ASSE 12080 Legionella Certification

Chardon Labs is ASSE 12080 Legionella Certified

As of October 2024, all active service managers at Chardon Labs are ASSE 12080 Certified for Infection control and water quality. This certification training enables Chardon Labs to effectively control Legionella and other waterborne pathogens up to the best industry standards. The training also reflects our ability to create water management plans, perform risk assessment analyses, and conduct sampling. In addition to this, we are an ISO-9000 certified service company and keep consistent quality assurance procedures in place.

Get Legionella Testing Services

Our Services

Legionella Sampling

Samples are taken by our trained service managers at several sites. There are several sources to consider such as water mains, water heaters, showers, faucets, fountains, cooling towers, humidifiers, etc. We follow ASSE 12080 guidance when conducting this sample collection. For potable water, hot water sampling is typically used as Legionella grows significantly faster in warmer temperatures. One-time or regular sampling can be quickly scheduled by filling out this quick form, or by calling (380) 224-7395.

Legionella Testing

Our environmental Legionella sampling then is tested with ISO / IEC 17025 testing and calibration laboratory procedures. This complies with the CDC’s ELITE, Environmental Legionella Isolation Techniques Evaluation Program. With Legionella testing it is important to consider risk factors in the building and establish control procedures. Testing should be done more often if high Legionella amounts were found in past tests, past Legionnaire’s disease outbreaks, and if the facility provides services for at-risk demographics. The total amount of Legionella present in the water is measured by the Legionella bacteria’s CFU/ML concentration in the water.

Remediation

If a sample is found to be above the control limits for Legionella bacteria Legionella remediation typically includes hyperchlorination. This involves introducing a large amount of chlorine into the water to kill the Legionella bacteria. Superheating the system to levels where Legionella can’t survive, as well as flushing the system are other effective ways to clean the system and remediate Legionella. Long-term treatment and testing options, as well as a water management plan, will be the most effective ways to control Legionella.

Potable Testing

Testing showerhead and faucet fixtures, drinking fountains, and other water intended for cleaning or drinking is important. There are risk factors to consider including:

• Operating temperature- Legionella grows the best between 77° F and 113°F. Keeping cold and hot water temperatures outside this range can help prevent Legionella growth.
• Unused water systems- Inoccupancy is a risk factor as it leads to stagnant water. If plumbing such as a shower is unused for several months, that stagnant water can allow Legionella to grow.
• Dead legs- Parts of plumbing where water is trapped and sits still for long periods. This could be a redundant or “cut off” area of plumbing that occasionally backflows into the water being utilized.
• Use cases- Water may be utilized in a healthcare setting for example, where medical devices need to be cleaned properly, and immunocompromised patients are staying. Sick and elderly populations are especially vulnerable to contracting Legionnaire’s disease.

Non-Potable Testing

Non-potable water is not intended for human consumption or cleaning. It is utilized in industrial or commercial heating and cooling. An example of this would be in cooling towers. Some of the risk factors for non-potable water systems include:

• No biocide program- Without biocides that kill organic organisms in water, harmful bacteria can grow. It also creates an organic film called biofilm, that protects and amplifies the growth of further bacteria. Biocide needs to be pumped into the water system regularly to prevent this growth.

Nearby populations- It is up to the building manager to provide a safe environment for the people who work, reside, or pass by the industrial water system. For example, if there is an unmaintained cooling tower at a nursing home, where at-risk patients are constantly breathing in the air that is evaporating from the tower, you have a risky situation. The responsibility to opt for testing falls on the building manager.