Legionnaires’ Disease and Driving
Legionella bacteria are widespread in the natural environment. When inhaled, usually within fine droplets of contaminated water, they can cause a form of pneumonia called Legionnaires’ Disease, which can be fatal. The control of this risk has usually focussed on the most likely causes – hot water systems, particularly those with showers, and air conditioning.
Last month, I was surprised by some research published in the European Journal of Epidemiology, which found that the risk of professional drivers getting Legionnaires’ Disease is 5 times higher than the general population. The main risk factors linked with this appear to be driving through industrial areas, and, in particular, not adding screenwash to the windscreen wiper fluid. Presumably the latter is due to a preservative biocide contained in most screenwash. This finding should lead to the review of many legionella COSHH risk assessments, with an obvious action point to anyone who runs a car or any other vehicle.
The article is:
Windscreen wiper fluid without added screenwash in motor vehicles: a newly identified risk factor for Legionnaires’ disease
By: Anders Wallensten , Isabel Oliver, Katherine Ricketts, George Kafatos, James M. Stuart and Carol Joseph
It can be accessed here as HTML, and here as a PDF.
Hi,
Yes an interesting paper.I was wondering if the speedier of drivers consider their screen wash bottles as stagnant?
Another point from the report is that although in the Method it mentions account of the seasons(summer / winter)I could not see any evidence in the Analysis / Discussion? (L growth temps 20 to 45degc)
Paul, Everything under the bonnet is kept nicely warm by the heat of the engine whatever the weather, especially on long journeys. I’ve not done any temperature measurements, but I wouldn’t be surprised if screen wash bottles reached around 30 degrees, even in winter, providing a nice little microclimate for the bugs to thrive in the absence of any biocide.
Interesting and just demonstrates how ubequitous these organisms are. When providing COSHH Assessor training I have used jetwashing fleet cars as an example of exposure to Legionella and have delegates work up a risk assessment, however this was less insight and more serendipity on my part.