Conducting a Legionella risk assessment and complying with the Legionella Management Programme are required by law in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
To organise your legionella risk assessment:
Nemco have been employed by us for just over 6 years in assisting with the Control of Legionella bacteria in water systems.
At Nemco, our expert team provides detailed Legionella Risk Assessments to meet the HSE’s guidelines. As part of a thorough risk assessment, all areas of the water system are inspected including loft spaces and void areas.
Following the on-site assessment, a report is produced together with remedial recommendations and schematics drawings. Advice is provided for those buildings where the risk of exposure to Legionella is possible, in order to mitigate such risks.
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 full reassessment should be completed regularly inline with HSG274.
It is recommended that a Legionella risk assessment should be reviewed regularly and specifically when there is reason to suspect it is no longer valid. An indication of when to review the assessment and what to consider should be recorded and this may result from:
With offices in East Anglia, the South East, the West Midlands, and the South West, alongside a nationwide network of experienced engineers, we're always within easy reach. This extensive coverage allows us to respond quickly, minimise travel times, and deliver reliable, professional service wherever your site is located in the UK.
We work with organisations across a wide range of sectors, including healthcare facilities, schools and academies, local authorities, housing associations, landlords, care homes, council buildings, commercial properties, and industrial sites. From Legionella Risk Assessments and monitoring programmes to remedial works, water sampling, and ongoing compliance management, we help duty holders meet their legal responsibilities.
