Information

  • Document No.

  • Audit Title

  • Client / Site

  • Conducted on

  • Prepared by

  • Location

1. Executive Summary

Executive Summary.

  • Integra Water Treatment Solutions develop a risk management plan(RMP) for the cooling tower system at the aforementioned property.

    The key objectives of this process is to help ensure that the water treatment program suitably addresses the key risks associated with the cooling tower system within the individual or unique location.

  • The general scope of work:
    > Site inspection of the cooling tower system and AC plant.
    > Review of the current water treatment program.
    > Provision of a comprehensive report, summarising the findings / observations along with recommendations and control measures and operational program for the cooling tower system.

  • The project included identification of the potential risk associated with the cooling tower system and provision of risk rating for the following key risk areas:

    > Stagnant Water
    > Nutrient Growth
    > Poor Water Quality
    > Deficiencies in the cooling water system
    > Location and Access

  • Following our site inspection, Integra has to access the cooling tower system against key risk areas above and rank this risk against the tool developed by Victorian (DHS) Department of Human Services, as this risk assessment tool is highly regarded and widely used throughout the water treatment industry across Australia.

    Integra encourages the property owner to review control measures and improvement notes as described within this document and recommendations in the summary at the end of this report.

    Please also ensure that the document is endorsed by an authorised representative of the property owner.

    Integra have illustrated some minor points in relation to Water Efficiency in section 9 of this report.

2. Cooling Tower Risk Classification

  • Use the checklist to assist in applying a risk rating for each of the critical risks, as well as determining the overall risk rating for a particular system.

  • The risk classification groups are:

    > A if your system matches any of the responses marked as A.
    > B if your system matches any of the responses marked as B and does not match any response marked A
    > C if your system matches any of the responses marked as C and does not match any response marked A or B
    > D if your system matches any of the responses marked as D and does not match responses in any other risk classification.

Stagnant Water

  • A: System is idle more than one month AND recirculating pump with timer not fitted AND dead legs exist

  • B: System is idle more than one month AND recirculating pump with timer fitted AND dead legs exist.

  • C: Any ONE of the following - System is idle more than one month OR dead legs exist

  • D: System operates continuously AND no dead legs.

Nutrient Growth

  • A: Any THREE of the following - Environmental contamination AND no corrosion control program AND Wetted surfaces not protected from sunlight AND no biodispersant used

  • B: Any TWO of the following - Environmental contamination AND no corrosion control program AND wetted surfaces not protected from sunlight AND no biodispersant used.

  • C: Any ONE of the following - Environmental contamination OR no corrosion control program OR wetted surfaces not protected from sunlight OR no biodispersant used.

  • D: No significant environmental contamination AND corrosion control program exists AND wetted surfaces protected from sunlight AND biodispersant used.

Water Quality

  • A: No automated biocide dosing device installed AND no comprehensive water treatment program in place

  • B: No automated biocide dosing device installed AND comprehensive water treatment program in place

  • C: Automated biocide dosing device installed AND no comprehensive water treatment program in place

  • D: Automated biocide dosing device installed AND comprehensive water treatment program in place

Deficiencies in the Cooling Tower System

  • A: Modern, high efficiency drift eliminator not fitted AND no review of system design AND no preview of system operation and performance

  • B: Modern, high efficiency drift eliminator not fitted

  • C: Modern, high efficiency drift eliminator fitted and at least ONE of the following - No review of system design OR no review of system operation and performance

  • D: Modern, high efficiency drift eliminator fitted AND system design reviewed AND system operation and performance reviewed

Location and Access

  • A: System is located in an acute health or aged residential care facility OR very high numbers of people are potentially exposed

  • B: System is located near an acute health or aged care residential facility OR high numbers of people are potentially exposed

  • C: System is not located near an acute health or aged residential care facility AND moderate numbers of people are potentially exposed

  • D: System is not located near an acute health or aged residential care facility AND low numbers of people are potentially exposed

3. Site and Key Contact Details

  • Site Name and Address

  • Type of cooling towers in the CT system

  • Registration period ends:

  • Number of cooling towers in system

  • Tower location reference (if applicable)

  • Site owners's name and contact details (please include company name, contact person's business and after hours phone numbers)

  • Cooling tower system owners's name and contact details (please include company name, contact person's business and after hours phone numbers)

  • Water treatment provider name/contact details (please include company name, contact person's business and after hours phone numbers)

  • Water laboratory contractor/contact details

  • Mechanical Contractor name/contact details

4. Critical Risks - Stagnant Water

Installation of a timer connected to a recirculating pump set to operate at least once a day to circulate the water.

  • Has the system been idle for more than a month?

  • Operational or Tower System Improvement Response

  • Where the system, or part of the system, is idle for more than a month, is a recirculating pump with a timer fitted to automatically circulate the water at regular intervals, to prevent it from stagnation?

  • Please consult with the mechanical contractor.

Removal or activation of dead legs

  • Are there any dead legs?

Risk Classification

  • Risk Classification for Stagnant Water

5. Critical Risks - Nutrient Growth

Identify sources of environmental contamination and reduce the amount, where possible

  • Are there factors in and around the site that may lead to environmental contamination and an increase in nutrients in the cooling tower system?

Use a comprehensive water treatment program that includes a biodispersant

  • Do you use a biodispersant compatible with the chemicals in use, including chlorine?

  • Please give details

Control corrosion

  • Do you have a corrosion control program?

  • Please give details

Increase the frequency of cleaning

  • How frequently are the towers cleaned?

Protect the basin and top deck of the tower from sunlight

  • Are any of the wetted surfaces exposed to sunlight?

