Thumbs up for Legionnaires' precautions
By Sharmilpal Kaur
TOUGH new regulations were imposed to control Legionnaires' Disease this week, but some major air-quality companies will be unaffected by them.
Several such companies have been abiding by the tougher standards for years when servicing their clients' air-conditioners and water fountains.
The new laws are designed to reduce the risk of people here catching Legionnaires' Disease, which can lead to a potentially-fatal lung infection.
It usually hits the old and those whose resistance has already been battered by other illnesses.
Companies contacted by The Straits Times said that the Environment Ministry had recommended the stricter rules to the industry five years ago, following an outbreak in the United Kingdom.
But not all building owners and companies took the ministry up on its suggestions then.
Mr Patrick Tan, chemical manager for York International's Asia-Pacific office, said: 'It is nothing new to us. Normally, ENV always advises first, which is good, but they do not make it law unless it gets critical.
'Maybe this is to tell developers not to save this kind of money.'
He added: 'This is good; it is a form of hygienic control. It is added value.'
Besides better hygiene, the move should also mean better business for those in the air-quality industry.
Mr Darion Lim, 31, director for Air-care Engineering, said: 'It will create more business for people in the industry. It should also improve awareness.'
Mr Lim stressed that greater awareness was important, as the number of cases of the disease here may be more than reported, he said, citing similar cases in the United States.
Last year, there were three deaths among the 65 cases reported here. In 1999, there were 70 cases and four deaths.
The new rules by ENV make it a must for building owners or occupiers to clean and disinfect all cooling towers and water fountains at least every six months.
They must also test for legionella bacteria at least every three months.
People catch the disease by inhaling water droplets contaminated with the bacteria. Badly-maintained cooling towers and water fountains are common sources for such bacteria.
Building owners or management corporations will get six months to comply with the new rules.
Offenders can be fined up to $5,000 for breaking the rules the first time, and up to $10,000 for second and subsequent offences.
Mr Robert Lee, managing director of Is Green Technology, which specialises in cooling towers, said: 'From what I have gathered, looking at cooling towers here, standards of care are not very high.'