scope:

This guideline provides specific environmental and operational guidelines that contribute to the safe operation of evaporative heat rejection systems, specifically to reduce the risk of occurrence of legionellosis.

This guideline applies to owners, managers, and operators of facilities that include evaporative heat rejection systems. This guideline is also intended to apply to those involved in design, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance and servicing of evaporative heat rejection systems.

This guideline applies, as noted within, to systems including, but not limited to, building air-conditioning, industrial process, and power plant systems.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this guideline is to provide practices that reduce the risk of exposure to Legionella from evaporative heat rejection systems, specifically evaporative condensers, closed-circuit cooling towers, and open-circuit cooling towers.

Note: The use of the term "cooling tower" in this guideline refers collectively to evaporative condensers, closed-circuit cooling towers, and open-circuit cooling towers, unless otherwise noted.