Legionella Check in Public Installations - Eurofins Scientific AG
The Inspection Services also supports you in the field of drinking water:
Legionella are bacteria that grow in stagnant water and can enter the human body through the lungs when aerosolized. There they can cause severe pneumonia (Legionnaires' disease) or flu-like symptoms. Elderly people, smokers and people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk.
In Switzerland, operators of public buildings, such as hotels, nursing homes, hospitals, etc., are required by law to conduct regular legionella analyses and to take countermeasures if necessary.
Legionella are not only found in showers or whirlpools, but can also be present in air conditioning systems or in drinking water pipes. Regular analysis can detect legionella infestations at an early stage and combat them in a targeted manner to protect the health of the building's occupants or users.
Therefore, we recommend that you carry out regular legionella analysis for your company and, if necessary, take measures for legionella prevention. Feel free to contact us to learn more about our legionella analysis services.
Due to the ever-increasing number of legionella cases, the ordinance of the EDI on drinking water and water in publicly accessible baths and showers
accessible bathrooms and shower facilities, regulates the requirements for the operation and self-monitoring of publicly accessible shower facilities. Not only the federal government, but also the cantons have been strongly concerned with the issue of legionella.
If you operate a shower system in hospitals/nursing homes, schools, hotels and fitness/wellness facilities or a publicly accessible bathroom, you as the operator are responsible for compliance. This also applies to shared shower facilities in sports facilities and company showers in the workplace, barracks or prisons.
The self-monitoring includes in particular the control of the safety of the shower water (compliance with the maximum value of Legionella spp.) and the documentation of the quality of the shower water (temperature of the hot water systems and archiving of the control results of the Legionella analyses).
The controls to be performed as part of the self-monitoring (sampling & analysis) of the shower water must be adapted to the safety risk, size and importance of the operation. In order to meet the requirements for risk-based self-monitoring.
We will be happy to support you in complying with self-monitoring:
- Microbiology according to TBDV
- Showers
- Swimming pools
- Whirlpools or whirlpool tubs (Jacuzzis, spas)
- Hammams and saunas
- Cooling systems, even if they are located on a roof or on the ground
- air conditioning and ventilation systems
- Ornamental fountains, especially those located within a building
- Food displays or other equipment with atomizers or humidifiers
- Work equipment that uses water atomization or misting
- On-site sampling
Update 2024:
With the current revision of the Stretto 4 legislation, the parameters to be tested for "water in shower facilities" have changed in accordance with the Ordinance on Drinking Water and Water in Publicly Accessible Baths and Shower Facilities (TBDV).
From 01.02.2024, the following parameters with limit values will apply in accordance with Annex 5 of the Ordinance:
Legionella spp. 1000 cfu/l
Escherichia coli nd/100ml
Enterococcus nd/100ml
Previously, only Legionella spp. were regulated for showers. It is recommended that the package be adapted to the latest version of the Ordinance.
