Legionella Risk Assessments UK
Conducting a legionella risk assessment on your site is a legal requirement. The requirement for conducting a legionella risk assessment is defined under the following legislation:
-
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
-
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
-
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999 (COSHH)
-
​
Engaging with a water specialist such as Absolute water Compliance will ensure that you eliminate the risk of contracting the potentially fatal Legionnaire's disease.
Legionella
Risk Assessment
Do I require a Legionella risk assessment?
In Line with industry standard we undertake legionella risk assessments
to BS8580-1:2019. You have peace of mind knowing that your risk assessment is designed to help with compliance.
​
Our risk assessment certificates allow you to fully understand what systems you have, the risks and how to control these affectively.
Legionella Risk Assessment - FREE QUOTE
Legionella Risk Assessment Prices
Small Legionella risk assessment
Up to 5 rooms with water
£250+VAT*
Medium Legionella risk assessment
£350+VAT*
Up to 15 rooms with water
Large Legionella Risk assessment
£650+VAT*
Upto 30 rooms with water
*All prices are subject to review of the property.
What is a Legionella Risk Assessment?
A legionella Risk assessment (LRA) is used to help identify potential risks factors of a water service in any work place or business premises.
​
Conducting a Legionella Risk Assessment is a requirement under the Health and Safety at work act 1974. All building managers or owners have a duty of care to the people within a building, to ensure there are no risks of contracting Legionnaires disease.
Appointing the right water specialist ensures the correct procedures are in place to remain compliant, and reduce the risk of someone within the property contracting the fatal Legionnaires' disease. Absolute water compliance operates with user friendliness in mind, ensuring that we explain the systems on the business premesis, the risks and how to affect and control them.
​
What is Legionella and where can Legionella bacteria grow?
Legionella bacteria can be found in both natural water sources such as lakes, reservoirs, rivers and streams. As well as artificial water systems such as cooling towers, hot and cold water systems and spas. Both have the potential to become a breeding ground for Legionella growth.
What is Legionnaires disease?
Legionnaires disease is a a severe form of pneumonia, an infection that causes inflammation of the small air sacs in the lungs and their associated tissues. Legionnaire's disease has potential to be sever and fatal. Complications that can arise from legionella bacteria include respiratory failure.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
What conditions promote the growth of Legionella Bacteria?
Temperatures between 20-45’C (77F - 113F)
Poor water management or little to no training.
Places where there is a ready source of nutrients (sludge, organic matter, algae, scale, rust etc)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
What external factors can help Legionella bacteria grow?
water temperature fluctuations
Scale and sediment
pH fluctuations
Scale and sediment
Construction
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
When should you Carry out a Legionella Risk Assessment?
The Approved Code of practice L8 advises that arrangements should be made to review the LRA "when there is suspect it is no longer valid. Ensuring that the assessment is always up to date when needed.
​
When building occupants are categorised as high-risk and those with a weaker immune system such as the elderly, a Legionella risk assessment may may need to be carried out even more regularly.
​
Can anybody carry out a Legionella Risk Assessment?
​
A Legionella risk assessment should be conducted by a competent person or a team with the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to assess and manage Legionella effectively.
​
What are the key elements of an Legionella Risk Assessment?
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
An independent Legionella Risk Assessment carried out by a specialist company should ideally include:
​
-
Temperature Checks
-
An appraisal of the condition of water storage systems
-
A photographic register of assetts
-
A list of recommended actions to ensure compliance and safety.
​
What is included in a Legionella Risk Assessment?
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
1.Schematic Diagram
A visual overview of your system, the diagram easily identify dead-legs and dead/Lags.
​
2.An Asset register
Identifies all relevant items, each indexed showing how we refer to each item in the risk assessment.
​
3.Survey sections
Detail of what is considered as legionella risk, including photos that can easily be identified and show what we are referring to.
​
4.Remedial actions
Required as part of the legionella risk assessment. BS 8580 - 1:2019 Requires you to justify the remedial actions bespoke to your site. Absolute water compliance are only required to provide recommendations that are relevant to the risk of legionella.
​
The remedial actions produced within our assessment follow a four point approach to ensure actions are both justified and relevant.
​
-
What is the problem?
-
Why is this a problem?
-
Reference i.e HSG274 Part 2
-
How can it be resolved?
​
Example of Remedial action required once a Legionnaires risk assessment has taken place.
​
​
​
5.Review of Management and Written Control Schemes
Where shortcomings are found, a bespoke to site control scheme can be provided by Absolute Water Compliance, ensuring that all risks are managed effectively.
​
What is a Legionella control task?
Legionella control tasks are identified as part of your Legionella risk assessment. We can review your
risk assessment and help you complete a legionella control regime. A control regime is bespoke to each site depending on what assets you have. We always work to the general tasks highlighted in HSG274 Part 2 or HTM04-01 for care homes and hospitals
​
What tasks do we cover in relation to Legionella risk assessment?
We cover all tasks in association with Legionella compliance, so everything can be covered within one package.
Some of the tasks and further information :
-
Flushing - where little used outlets / dead-legs are identified it is important to ensure they are flushing to eliminate the dead-leg in the water system stagnation.
-
Temperature monitoring - Legionella thrives in temperatures between 20-40ºC it is therefore important to make sure that these temperatures are controlled to minimize the risk from legionella infection.
-
Shower/tap descaling - Scale is known to harbor bacteria including legionella. It is important to ensure areas where scale gathers is adequately cleaned and descaled.
-
Cold water storage tanks - Where water is stored the risk from Legionella can increase significantly. We are able to inspect the cold water storage tanks to ensure they are clean, free from sediment and scale and comply with current water regulations.
-
Calorifier Endoscope inspection - Endoscope inspections are inserted into the calorifier when cooled and drained. As with cold water storage tanks, the internals can be inspected for sediment and scale.
-
TMV servicing - Where thermostatic mixing valves are installed they normally contain strainers which are prone to gathering debris from the water system. The debris creates a suitable breeding ground for bacteria. We are able to undertake cleaning and de-scaling of these strainers. Read more on TMV servicing here.
​
We carry out tasks across all industries, these include:
-
Hotels
-
Manufacturing
-
Leisure
-
Logistics
-
Agriculture
-
Property
-
Facilities Management
-
Education
-
Health
-
Construction
​
To read more about the industries that we provide services to, click here.
​
At Absolute water Compliance we provide a logbook free of charge to record all results in and relevant information to aid with your compliance, should you be audited by the HSE or CQC.
We also offer a dedicated account manager for each customer to help guide you through the complicated legislation and guidance.
​
A Legionella Risk assessment you can trust​
A Risk assessment for Legionella is undertaken by staff that are members of the water management society, City & Guilds qualified in legionella risk assessing, and are relevantly experienced. These factors combined mean that you can be confident that the risk assessment is carried out by qualified, experienced and competent consultants.
