In 1979, ASSE New York Chapter member Richard H. Toder, FASSE, wrote a report for the ASSE Legionnaires’ Disease Task Group explaining ASSE’s involvement with Legionnaires’ disease. Earlier that year, there was a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak associated with Macy’s department store in New York City. ASSE offered its engineering expertise to assist authorities in sorting the facts. Eventually, the cause of the epidemic was said to be caused by the bacterium Legionella pneumophila, which was then associated with air conditioning systems. Three people died from that outbreak and 91 others were hospitalized. Federal officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention described the outbreak in New York as the worst since 1976, when the disease killed 29 American Legion conventioneers in Philadelphia. Prior to this, ASSE was engaged in many other research programs, which included diseases such as hepatitis, polio, and Western equine encephalitis.
Toder and a number of other dedicated ASSE members continued to research Legionella for the next 40 years. Legionnaire’s disease and the Legionella bacteria have again captured the spotlight after dozens of recent outbreaks have been documented across the United States and around the world. Recent outbreaks have included VA hospitals, assisted living facilities, and even Disneyland. Although generally affecting the elderly, very young, and immunocompromised, the disease can be deadly to anyone. Once thought to be related to air conditioning and cooling towers, it is now known to be far more extensive and caused by a waterborne bacterium, Legionella, which when inhaled in aerosolized droplets can cause the potentially deadly pneumonia known as Legionnaire’s disease. We now recognize that Legionella is prevalent in building water systems and more complex, widespread, and difficult to manage than previously known.
ASSE has developed a series of professional qualifications standards that address Legionella and other waterborne pathogens. In 2014, we published ASSE 12030, Waterborne Pathogens Professional Qualifications Standard for Construction and Maintenance Personnel, which is part of ASSE/IAPMO/ANSI Series 12000, Professional Qualifications Standard for Infection Control Risk Assessment for All Building Systems. In 2018, we added four new standards to the ASSE Series 12000. These new standards are directed at contractors and tradespersons in the pipe trades who work on all types of water systems within buildings. These are the water quality program standards ASSE 12060-12063. Certification to these standards require prerequisite experience in installing or maintaining plumbing systems, mechanical systems, or water-based fire protection systems. Individuals certified to these standards have demonstrated the knowledge and skills needed to develop and manage water risk management programs, including the sampling of water and mapping of water systems. These certified individuals can therefore help facilities meet the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) mandate that requires medical facilities to develop policies to reduce risk of the growth and spread of Legionella and other opportunistic pathogens in water.
Certified Water Quality Program contractors and tradespersons are also prepared to participate on building water management teams, as stated in ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188, Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems, which defines legionellosis risk management requirements for building water systems. ASSE’s water quality standards are trade-specific with the certified individuals demonstrating competency in assessing the risk related to their specific systems, including cooling towers, water features, potable water systems, fire protection systems, ice machines, humidifiers, and all piped systems within buildings.
A new standard is now being developed by ASSE: Professional Qualifications Standard for Legionella Water Safety and Management Personnel. Subject matter experts from around the country are working on this draft standard, which sets minimum criteria for the training and certification of persons involved in the development, administration, and execution of risk assessment and water safety management programs for Legionella in building water systems. Certification to this standard will not require prerequisite experience, but will require the successful completion of a training course and passing a written exam.
Five white papers have been developed by the ASSE International Scald Awareness Task Group, some of which address not only the risks of scalding when people are exposed to water that’s too hot, but also the risks of Legionella growth if water temperature is maintained at an optimum range for such growth. ASSE continues to promote our century-old motto, “Prevention Rather Than Cure,” through our professional qualifications standards, product performance standards, and certification programs. ASSE certified individuals are better able to prevent the growth of Legionella within building water systems by using risk assessment and water quality management tools, reducing the risk of Legionnaires’ disease.
