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RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

MoscowLabAnalyst — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 19:32:33 GMT

Someone on an IPP chat group posted this link on sewage and viruses. You might find it interesting.

www.epa.state.oh.us/dsiwm/document/guidance/gd_105.pdf

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

Wisler — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 11:30:59 GMT

When ever I have had to send out equipment for repair from our POTW, I had to certify the the equipment had been cleaned and disinfected.

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

MoscowLabAnalyst — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 11:55:11 GMT

"Safe" is a relative term.

Is it "safe" to drive to work? People get killed in traffic accidents every day.

Is it "safe" to eat at a restaurant? People get food poisoning everyday.

Is it "safe" to eat food you prepared at home? Statistically, more people get sick from improperly prepared/stored food at home than at restaurants.

Is it "safe" to work on equipment that still has sewage on it? It's nasty. It's poor etiquette for the WWTP to send out equipment that hasn't been cleaned. If we did that, I wouldn't be surprised if the shop working on the equipment added a surcharge for the time to clean the equipment. I have never heard of anyone in the industry contracting a long-term disease from sewage. (I do have a story about one poor fella who actually took a swig of anaerobic swill and was sicker than a dog for several days but didn't suffer any long lasting ill-effects) It doesn't mean it doesn't happen... But if the statistics I have read are accurate, then you are more likely to catch a virus from a co-worker than from sewage.

Definitely take the time to clean up the equipment thoroughly. Keep the surfaces wet until you have scrubbed it clean. Avoid breathing any dried sewage that might become air-borne. Properly discard the crap you wash off of the machine (i.e. don't rinse it down the storm drain). Wear gloves AND Wash your hands. Don't lick the spoon. Don't rub your eyes.

I'd be interested in hearing how this works out for you.

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

sewage machinery maintainer — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 18:36:18 GMT

We have just aquired a company that manufactures sewage plant equipment, we work in textiles, we recently recieved a machine from a sewage plant that was damaged. came to the plant , it was ripe, had dried raw sewage all over it, it is the first thing raw sewage sees when it comes through the pipes, we were told we needed to break it down for repairwe had no training on what i call hazardous waste handling, no ppe within the plant except for normal work gloves, they purchased rubber gloves, they pressured washed the machine in back of our other plant, next day went to work on it, it was even riper with debris all over the ground,and sewage still in areas that were not blasted, now this piece of machinery is going into the main plant for overhaul, would you think it is safe to work on

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

MoscowLabAnalyst — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 15:01:02 GMT

Another data point:

To respond to the original post, lab techs IMHO (in my humble opinion) should ALWAYS wear gloves, protective eyewear and a lab coat. It protects the tech from the sample and the results from the tech. Cross-contamination happens.

Good lab practices are practiced for good reasons.

Our local university comes to our WWTP to collect raw sewage for viral samples. Generally, most every virus known to man can be found at a WWTP

Operators in our plant have been working in this industry since before latex and never contracted a nasty. (However, they have been exposed to chlorine, rat poison, hydrogen sulfide, company potluck lunches and other noxious gases.) With all this experience, they use the latest in nitrile/latex/air monitoring precautions. With all their precautions, they still sometimes get sprayed. You can't beat the odds, but try to stack them in your favor.

And finally, from your mother "Get your finger out of there and go wash your hands!"

and a final IMHO, enough with the anti-bacterial soaps! They take 2 minutes of contact time to kill the bacteria. Just wash your hands and skip the environmentally-twisting chemicals.

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

g. — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 13:35:30 GMT

You may have a point. It is the compulsive "clean" movement that has the consequences you suggest. Bacterialcides in our soaps allow for adaptations by subsequent generations of bacteria, i.e. increased resistance, or tolerance. Couple that with mismanagement of medicine dosages: both human and animal drugs are administered based on "effective dose detention time" in the body, without regard if or whether decomposition of medicine in the environment will ever occur! Moreover, application of medicine in livestock is often administered preventively to the entire herd. Often these compounds are discharged sewers tributary to wastewater plants, or are found in runoff going directly to the rivers. They go by a variety of names: Endocrine disrupters, Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Non-biodegradeable Compounds, etc. Some of the biggies appear to be Estrogen and Caffeine. Nonetheless, personal hygiene and proper PPE, especially gloves, remain the best line of defense.

