Massachussetts - Legionella Prevention and Costs of Legionnaires Outbreaks
Historical Headlines Related to Legionella
May 5, 2023
The wrecking ball will soon take a swing at the site of the former Dartmouth Police Station. The town has put out a call for contractors to demolish the 21,000 square feet building. Officials determined that the building cannot be reused due to prohibitive costs. The building, which once served as Dartmouth Town Hall, has been vacant since 2014. Legionella bacteria was found in the pipes in 2014, when the site was used as a police station. An officer became sick that year with what was diagnosed as Legionnaires Disease, which is caused by the Legionella bacteria. (Source)
November 9, 2022
“Healthy buildings are the new minimum,” said Joseph Allen, an expert on indoor environmental quality issues at Harvard University. “The White House is signaling that they’re critical to Covid and beyond.” Earlier this month, he and coauthor John Macomber released an updated version of their 2020 book Healthy Buildings, a sort of manual detailing the science of how indoor spaces can make us ill, with insights from Allen’s early work as a forensic investigator of “sick buildings.” In the worst cases, like at a hospital experiencing an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease, poor ventilation can even kill. (Source)
November 1, 2022
An outbreak of Legionnaires' disease was confirmed by a spokesman for Brookdale Eddy Pond assisted living facility. "Our greatest concern is the health of the residents of our community, so we have responded quickly and proactively to this situation. We cannot comment on the identified case(s) given confidentiality restrictions," the Brookdale Senior Living spokesperson said. "We are working with a national water treatment company and are following their protocols and recommendations regarding Legionella bacteria. At this time, no one knows the source of the bacteria; however, we are taking a proactive approach to help stop any spread of this bacteria." (Source)
Reported Settlements and Jury Awards
Given the incidence of legionella in Massachussetts, and its associated harm, personal injury claims and litigation are also becoming more frequent. Reported settlements and jury awards are unavailable at this time.
State Cap on Jury Awards
Massachussetts does not have a cap on the award amounts allowable by law. In addition, public health notices and negative media attention can also lead to business interruption and reputation damage.
Groundwater Temperature Risk Level – Medium
Overall Liability and Risk for Massachussetts – High
No, ASHRAE 188 is not part of the state code
Legionella and Water Management Plan Assistance
Need help? For Legionella consulting and services, Water Management Plans, Legionella Control Systems, and Legionella testing please contact us at Legionella Control Systems at 888-416-8626 or info@legionellacontrolsystems.com
