Safty reminder:Legionnaires' risk from wiper water

Kennyeth · 28th April 2018, 09:33

With our cars known for going all jelly like at the bottom of the washer tank it`s best to take care of what you breath in when maintaining it after a blockage:
https://www.nhs.uk/news/lifestyle-an...m-wiper-water/
Ken.

planenut · 28th April 2018, 09:52

I had to check the date, and yes, April the First has passed. This does seem an odd one to me. Luckily they haven't mentioned that cars just possibly kill more people than windscreen washer water by Legionella, worldwide.

I'm just off to sniff my glue......

Kennyeth · 28th April 2018, 09:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by planenut

I had to check the date, and yes, April the First has passed. This does seem an odd one to me. Luckily they haven't mentioned that cars just possibly kill more people than windscreen washer water by Legionella, worldwide.

I'm just off to sniff my glue......

You are a strange fellow

Ken.

planenut · 28th April 2018, 10:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kennyeth

You are a strange fellow

Ken.

Now that is something that has been confirmed.

Groundsman Willie · 28th April 2018, 12:13

I know it sounds crazy, but Legionnaires is a risk from the washer bottle. An enclosed, pretty much stagnant body of water, gently heated by the engine. It's a minor risk, but a serious disease. Depends how efficient you are towards maintenance. If you check and top up your washer bottle with proper screenwash every week, it won't be a problem as you are regularly venting the bottle. If you wait until the bottle is empty before popping the filler cap, sticking your face into the filler tube to see if you can see anything, and pouring plain water into the bottle, you run a risk.

Rev Jules · 28th April 2018, 12:54

Perhaps not so crazy, I prefer to use the hand held in a fixed position when having a shower, but! will at least once a week flush through the over head pan on the hottest setting there is for at least five minutes,

Rev

Groundsman Willie · 28th April 2018, 13:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rev Jules

Perhaps not so crazy, I prefer to use the hand held in a fixed position when having a shower, but! will at least once a week flush through the over head pan on the hottest setting there is for at least five minutes,

Rev

Good regime to follow.
At work, we run every tap, and every changing room shower weekly, until the water runs fully hot.
Hose pipes are another possible risk. If you have a hosepipe that spends 9 months of the year coiled up, full of stagnant water, always let it run through with fresh water for a few minutes the first time you water the lawn. All it takes is a few warm spring days to heat up the water in the hose enough for Legionella to be a risk

Darcydog · 1st May 2018, 21:08

This does have a very strong basis in fact - in 2006 there was a very high incidence of Legionaires deaease and Bristol University along with some European research centres analysed legionaries cases in 2008/9.

They found that a significant risk was any driver or passenger of vehicles that had no screenwash in the windscreen washer fluid.

What was then needed to be done was further studies to prove that adding windscreen washer fluid reduced the incidence of legionaries disease - but as far as I am aware no such studies have been done.

Probably because adding windscreen washer fluid to the water bottle is a bit of a no brainer.

myfirstrover · 2nd May 2018, 14:15

No laughing matter , when the students are away from uni where i work our maintenance lads have to go around ALL the rooms and run the water for 2 minutes to make sure it's clear , this has to be done once a week when they're away , at a 1000 + rooms it's no small task

28th April 2018, 09:33	#1
Kennyeth This is my second home No more Rover Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Posts: 5,881 Thanks: 1,625 Thanked 1,308 Times in 998 Posts	Safty reminder:Legionnaires' risk from wiper water With our cars known for going all jelly like at the bottom of the washer tank it`s best to take care of what you breath in when maintaining it after a blockage: https://www.nhs.uk/news/lifestyle-an...m-wiper-water/ Ken.

28th April 2018, 12:13	#5
Groundsman Willie Gets stuck in Rover 75 1.8t Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Newbury Posts: 842 Thanks: 783 Thanked 423 Times in 264 Posts	I know it sounds crazy, but Legionnaires is a risk from the washer bottle. An enclosed, pretty much stagnant body of water, gently heated by the engine. It's a minor risk, but a serious disease. Depends how efficient you are towards maintenance. If you check and top up your washer bottle with proper screenwash every week, it won't be a problem as you are regularly venting the bottle. If you wait until the bottle is empty before popping the filler cap, sticking your face into the filler tube to see if you can see anything, and pouring plain water into the bottle, you run a risk. __________________ Dave

28th April 2018, 09:52	#2
planenut Regional Secretary Rover 1.8T Tourer Join Date: May 2007 Location: Heathrow Posts: 6,948 Thanks: 1,551 Thanked 2,036 Times in 1,264 Posts	I had to check the date, and yes, April the First has passed. This does seem an odd one to me. Luckily they haven't mentioned that cars just possibly kill more people than windscreen washer water by Legionella, worldwide. I'm just off to sniff my glue......

28th April 2018, 12:54	#6
Rev Jules This is my second home Rover 75 Tourer+ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Radcliffe on Trent Posts: 10,709 Thanks: 7,308 Thanked 3,929 Times in 2,051 Posts	Perhaps not so crazy, I prefer to use the hand held in a fixed position when having a shower, but! will at least once a week flush through the over head pan on the hottest setting there is for at least five minutes, Rev

1st May 2018, 21:08	#8
Darcydog This is my second home Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 5,428 Thanks: 3,123 Thanked 3,170 Times in 2,096 Posts	This does have a very strong basis in fact - in 2006 there was a very high incidence of Legionaires deaease and Bristol University along with some European research centres analysed legionaries cases in 2008/9. They found that a significant risk was any driver or passenger of vehicles that had no screenwash in the windscreen washer fluid. What was then needed to be done was further studies to prove that adding windscreen washer fluid reduced the incidence of legionaries disease - but as far as I am aware no such studies have been done. Probably because adding windscreen washer fluid to the water bottle is a bit of a no brainer.

2nd May 2018, 14:15	#9
myfirstrover Posted a thing or two Rover 75 2.0 cdi Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 1,896 Thanks: 401 Thanked 448 Times in 303 Posts	No laughing matter , when the students are away from uni where i work our maintenance lads have to go around ALL the rooms and run the water for 2 minutes to make sure it's clear , this has to be done once a week when they're away , at a 1000 + rooms it's no small task