BACTERIAL TESTING OF COOLING TOWERS PROCEDURE
AS/NZS 4801
OHSAS 18001
OHS20309
SAI Global
June 2014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.
PURPOSE ................................................................................................................................................ 2
2.
SCOPE ..................................................................................................................................................... 2
3.
ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................................................... 2
4.
DEFINITIONS ........................................................................................................................................... 2
5.1
6.
................................................................................................... 2
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES ............................................................................................................... 2
7.1
7.2
8.
TOTAL BACTERIA COUNT/HETEROTROPHIC COLONY COUNT
MAINTENANCE AND MINOR WORKS (M&MW) ........................................................................................................................ 2
MONASH OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY (OH&S) ............................................................................................................. 3
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES .............................................................................................................. 4
8.1
8.2
PRESCRIBED ACTION LEVELS FOR BACTERIAL/LEGIONELLA TESTING OF COOLING TOWER WATER .............................................. 4
CONFIRMED CASES(S) OF LEGIONNAIRES DISEASE ................................................................................................................ 5
9.
RECORDS ................................................................................................................................................ 6
10.
TOOLS ..................................................................................................................................................... 6
11.
REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................................... 6
11.1
11.2
11.3
11.4
11.5
12.
LEGISLATION ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6
AUSTRALIAN STANDARDS.................................................................................................................................................... 6
MONASH UNIVERSITY OHS DOCUMENTS ............................................................................................................................... 6
OHS INTERNAL PROCEDURES .............................................................................................................................................. 7
OTHER DOCUMENTS ........................................................................................................................................................... 7
DOCUMENT HISTORY ............................................................................................................................ 7
Bacterial Testing of Cooling Towers Procedure, v4
Date of first issue: 2005
Responsible Officer: Manager, OHS
Date of this review: June 2014
For the latest version of this document please go to: http://www.monash.edu.au/ohs/
Page 1 of 7
Date of next review: 2017
22/05/14
1.
PURPOSE
This procedure set out the requirements for the treatment and notification of Legionella
bacteria and elevated bacterial levels in cooling tower water and confirmed cases of
Legionnaires disease at Monash University in accordance with the Health (Legionella)
Regulations 2001.
2.
SCOPE
This procedure applies to the management of all information associated with the notification
of Legionella bacteria and elevated bacteria levels in cooling tower water and to confirmed
cases of Legionnaires disease at Monash University.
3.
ABBREVIATIONS
CFU/mL
DHS
FSD
OHS
OH&S
M&MW
TBC/HCC
Colony forming unit per millilitre of sample
Department of Health
Facilities & Services Division
Occupational health and safety
Monash Occupational Health & Safety
Maintenance and Minor Works
Total bacteria count/heterotrophic colony count
4.
DEFINITIONS
5.
A comprehensive list of definitions is provided in the Definitions tool. Definitions specific to
this procedure are provided below.
5.1
TOTAL BACTERIA COUNT/HETEROTROPHIC COLONY COUNT
Heterotrophic colony count is an estimate of the number of viable units of bacteria
per millilitre of water made using the pour plate, spread plate or membrane filter
test. It is used as an indicator of water quality in cooling water systems. HCC is
also known as total bacteria count (TBC), total plate count or viable bacteria count
test. It is reported as the number of colony forming units per millilitre of sample
(CFU/mL).
For the remainder of these procedures, bacteria levels will be referred to as
TBC/HCC.
6.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES
7.
A comprehensive list of OHS responsibilities is provided in the document OHS Roles,
Committees and Responsibilities Procedure. A summary of the specific responsibilities
relevant to these procedures is provided below:
7.1
MAINTENANCE AND MINOR WORKS (M&MW)
M&MW staff must:



Manage the testing of TBC/HCC in the cooling tower water in order to detect
the levels of Legionella species and TBC/HCC;
Notify Monash Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) if:
 3 consecutive detections of Legionella species (10CFU/mL); or
 3 consecutive elevated TBC/HCC (100,000CFU/mL)
are detected in cooling tower water (from the same tower);
Advise OH&S of the need to re-test cooling tower/s water following notification
from the Department of Health (DHS) of confirmed case/s of Legionnaires
disease.
Bacterial Testing of Cooling Towers Procedure, v4
Date of first issue: 2005
Responsible Officer: Manager, OHS
Date of this review: June 2014
For the latest version of this document please go to: http://www.monash.edu.au/ohs/
Page 2 of 7
Date of next review: 2017
22/05/14

7.2
Notify all staff and contractors who may have been exposed to the infected
cooling tower of the potential health risk.
MONASH OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY (OH&S)
OH&S must:

When notified by M&MW staff of Legionella detection and/or elevated
TBC/HCC in cooling tower water, communicate with all relevant parties within
the university as detailed in these procedures;

When notified by M&MW staff of three consecutive detections of Legionella
species (10CFU/mL), communicate with DHS, as detailed in these
procedures;

Send notification reports of three consecutive detections of Legionella bacteria
in cooling tower water to DHS;

When notified by DHS of confirmed case(s) of Legionnaires disease,
communicate with the relevant department, and Dean of faculty, if multiple
cases are reported;

