Legionella Risk Assessment

What is a Legionella Risk Assessment

A Legionella Risk assessment is the starting point to identify risks from any buildings water services and how it performs in relation to the risk of Legionella bacteria being able to grow , proliferate and the potential exposure to the building users.

Howlett Legionella risk assessments include a review of facility design, operation, and maintenance and any current Legionella treatment programs. A Howlett Legionella Risk Assessment will require a site survey and will be carried out in accordance with the Health & Safety Executive’s Approved Code of Practice & Guidance (L8) document & BS8580 (British standard for Legionella Risk Assessments).

The Legionella Risk Assessment will include: –

• Lines of responsibility
• Review of existing records and assessment
• Full site survey of Water Systems
• Asset register of all plant and services
• Risk rating of all plant and services
• Recommendations for all plant and services
• Schematic drawing of all plant and services
• Photographs
• Maintenance plan in accordance with risk rating and Guidelines

A Legionella Risk Assessment is mandatory for any workplace and is crucial to identify and minimise the risk of problems related to Legionella and other waterborne pathogens as it will assess the overall vulnerability of the water systems potential for Legionella growth and proliferation and what control measures to put in place.

Howlett Associates Water Treatment Ltd. is a water treatment & water hygiene company which offers Legionella Risk Assessments and Legionella Compliance Monitoring Services carried out by experienced and trained technical professionals. Howlett Associates has over 20 years experience in undertaking and completing Legionella Risk Assessments and Legionella Compliance Monitoring Services for single & multi-site customers on a UK nationwide basis.

What is Legionella & Legionnaires Disease

Legionella is a water bourne bacteria that is commonly found in natural and artificial water systems,, however in building water systems and when large numbers of the bactria are exposed to building users in micro aerosols which can be inhaled there is a risk of contracting Legionnaires’ disease. Legionnaires’ disease, a lung infection (pneumonia) caused by inhaling the Legionella bacteria and can be fatal. The source of the infection could be any system that generates an aerosol including cooling towers, air conditioning humidifiers, spa baths, showers, spray taps & misting device systems to name but a few. It is a legal requirement under the H&S at work act in the UK to have a Legionella risk assessment conducted on all water systems within commercial buildings and all other buildings that are a place of work.

Legionella Regulations

Building owners and operators have a duty of care under the H&S at work act to prevent or minimise the risk of the building users exposure to Legionella bacteria. Specific guidelines in order to prevent or control Legionella bacteria in water systems can be found in the Health & Safety Commission guidelines known as ACoP L8 & HSG274.

The initial start point is a Legionella risk assessment. The Legionella risk assessment will identify all risk areas and control measures that will be required in order to comply with the Health & Safety Commission guidelines ACoP L8 & HSG274.