Legionella Compliance

Legionella Risk Assessment

Based on the HSE’s Approved Code of Practice (ACOP L8) and HSG 274, a written risk assessment is required for all commercial buildings that have a water supply and where five or more people are employed.

As set out in the guidance, the person on who the statutory duty falls (Duty Holder) is required to have ‘access to competent help in assessing the risks’. This involves the engagement of an external water consultant to produce a risk assessment, which should identify and evaluate all potential sources of risk, review how exposure to bacteria can be prevented, or where prevention is not possible, exposure can be controlled.

For a handy quick guide to the role of the duty holder Legionnaires’ disease A brief guide.

Nemco Utilities Limited provide fully qualified City and Guilds trained risk assessors to assess the risk in accordance with BS8580-2019.

A Legionella Risk Assessment should contain both a physical inspection of the water system/s at your premises, as well as a consultation with the responsible people in this process. Firstly, the assessor will review any previous legionella risk assessments and determine if the outcomes were acted on appropriately. Then, they will tour the site to identify how and where water is stored and distributed, and the risks involved with current measures. Based on both aspects, a report will be drawn up and any recommendations to reduce or remove the risk of legionella bacteria will be documented along with a schematic drawing of the associated water systems.

A Legionella Management Plan prevents exposure to bacteria that causes Legionellosis

Where risk assessment shows there to be a foreseeable risk of exposure to bacteria, it is then necessary to implement ongoing controls to mitigate the risk highlighted within the assessment. This usually takes the form of a Legionella Management Plan and would include the following:

• Weekly flushing of infrequently used services (Twice weekly in Healthcare properties)
• Monthly temperature monitoring of sentinel outlets and Hot Water Vessels.
• Quarterly descaling and disinfection of shower heads and Spray taps
• Six Monthly purging of Expansion Vessels
• Annual TMV failsafe or servicing, Annual Cold Water Storage Tank Inspections, Annual records(Logbook) review)
• Awareness training
• Tank cleaning and disinfection
• Sampling

A site specific log book is created based on the report findings and water system detailed in the risk assessment setting out the controls necessary and appropriate forms for creation of an audit trail.