Update these notification procedures, as required.
Bacterial Testing of Cooling Towers Procedure, v4
Date of first issue: 2005
Responsible Officer: Manager, OHS
Date of this review: June 2014
For the latest version of this document please go to: http://www.monash.edu.au/ohs/
Page 3 of 7
Date of next review: 2017
22/05/14
8.
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES
8.1
PRESCRIBED ACTION LEVELS FOR BACTERIAL/LEGIONELLA TESTING OF COOLING TOWER WATER
Routine Monthly
Testing
Retesting
Routine Monthly
Testing
Cooling Tower Testing and Notification Procedure
Yes
Undertaken by approved
contractors
Managed by Facilities and
Services Division
No
Result within
acceptable
range
No
Treat &
Retest
Result High
after 3
consecutive
tests
FSD M&MW are to notify
OH&S
Yes
Yes
DHS 1800 248 898
Niotification
OHS
UHS Chief Medical Officer
Further Action
Div Director Fac & Services
Bacterial Testing of Cooling Towers Procedure, v4
Date of first issue: 2005
Notify VicePresident
(Administration)
Responsible Officer: Manager, OHS
Date of this review: June 2014
Page 4 of 7
Date of next review: 2017
22/05/14
For the latest version of this document please go to: http://www.monash.edu.au/ohs/
Global Email
Advice
Shut Down &
Isolate Tower
8.2
CONFIRMED CASES(S) OF LEGIONNAIRES DISEASE
Notification of
Confirmed
Case(s)
Chief Medical
Officer
Manager
OHS
Vice-President
(Administration)
Testing
Notification within affected
area
Monsah University Notified
of Confirmed Case(s)
Internal
Notifications
Notification Procedure in Confirmed Case(s) of Legionnaires Disease
Global Email
Advice
Faculty Dean
Campus Manager
Divisional Director
Facilities & Services
Occupational Health Team
Area OHS Consultant
Area Safety Officer
Area HSR
The testing and treatment
of all suspected towers is
at the direction of DHS
Bacterial Testing of Cooling Towers Procedure, v4
Date of first issue: 2005
F & S Staff
Contractors
Undertake Immediate Testing of all Suspect Towers
Reporting in accordance with Testing and
Notification Procedure
Responsible Officer: Manager, OHS
Date of this review: June 2014
Page 5 of 7
Date of next review: 2017
22/05/14
For the latest version of this document please go to: http://www.monash.edu.au/ohs/
9.
RECORDS
Record to be kept by
Records
OH&S



Facilities & Services

To be kept for:
Notification reports to DHS regarding 7 years
detection
of
Legionella
bacteria
(10CFU/mL) in cooling tower water
7 years
Hardcopy TBC/HCC results from water
testing contractor
7 years
Hardcopy Legionella results from water
testing contractor
Cooling tower registration, test, inspection
& maintenance records
7 years
10. TOOLS
The following tools are associated with this procedure:
Legionella and cooling towers OHS information sheet
Risk management of cooling towers OHS information sheet
11. REFERENCES
11.1
LEGISLATION
Building (Legionella) Act 2000
Building (Cooling Tower Systems Register) Regulations 2001
Building (Legionella Risk Management) Regulations 2001
Health Act 1958
Health (Legionella) Regulations 2001
Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007
Plumbing (Cooling Towers) Regulations 2001
11.2
AUSTRALIAN STANDARDS
AS/NZS 2243.1: 2005 Safety in Laboratories Part 1 - Planning and operational
aspects
2243.2: 2006 Safety in Laboratories Part 2 - Chemical aspects
AS/NZS 3666 Air-handling and water systems of buildings - Microbial Growth
: 2002 Design, installation and commissioning
: 2002 Operation and maintenance
: 2000 Performance-based maintenance of cooling water systems
AS/NZS 4276.1: 2007 Water microbiology - General information and
procedures AS/NZS 3896: 1998 Waters-Examination for legionellae including
Legionella
pneumophila
AS/NZS 2031.2: 2001 Selection of containers and preservation of water samples for
microbiological analysis
AS/NZS 4360: 2004 Risk Management
11.3
MONASH UNIVERSITY OHS DOCUMENTS
(http://www.monash.edu.au/ohs/ohs-information-and-documents/ohs-documents)
Legionella and cooling towers OHS information sheet
Risk management of cooling towers OHS information sheet
Bacterial Testing of Cooling Towers Procedure, v4
Date of first issue: 2005
Responsible Officer: Manager, OHS
Date of this review: June 2014
For the latest version of this document please go to: http://www.monash.edu.au/ohs/
Page 6 of 7
Date of next review: 2017
22/05/14
11.4
OHS INTERNAL PROCEDURES
Testing of the Monash Cooling Tower Systems Procedure No. 6
Cooling Tower Risk Assessment Procedure No. 32
11.5
OTHER DOCUMENTS
Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air-Conditioning and Heating (Inc.) DA 17
Cooling Towers and DA 18 Water treatment
Guidelines for the Control of Legionnaire’s Disease 1989 (Vic. Government)
Legionnaire’s Disease and Cooling Towers, Information for Owners and Managers
1996 (Vic. Government)
Evaporative Coolers, An Operation and Maintenance Guide for Owners 1997 (Vic.
Government)
A Guide to Developing Risk Management Plans for Cooling Tower Systems Public
Health Division, Department of Human Services, Victoria, 2001
12. DOCUMENT HISTORY
Version
number
3
4
Date of Issue
Changes made to document
April 2009
Notification procedures for prescribed action levels for
bacterial/legionella testing of cooling tower water, and confirmed
case/s of Legionella Disease, v3
1. Changed title to Bacterial Testing of Cooling Towers
Procedure
2. Added link to definitions document
3. Updated responsibilities section to name maintenance
and minor work as the responsible section of FSD for
testing.
4. Added tools associated with this document.
June 2014
Bacterial Testing of Cooling Towers Procedure, v4
Date of first issue: 2005
Responsible Officer: Manager, OHS
Date of this review: June 2014
For the latest version of this document please go to: http://www.monash.edu.au/ohs/
Page 7 of 7
Date of next review: 2017
22/05/14