For most parents, ensuring the health of their children is always a top priority. If you are a parent who wants to always make sure your children are free from diseases, you will always find a way to keep everything clean and safe especially when it comes to the food they eat and the water they drink. And so, keeping your house clean is not enough. It is critical to make sure that their school enforces measures that will protect the health, safety and well-being of the children.
One must remember that not all threats against the safety and well-being of children can be detected by the naked eye. This is very true with Legionnaires’ disease. Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia that is caused by Legionella bacteria. The bacteria are commonly found in bodies of natural water and even the water in residential and commercial facilities.
At minute levels, the bacteria pose minimal risks to the health of people. However, when favourable conditions are met, the bacterial population can grow and cause harm to people in the form of Legionnaires’ disease. This disease is a fatal form of pneumonia that can wreak havoc on the health of certain groups of people, including the immunocompromised, heavy smokers and drinkers, and the elderly. And this can also be a huge health risk for children.
The disease can be succumbed after inhaling contaminated water droplets. A healthy person can bounce back from the disease, but those who belong to at-risk groups can die from it. One unfortunate trend that has been reported is the increase in the number of children who are suffering from bronchitic conditions like asthma. This means that more pupils are becoming vulnerable to the disease.
Landlords have legal responsibilities related to keeping their properties safe and free from hazardous elements. For other employers and business owners, the Health and Safety at Work, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations and Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations can serve as a guide to impose water testing every now and then to ensure safe water as the common thread among these regulations is the importance of Legionnaires’ water testing.
In schools, the administration bears the task of ensuring that the school’s water system is not only free from bacteria, but more importantly, the favourable conditions that encourage bacterial growth are controlled or totally eliminated. Fortunately, you do not have to be a specialist if you wish to know how to test for Legionella. You can purchase water testing kits which you use to collect water samples in your facility. The samples are then sent to a laboratory for assessment. This is an effective way to ensure safe water for your children.