  • Add media

Reduce water temperature where possible

  • Can the water temperature in the tower be reduced?

Risk Classification

  • Risk classification for nutrient growth

6. Critical Risks - Poor Water Quality

Comprehensive water treatment program

  • Do you use two or more biocides in some form of rotation?

  • Do you use a biodispersant compatible with the chemicals in use (including chlorine)?

  • Do you treat the water with anti-corrosive chemicals?

  • Have you developed control measures that are frequently measured to confirm that the water chemistry is under controls?

Testing for HCC

  • How frequently do you test for HCC?

Testing for Legionella

  • Do you test for legionella?

  • How frequently do you test for legionella?

Appropriate bleed-off rates to prevent a buildup of solids

  • Is there an automated bleed-off device installed?

Install automated biocide dosing device

  • Do you have an automated biocide dosing device?

Selection of an appropriate point for chemical dosing

  • Does the chemical dosing occur well away from where the sampling point for bacterial tests is taken?

Provision of a dedicated water sampling point

  • Are water samples always taken from the same point?

  • Is the point clearly labelled?

  • Has a sampling tap been fitted?

Install a side stream filter if environment is dirty

  • Is the environment around the tower dirty?

  • Do you have a side stream filter?

Risk Classification

  • Risk classification for poor water quality

7. Critical Risks - Deficiencies in the Cooling Tower System

Review the system design against AS/NZ 3666

  • Has a review been conducted?

  • Are there any improvements that can be made to the system design to reduce risks?

Review current performance of system

  • Has a review been conducted?

Develop operating and maintenance manuals

  • Are operating and maintenance manuals developed?

Review the useful life of the system and plan to replace it at an appropriate time

  • When was the tower built?

  • Do you have a program to replace it?

Install a modern high efficiency drift eliminator

  • Is there a modern high efficiency drift eliminator fitted to every tower in the system?

  • Are the drift eliminators in good condition?

  • Have the drift eliminators been certified by the manufacturer as meeting AS/NZ 3666?

Use suitable materials for external components

  • Have you reviewed the condition of the tower structure?

Use suitable materials for internal components

  • Have you reviewed the materials and condition of the internal components of the tower system?

Risk Classification

  • Risk classification for deficiencies in the cooling tower system

8. Location and Access

Understand the extent of potential exposure to the cooling tower

  • Is the cooling tower system in an acute health or aged residential care facility?

  • Is the cooling tower system NEAR an acute health or aged residential care facility?

Minimise access to tower and surrounds

  • How many people have access to the tower and its surrounds?

  • Are warning signs displayed around the tower?

  • Is the area around the cooling tower used as a gathering place for staff and visitors, particularly smokers?

  • Is access to the tower restricted?

Relocation of tower to more remote site or less contaminated environment, if possible

  • Have you reviewed whether it is possible for the tower to be relocated to a safer location?

Ensure there is a safe and stable area for maintenance workers to access the cooling tower system

  • Have you reviewed the working environment for maintenance workers?

Risk Classification

  • Risk classification for location and access risk

9. Risk Assessment Summary

Critical Risk Classification

  • Stagnant Water

  • Nutrient Growth

  • Poor Water Quality

  • Deficiencies in the Cooling Tower System

  • Location and Access

  • Are there any other considerations at may affect the overall risk assessment of the cooling tower system?

  • OVERALL COOLING TOWER SYSTEM RISK ASSESSMENT CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY

  • NB: The highest classification equals overall risk.

10. Operational Program

Recommended Operational Program's based on Risk Classification

  • Program A: Weekly inspection, fortnightly service, a minimum of monthly HCC test

  • Program B: Monthly inspection (two weeks after service), monthly service, monthly HCC test

  • Program C: Monthly inspection (two weeks after service), monthly service, monthly HCC test

  • Program D: Monthly service, monthly HCC test

  • ALL PROGRAMS: Six-monthly cleaning, or more frequently, where environmental contamination (for example, dust, soil, building works, etc) is a problem.

Recommended Legionella Testing Frequency as a Performance Measure

  • Risk category A: At least every month

  • Risk category B: Every month

  • Risk category C: Every two months

  • Risk category C: Every three months

Program to be carried out

  • Please select the chosen program

  • Service frequency

  • Total bacteria testing frequency

  • Legionella testing frequency

  • Tower cleaning frequency

  • Inspection frequency

  • Service frequency

  • Total bacteria testing frequency

  • Legionella testing frequency

  • Tower cleaning frequency

  • Inspection frequency

11. Monitoring and Review

  • Date RMP due for review

  • Name/Title of person responsible for review

  • Date of last RMP review

  • Does RMP require amendment?

  • If RMP requires amendment, date amendment due and completed?

12. Communication

List parties who will be informed in the event of a positive Legionella test

    Contacts
  • Category

  • Name/Title

  • Telephone

  • Comment

13. Endorsement of Risk Management Plan

  • Name of person responsible for Risk Management Plan

  • Risk Management Plan Endorsed on Behalf of Building Owner by:

14. Recommendations Summary and Comments

We recommend

  • Check operation of the condenser water pumps to ensure that they all run each day for a short period regardless of cooling load

  • Monitor the Cooling Tower cleanliness by HCC results and effects of the surrounding area/site.

  • Recommend that Mechanical Contractor checks to see if water temp in Cooling System can be reduced

  • Warning signs such as respirator required and chemical handling should be considered for installation at the cooling tower

  • Given the level of risk, the site service program should be reviewed to fall in line with an A class risk classification

  • Previously sighted recommendations of prior RMP

Comments

  • Press button to add comments. Please refer to section number.

  • Comment
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