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

jaim01 — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 04:18:12 GMT

Respectfully, I beg to disagree. The 1980 manual of safety is outdated and even potentially harmful. A new generation has arisen since then, a generation that has lower immunological defenses (we are much cleaner nowadays) and has not been exposed to dirt as we used to be when children. The rise in astma and other diseases is a consequence of this lack of defenses. On the other hand (a way of saying), bacteria and other bugs have evolved like crazy (every 20 minutes or so, a new generation) and soem of them have acquired patogenicity. Escherichia coli is the paradigm, in my times it was considered totally inoffensive, nowadays it has some fearsome varieties. And of course, we have learned that very low exposure to mercury and some organic compounds causes problems. I am writing a safety manual and I am finding that raw sewage - and bioactive aerosols - have become a hazard. Maybe we are also much more attentive to hazards now than 30 years ago.

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

jaim01 — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 04:17:19 GMT

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

g. — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 09:33:12 GMT

I concur with the findings in the "dated" California study link provided by Mr. Shulmister. Personal Hygiene is the key. Use of protective equipment provides a first barrier, but it is meaningless without the personal hygiene component of washing hands. Look at the current avian flu issue. Where are the problems occurring? In those areas where drinking water, proper sanitation and wastewater treatment are lacking. In developed countries there are not nodes of disease outbreaks surrounding clusters of wastewater operators. I have worked close to 30 years in this industry from working in sewers, sampling discharges from industrial sites, hospitals, etc. to working in the wastewater plant both in the lab and in the plant, being exposed to wastewater, sludge, chemicals etc. Proper personal hygiene is the key. If you learn nothing else, WASH YOUR HANDS. The most disgusting thing I have ever witnessed was the smokers in the group thinking nothing about cleaning out a sludge well and then immediately taking a grime covered hand and lighting up a smoke. You can see the finger prints on the filter, and then they put it in their mouth There is no conspiracy by the government to downplay risks. The bottom line: The risks are there for those who refuse to recognize their own personal responsibility.

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

neil.mclaughlin — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 12:14:17 GMT

I have been involved in the measuring and handling domestic wastewater in the past. We worked within the flow and installed flow meteres and samplers. Because we were receiving a high exposure to the wastewater, our staff received Hepatitis A & B shots. Obviously, cleanliness is a large factor. When handling wastewater it is important to keep your hands covered with latex gloves and wash promptly after finishing handling. Many pathogens do not live long outside the body, so there are few risks as long as a good cleanliness procedure is followed.

Neil McLaughlin

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

Jade — Sun, 12 Feb 2006 04:04:28 GMT

Agencies and employers in general usually try to establish *policies* that cause them the least grief in the short run. If they decide to believe there is no problem then they need not educate workforce and employees may not make a connection between exposure and illness. There may be a gulf between *policy* and applicable law (such as Bloodborne Pathogens regulations). The range of pathogens includes parasites (amoebae that cause dysentery and amoebiasis; ghiardia that is so endemic now in freshwater) that may embolize and not be disabled by UV disinfection--viz. increasing deaths of Calif. coastal sea otters by the 'cat scratch fever' organism. In addition to specific regulations, Law calls for precautions against recognized hazards of every kind.

The healthful approach should add pathogen knowledge to common sense precautions and a respect for human and other life.

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

D Shulmister — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 11:06:19 GMT

While this article may be a little dated, I have a lot of faith in California information, and I can think of no reason that this should not apply.

http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/dcdc/cm/pdf/cm9802pp.pdf

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

Rotifer — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 11:05:42 GMT

HIV can be active for a couple hours???...Now thats a scary thought....Since we are treating waste from 3000 plus inmates.....YIKES....

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

Bill H — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 10:39:31 GMT

WEF has a couple of books and they are:

Biological Hazards at Wastewater Treatment Facilities
ISBN:0943244-72-2 Order No. P0019TC

Protecting Workers from Exposure to Chemicals and Physical Hazards at Wastewater Treatment Plants
ISBN:1-893664-11-2 Order No. D93010TC

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

John Sansalone — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 17:56:29 GMT

I would tend to be a little more cautious than some of the comments here suggest. One doesn't have to be alarmist to realize that some of the studies may be a little "off". Case in point: having several times gone through training on bloodbourne pathogens as part of my involvement with a local rescue squad, am told that Hep. C is particulay hardy, and can survive up to something like two weeks in the air (compared to a couple hours for HIV); and that something like 90 % of those infected, never display more than flu-like symptoms. It is reasonable to presume that a certain amount of the bugs could survive in an infectious state to the STP. When I contacted the CDC a few years ago to inquire about this, I was told that they base their findings on the reported cases, and that STP workers did not appear to have a higher incidence than the general public. Of course, if 90 % of the cases go unrecognized, and thus undiagnosed, no one would know how common (or uncommon) it really is in the industry. They were effectively using a self-screening program, which makes (to me) their studies a little suspect. I'm familiar with the usual case of new workers going through a 6 month acclimation process, as they apparantly get exposed to things, and build up a certyain tolarance, but I wouldn't want to depend on that, considering the way new things are constantly being found, and bugs can mutate.

