The consultation sets out HSE’s proposals to review its Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) as recommended by Professor Löfstedt’s independent review of health and safety legislation ‘Reclaiming health and safety for all’. It seeks views on proposals for the revision, consolidation or withdrawal of 15 ACOPs which are to be delivered by end-2013 and on proposals for minor revisions, or no changes, to a further 15 ACOPs which are to be delivered by 2014. These include a proposal to withdraw the ACOP for the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and replace it with a suite of more specific, updated guidance by 2013. It also seeks views on a proposal to limit all ACOP documents to a maximum length of 32 pages, other than in exceptional circumstances.   

·                         View the consultative document ^[1]. ^[23].

This consultation began on 25 June 2012 and ends on 14 September 2012

L8 - Legionnaires’ disease^[1]

Proposal:  To revise Part 1 of this ACOP and remove Part 2 and make it separately available as revised technical guidance with both to be published by end-2013.

This publication is currently presented as two parts.  Part 1 is an ACOP and provides advice on complying with legal requirements concerning the risk from exposure to legionella bacteria.  Part 2 provides technical guidance on the control of legionella in water systems.

It is proposed that this ACOP is split into two separate documents.  Part 1 of the ACOP will be retained and revised to provide further clarity on legal requirements and to provide proportionate advice regarding low risk scenarios.  Part 2 will be reviewed and updated and provided as a separate technical guidance document. 

Providing Part 2 as a separate publication will help address the misconception that it represents legal requirements and allow the technical guidance it contains, for which frequent revision can be envisioned, to be more immediately updated.