Legionella Risk Assessment Surveys

A detailed risk assessment is essential to all good legionella control programmes.

Water Treatment Services is a leading water safety and environmental services company offering a comprehensive range of expert legionella risk assessment surveys, environmental hygiene and water safety management solutions for the control of Legionnaires’ disease and other waterborne pathogens in the workplace.

Our assessments meet the regulatory requirements set out in the Health & Safety Executives ACOP L8, HSG274 and Care Quality Commission standards, and will help you to identify your risks and comply with the law.

Our specialist water safety solutions include expert Legionnaires’ assessments, in-field water sampling, laboratory water analysis (including legionella testing) and full support services to ensure the risks associated with Legionnaires’ disease are managed to meet the UK’s regulatory compliance standards including those set by the Health & Safety Executive in their Approved Code of Practice ACOP L8, HSG274 and Care Quality Commission (CQC) standards.

Our detailed water safety assessments are delivered by fully trained legionella risk assessors who can perform a detailed examination of all man-made water systems at your premises, together with a review of the risk management and control processes you have in place to manage the risks associated with Legionnaires’ disease through exposure to Legionella bacteria.

Our risk assessments will help identify your risks and comply with the law.

Expert legionella risk assessment solutions

Our specialist legionella risk assessment surveys, water safety management and control solutions include:

Full national UK coverage

With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of specially trained risk assessors, site service specialists and technical experts we can offer professional, cost effective Legionella risk assessments, water safety and ACOP L8 compliance solutions across the whole of the UK, Ireland and internationally.

Contact Water Treatment Services today to learn how our professional water safety and Legionnaires risk assessment solutions can help to ensure your risks are managed effectively and the health and safety compliance standards set in this important area are achieved. To speak with one of our water safety compliance experts call us on 0330 223 31 31 or simply use this button.

What is legionella?

Legionella is a pathogenic bacterium responsible for heath conditions collectively referred to as legionellosis, including the serious, potentially fatal flu-like condition Legionnaires’ disease.

The bacteria occurs naturally in aquatic environments including rivers, lakes and ponds, usually at low concentrations, but has also been found in soil and potting composts. It becomes problematic when it enters  engineered water systems where, under the right conditions, it can grow if left untreated.

Legionnaires’ disease can be contracted by humans when fine airborne water droplets, known as an aerosol, become contaminated with the bacteria and are then inhaled deep in to the lungs.

Typical sources of legionella contaminated water in engineered water systems include (but are not limited to) cooling towers and air-conditioning systems, domestic hot and cold water systems including showers, hot tubs, hydrotherapy baths, dental equipment, vehicle washing systems, industrial cutting fluids, ice-making machines, decorative fountains and misting systems.

What is a Legionnaires risk assessment?

A Legionnaires risk assessment is an essential component in any well managed legionella management and compliance process. The assessment itself typically involves the detailed examination of all man-made water systems at your premises, together with a review of the management and control processes you have in place to manage the risks associated with Legionnaires’ disease through exposure to Legionella bacteria.

… if you are an employer, you control premises or have responsibility for the health and safety of others, you will need to carry out a legionella risk assessment of the water systems that fall under your control.

Our specialist assessments are carried out in accordance with the requirements of BS 8580:2010. Our detailed reports are designed to ensure the risks associated with Legionnaires’ disease are clearly identified, fully assessed and then summarised in a “Plain English” style. This approach helps improve your understanding of risk so you can meet the compliance standards set by the Health & Safety Executive in this important area.

Do I need a legionella risk assessment?

In the UK the requirement for a legionella risk assessment is identified in the Health & Safety Executives ACOP L8 “Legionnaires’ disease: The control of legionella bacteria in water system”. This is underpinned in law by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

What does all this mean for you?

Well… if you are an employer, you control premises or have responsibility for the health and safety of others (referred to as the statutory duty holder), you will need to carry out a risk assessment of the water systems that fall under your control.

If you ignore the law, or fail to carry out a suitable (and sufficient) risk assessment, you could find yourself under investigation, or more seriously in court if an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease is traced back to your place of work.

Who can carry out this type of assessment?

The Health & Safety Executive require that the assessment of risk from Legionella bacteria is carried out by suitably trained people who are competent to perform such tasks. This typically means experienced, suitably trained risk assessors who can demonstrate their competence to perform such tasks.

However, it may be possible for you, or someone within your organisation to complete a simple water safety risk assessment if you have suitable training and a knowledge of both health and safety, and water systems.

Although, if your water systems are more complex or the risks are considered to be higher, we would strongly recommend that you get expert assistance from us.

Water Treatment Services fully trained legionella risk assessors can perform a comprehensive assessment of the risks presented by Legionella bacteria that you can rely on with complete confidence, and that can be used to form the foundation on which your future risk management activities are based.

What type of water systems can create a Legionnaires’ risk?

A risk assessment survey for Legionnaires’ disease must identify and assess all water systems where the bacteria could grow, the potential for such systems to create an aerosol, the potential for people to be exposed to that aerosol and their susceptibility to the disease.

All water systems present within or associated with a building, whether in use or not need to be included in the assessment of risk. While many building owners and operators may discount water systems that are used infrequently as being of little or no risk, it is important to understand that such little used outlets and water systems can often present the highest risk so should never be ignored.

However, the assessment should also review in detail the following water systems which are known to represent an increased level of risk:

What other measures are required to comply with the law?

A comprehensive Legionella risk assessment should be seen as only the first stage in any good risk management process for the control and prevention of Legionnaires’ disease in the work place.

Additionally, to fully comply with your legal responsibilities the statutory duty holder should also:

Water Treatment Services offer a comprehensive range of expert water safety risk assessments, environmental hygiene and water safety management solutions to ensure the risks associated with Legionnaires’ disease are managed to meet the compliance standards set by the Health & Safety Executive in their ACOP L8.

How often do I need to update my risk assessment?

The UK’s Health & Safety Executive previously required that legionella risk assessments be reviewed every two years but since late 2013 this is now no longer the case.

Those organisations required to maintain a formal risk assessment need to review it regularly and specifically when there is reason to believe that the original assessment of risk may no longer be valid. The primary aim is to ensure that the assessment is used as a “living document”, i.e. one that is used and reviewed regularly to ensure it remains up-to-date and relevant at all times.

Although there is no specific review period for your risk assessment we recommend that it be reviewed at least every two years as a long-stop, but sooner if things change or you suspect it is no longer valid.

Situations requiring an earlier review of your Legionella assessment could include:

You should also regularly review your own management and communication procedures as appropriate.

Expert legionella risk assessment support

Contact Water Treatment Services today to find out more about our legionella risk assessments and wider water safety risk management solutions.

Our surveys are delivered by fully trained and experienced risk assessors, and are performed in-line with the requirements of BS 8580:2010.

Our comprehensive reports are prepared to ensure the risks associated with Legionnaires’ disease are clearly identified, fully assessed and summarised to help reduce your risk and meet the legal obligations required in this important area.

With offices in London serving the South and South East England, Manchester (North West), Birmingham (Midlands), Bristol (South East England and Wales), Leeds (North and North East) and Glasgow (Scotland), supported by regional teams of specially trained engineers, in-field site service specialists and technical experts we can offer professional, cost effective Legionella risk management and ACOP L8 compliance solutions across the whole of the UK.

Contact us now for more information or for your FREE, no obligation quote.

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Further reading…

More information about the control of legionella risks in the workplace and the HSE’s ACOP L8 … learn more here →