Any water system, with the right environmental conditions, could be a source for legionella bacteria growth and as a employer, business owner , care provider , landlord (...we could go on...) the right precautions need to be taken and implemented to reduce the risks of exposure to legionella.
Therefore under Health and Safety at Work regulations there is a legal obligation to carry out a legionella risk assessment of the water services in any work place or business connected premise.
The first step towards compliance is to carry out a full Risk Assessment of the building water services.
The key requirements of ACoP L8 and guidance with regards to Legionella Risk Assessments are :
- Duty Holders have a Duty to carry out a suitable and sufficient Risk Assessment.
- Duty Holders must have access to competent help.
- The assessment is to include means of risk elimination or control.
- Assessments should be reviewed regularly.
- Before any formal Health and Safety management system for water systems can be implemented; a Risk Assessment has to be carried out.
- The Risk Assessment enables the Statutory Duty Holder to show that all pertinent factors, and the steps needed to prevent or control the risk, have been considered.
Our specialist Water Hygiene Consultants hold over 35 years of experience and will carry out the risk assessment in accordance with HSG274 Legionnaires' Disease Part 2 and 3: The Control of Legionella Bacteria in hot and cold water systems and ACOP L8
Unlike many other Water Risk Assessment companies, CLIRA are an exception and will, where possible, enter every single room in a property instead of a percentage of each building.
Only by doing this are we ensuring that a full and comprehensive Risk Assessment is carried out.
The assessment will include:
- Executive summary listing of major areas of concern noted during the assessment
- Introduction and CLIRA brief
- Survey including a description of the site, description of water systems and observations.
- Water system asset list including photographs (with prior permission) describing key assets such as tanks, calorifiers, combination heaters etc
- Statement of risk which provides risk categories for Population Vulnerability; Effectiveness of Systems Management; Potential for Aerosol Exposure and Potential for Proliferation of Legionella.
- Outlet temperatures measured during the survey
- Recommended procedures for management and operation of the water systems including a prioritised list of remedial actions.
- A full CAD schematic drawing of the site.
CLIRA are members of the Legionella Control Association and adhere to 'The Control of Legionella a Recommended Code of Conduct for Service Providers' a copy of which can be found on the Legionella Control Assosiation Website here .
