Preventing legionellae in an Austrian hospital through a new water installation that complies with Austrian standard ÖNORM B5019

A new water installation was implemented at the Hospital of Barmherzigen Schwestern Ried that conforms to the Austrian standard B5019 “Hygienic aspects of the planning, construction, operation, maintenance, surveillance and rehabilitation of central heating installations for drinking water”. This standard proposes technical measures to prevent Legionella infections. Dr Halabi, the responsible hygienist at the hospital, is the head of the standards committee on Legionella in Austria and he was very interested in implementing the standard at his hospital. After two years the success of the new water installation was evident