August 29, 2011: Five Cases of Legionnaire's Confirmed At New York Shredding Plant
A shredding plant in Owego, New York has reported five workers since 2009 that have been diagnosed with Legionnaire’s disease. Workers at the shredding plant work directly with a shredder that cools the cut metal using a water cooling device. The machine is blamed for the legionella bacteria responsible for the workers’ diagnosis.
Rachel L. Bailey, a Public Health Service Medical Office for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, explained the process behind the shredding machine to give better insight as to the cause of such a huge outbreak.
"Water is used during the shredding process," she stated. She continued, "When the shredder is operating, municipal water is pumped into the shredding chamber through pipes fitted to each side of the shredder head to provide cooling and lubrication. The interior of the shredding chamber can reach 500°F and much of the water evaporates during the shredding operation; however, the shredded material that exits the shredder remains wet as it proceeds on the conveyor system to be separated into ferrous and non-ferrous portions."
It was also explained that the conveyor belt drips water as it moves through the system which leaves several standing pools of water. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) did a test on June 1 and 2 of several pools of water as well as the water being used in the shredder and all tested positive for the Legionella bacteria.
Adam Weitsman, president of the shredding company, stated that a new shredder had been purchased that utilizes 10% less water. “The old shredder was 15 years old,” Weitsman said. “The water could have been sitting in there for a very long time.”
Weitsman has also employed a former official from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to serve as a safety coordinator in the plant. The plant has also enforced the use of protective respirators by employees. They have also made a point to address the standing pools of water. All of these measures are in hopes of diminishing the presence of Legionella bacteria in the facility.
