which will help control the risk include:

• Maintaining cold water systems (pipes and storage tanks) below 20潞C - usually simply achieved by regular turnover of mains water
• Maintaining hot water storage systems (calorifiers and water heaters) at 60潞C, to achieve 50潞C on its return in recirculation systems, and at least 50潞C at outlets within 1 minute of flushing - check water temperatures and adjust thermostat accordingly. Beware risk of scalds
• Making sure that low use systems (hot or cold) are flushed through regularly, for example, by running taps routinely - there should not be any 'dead legs' or 'blind ends' in the system which result in water stagnation
• Keeping the system clean to avoid the build-up of sediments which may provide nutrients and/or provide refuge for the bacteria from treatment chemicals e.g. keep lids on tanks, de-sludge large tanks/calorifiers
• Paying particular attention to the condition of water sources which create droplets which can de dispersed and inhaled, particularly if these people may also be immuno-compromised
• Complex water systems (wet cooling towers, large premises systems, etc.) should be routinely managed by a specialist building maintenance company, who can test, clean and disinfect the system according to an appropriate written scheme
• Water systems that have remained unused for an extended period should be cleaned and chlorinated by a specialist water treatment company prior to being put back into use.

If you are travelling, especially in warm climates, and you have concerns about the water quality:

• Avoid using or sitting by spas, Jacuzzis
• Run taps and shower heads for at least a couple of minutes each day
• If the water quality is particularly poor, do not use showers which create fine sprays e.g. when under high pressure
• Swimming pools which appear clean and which have a smell of chlorine are unlikely to be a risk. 

Division Specific Issues 

• Workplace is responsible for safety of water systems in most 大象传媒 Premises except overseas where this is the responsibility of Global News.
• Studios 鈥� are responsible for temporary water use within studio based productions 鈥� for example rain effects, dunk tanks.
• Producer 鈥� is responsible for locations. Higher risk areas will be showers, especially in crew vehicles and to a lesser extent catering.
• Check with relevant contractors and with location owners about how they manage water safety using this page as a guide to what should be in place.