Infectious Diseases at the (Wastewater) Treatment Plant

Learning targets

Working at a wastewater treatment plant is not without health risks. After all, you are working with wastewater, sludge, and a vast amount of bacteria. Instead of minimizing bacteria, you are actually creating the most favorable environment for bacteria to grow at a wastewater treatment plant. Additionally, preventing legionella is a concern for both you and your surroundings.

In this course, we will show you the pathways of contamination and what you can do to prevent infection. You will learn about the sources of infectious diseases, how to recognize symptoms of an infection, and how to prevent spreading the infection to others. You will learn to identify high-risk situations and take preventive measures. After completing this course, you will be able to explain to others what measures can prevent infections from occurring. This course is also valuable for supervisors, teaching them how to take preventive measures to protect their employees as effectively as possible. You will also learn to recognize early signs and symptoms of infection in your staff.

The following topics will be covered:

• Sources of infectious diseases, biological agents, fungi, viruses, bacteria, and parasites
• Ways in which you can become infected
• Transmission routes
• Recognizing signs and symptoms
• Preventive measures for the most common infectious diseases
• Legionella at the treatment plant