Stopping the spread of COVID-19 has dominated our minds and the key targets of the medical industry for the last few years. However, there are other health threats that we must still be wary of and take reasonable measures to prevent causes and the spread of.  

Following the re-opening of businesses and buildings across the globe post-pandemic, the UK Health and Safety Executive released a bulletin, warning premises of the risk of legionella and the need for assessment. Legionnaires’ disease is a lung infection caused by legionella bacteria. In up to 10% of cases, the disease can be fatal, through complications associated with the infection. Unlike the air-born Covid-19, this bacterium is commonly found and spread through water.  

When legionella bacteria does appear, it is more often than not due to non-compliance with health regulations, in the presence of tubes where water stagnates and therefore provides a condition for the bacteria to manifest. This is most often a condition found in public buildings, hospitals, apartment blocks and shared facilities. But it can be prevented with an easy, cost-effective fix.  

How the Internet of Things Can Help Prevent Legionnaires 

Harnessing the power of IoT is the smartest, most efficient way to put preventative measures in place. Devices and software work in connectivity with one another in order to identify the conditions needed for legionella bacteria grow, allowing facilities managers to implement the correct measures to stop the growth and spread and protect consumers. IoT connected, smart temperature monitoring sensors, when attached to the flow and return lines of hot water systems, can monitor the status of the pipework, installation and premises in real time.  

Should the water temperature fail to meet required levels, alarms and alerts can be put in place in order to draw attention to the issue and allow management to take action. When compared to traditional legionella management, often a man in a van required to travel to different sites in order to run taps manually, the IoT solution reduces impact on the environment by preventing unnecessary travel.  

With the Invisible Systems Legionella I-System starting from just £7.50 per month, it’s also a lot more cost effective.  

Other IoT Uses and Preventative Efforts  

 The benefits of IoT smart monitoring go beyond water temperatures and can also be used to measure humidity, energy consumption, gas levels, chemical levels and other aspects of air quality within almost any industrial environment or facility.  These monitoring uses can then be analysed in order to reach targets and goals such as energy efficiency, cost reduction or lowing carbon emissions.  

Book a meeting with our team to discuss the application of IoT for legionella compliances and other uses today. Alternatively, you can download our case study on Legionella monitoring within Irish prisons here.