Reopening hotels, office buildings and healthcare facilities after the COVID-19 pandemic: Managing Legionella risks in building water systems

In the attempt to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, many buildings across the world have been temporarily closed or their operations drastically reduced.

This webinar will explore several aspects to consider before and during the reopening of healthcare facilities, public lodging, and office buildings to prevent and respond to Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks, including:

• Understanding of increased risks of waterborne pathogen outbreaks due to months of reduced building occupancy and water usage. During this period, Legionella spp. that may be present in the water could have multiplied, posing a risk of disease.
• Current guidelines on how to manage water distribution systems during reopening of private buildings and healthcare facilities to ensure the safety of the occupants.
• Waterborne pathogen outbreak best practices: prevention (Water Safety Plan), investigation and remediation. 
• Responding to an outbreak and implementing short- and long-term remediation measures.
• What can we learn from the past?

Examples of when in-premise water distribution systems have not been correctly managed and the consequences for their occupants.

Speakers:

Dr. David Krause is the founder and principal Toxicologist for HealthCare Consulting and Contracting (HC3) in Tallahassee, Florida. He is also a Certified Industrial Hygienist and Licensed Mold Assessor.

Dr. Krause received his Doctorate in Environmental and Occupational Health and Master of Science in Public Health from the University of South Florida. Over the past 25 years he has practiced environmental science and public health, focusing in the areas of toxicology, occupational health, industrial hygiene, indoor air quality, and exposure to microbes and chemicals in homes, schools, office buildings, and healthcare facilities. From 2008 to 2011 Dr. Krause was the State Toxicologist for the Florida Department of Health and led the State’s efforts to investigate public health risks associated with corrosive Chinese drywall and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.  David is a recognized expert in risk assessment, workplace exposures, health care facilities, Legionnaires’ disease, combustion products, flame retardants, irritant chemical exposures, indoor air quality, and mold. He co-authored the 2009 Guidelines for the Surveillance, Investigation, and Control of Legionnaires’ Disease in Florida and the 2015 AIHA Guideline for the Recognition, Evaluation, and Control of Legionella in Building Water Systems.

Throughout his career evaluating and testing public buildings for microbes and chemicals, he has had the privilege to lead the assessment and remediation of the Florida Supreme Court, the State Capitol Building Complex, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Bar, and the Governor’s Mansion. His expertise is frequently called upon by state and federal agencies and public health officials for complex or critical situations.

Chaired by:

Bob Krell is president of IAQ Technologies, Inc., a Syracuse, NY-based indoor environmental and building performance firm he founded in 1990, offering consulting, mitigation and training services to a variety of clients throughout the country and abroad. He was co-founder of IAQNET, LLC in 2013, and serves as publisher of its Healthy Indoors Magazine and online information site, HealthyIndoors.com.

Bob was named Publisher of Home Energy magazine and took over those duties for the Building Performance Association (BPA) in the summer of 2019. The inaugural issue of Building Performance Journal was released in March 2020.

Bob has been a nationally recognized indoor environmental consultant and trainer in the IAQ industry for over 29 years. He has designed and managed successful indoor environmental and building performance projects for residential, commercial, educational and healthcare facilities throughout the U.S., and conducted hundreds of investigations since 1990.