Welcome Guest! The IOSH forums are a free resource to both members and non-members. Login or register to use them

Postings made by forum users are personal opinions. IOSH is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any of the information contained in forum postings. Please carefully consider any advice you receive.

Notification

Icon
Error

Options
Go to last post Go to first unread
Somerville24706  
#1 Posted : 10 June 2012 12:58:59(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
Somerville24706

Hi, I am in the process of completing my Pg Dip Safety and Risk Management (Strathclyde) and I am at the point of trying to select and define my dissertation topic. I am interested in Legionella and the risks that Legionella (both in process cooling towers and other sectors such as dentistry) present and how they are dealt with. I need an angle and I don't know what that could be.... I am interested in the fact that, where lifting gear, compressors etc, insurers tend to offer engineering inspection insurance but this does not appear to be the case with the inspections of cooling towers. Does anyone out there know why that is? Any opinions on this would be greatly appreciated and will hopefully help me to hone in on the topic area! Many Thanks, Alison
Garfield Esq  
#2 Posted : 10 June 2012 20:08:06(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Garfield Esq

Hi Alison, Sorry to change the subject, however I completed the Pg Cert at Strathclyde 2009/10 and have been thinking of starting on the road to completing my MSc. How did you rate the Dip in comparison to the Cert? Similar workload, no life for a year? Any inside info would be great. Cheers Gary
Ron Hunter  
#3 Posted : 11 June 2012 11:09:18(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Ron Hunter

The reason Insurance Engineers have not dipped their toes into Water Quality issues is probably a historic one. These specialist insurance inspection services go back to the days of steam boilers. Meantime, the quite specialist area of water quality management has developed, with a number of specialist & reputable companies competing for and capturing that market. It may be that there is no business case for developing additional expertise, i.e. insuffiecient market share. Most clients will be wise to any attempt by the insurance companies to facilitate this service as an intermediary, and the obvious overhead ££ that would attract.
Phil Grace  
#4 Posted : 11 June 2012 16:31:38(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Phil Grace

Somerville, Ron has put his finger on the most likely explanation for why (engineering) insurers have not picked up on Legionnaires prevention/inspection etc. As you may also be aware - Engineering Insurers are a different animal to those that offer Employers' Liability etc. Engineering Ins companies essentially provide an inspection service e.g. for boilers, lifting equipment etc with a small amount of insurance tacked on the back e.g. breakdown insurance. That sort of model might be diffiuclt to transfer across to the situation of a cooling system - where breakdown insurance isn't really a requirement. But of course the "consequences" of a failure to control the risk - an outbreak as in Barrow in Furness or Edinbrugh are pretty similar. Disease (as opposed to accident e.g. lifting equipment failure) followed by enforcement notice, prosecution and possibly civil claims. Phil
Users browsing this topic
Guest
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.