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

WK — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 17:26:27 GMT

i don't the last several years, but USEPA performed a comprehenvise study on this topic long time ago. check the USEPA's Wastewater Aerosols and Disease" (EPA-600/9-80-028, December 1980).

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

Victor — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 13:49:19 GMT

Jada:

I do not want to sound sarcastic, but you need to pay better attention as to whom you start assigning specific quotes. As with any type of job that has specific health complications, common sense always prevails. Hand washing has and will always continue to be the best preventative against possible viral/bacteria contamination. Even gloves are not a guarantee that you will not prevent bacterial infections. Just read the label on any condom, wearing it will not prevent pregnancy. All it takes is a miniscule opening!

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

Jada — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 02:53:44 GMT

Victor's opinion <Sewage does not require the extreme precautions that blood-borne pathogens require> does not coincide with OSHA's definition. Domestic sewage does indeed contain human blood-borne pathogens and pathogens contained in other bodily fluids and non-human animal wastes. It also contains molds, and the other pathogens such as dysentery-causing parasites (amoebae and giardia) which may be embolized. Such embolized forms are probably not disabled by UV-type disinfection. Sewage and (usually) sludge are biohazards. Employers usually take the position that such components are "so dilute that they do not pose a hazard."

Gloves are good. Splash protection might be useful depending on collection site / procedure and method of transfer from container to container in the lab. Think about not swallowing a sample portion and avoiding eye contact. Adopt SOP of emptying all samples that are to be disposed of 'down the drain' by lowering the container all the way to bottom of sink before emptying.

Consider having sterile-water eyewash readily available during transport and in lab. Soap dispensers that can be operated by an elbow and a hand-wash sink that can be operated by elbow (hospital style) or foot will minimize cross-contamination and minimize need to disinfect hardware.

WEF as an organization is not interested in the health hazards encountered by wastewater employees. Its organizational interest even in OSHA compliance is very low. It is up to you to study what health- and safety-related requirements (federal, state, local) apply to your situation.

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

Victor — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 16:29:23 GMT

If you are weary of using free raw sludge for seeding your BOD's you can always purchase lyophilized cultures for such a purpose, but then, you'll have to spend money. Been working in a wastewater lab for close to 18 years and never been overcome by any disease. Just like David states, use common sense. Do not stick your fingers in any orifice until after you wash your hands, that is, if you feel a need to do so.

RE: Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

D Shulmister — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 12:33:36 GMT

Sewage may not be the hazardous waste you think it is. Treatment plant workers have worked without gloves since plants were built. Mainly, common sense sanitary practices are in order. That means wash your hands after handling sewage contaminated material before eating or smoking. Don't stick your hand in sewage if you have an open cut or sore. Sewage does not require the extreme precautions that blood-borne pathogens require.

Exposure to potential pathogens in raw sewage

HaydnProng — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 18:09:01 GMT

In a recent company safety forum, a concern was raised for the safety of our laboratory analysts who collect and handle raw municipal sewage that is used to seed samples for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). We have an in-house corporate service laboratory that offers BOD analyses for some of our local manufacturing plants. We collect the sewage used for seeding the BODs from the local POTW - sewage is collected from the designated sample location by an analyst who wears vinyl gloves. Following sample collection, the sample bottle is sealed in a plastic bag for transport to the lab and the analyst washes hands thoroughly with soap and water. When the sewage is used for the BOD analysis, the analyst should be wearing gloves, although there have been times where I have observed no gloves. We seed our dilution water, so gloves should also be worn when filling BOD bottles and analyzing the dissolved oxygen in the samples before and after incubation and during disposal of the samples.

I'm sure that WEF has addressed the issue of pathogen exposure from sewage to treatment plant operators and I seem to remember a study done several years ago, but can't seem to find it. Can anyone shed some light on this for me and help find this study again and give some advice on proper handling procedures for the laboratory analysts?