19 hours ago
How often should I carry out a legionella risk assessment as a business owner
According to the HSE Acop l8 'The control of legionella bacteria' in water systems a legionella risk assessment should be reviewed regularly and at least every two years or if there is reason to believe that the current assessment is no longer valid. A Legionella risk assessment may no longer be valid if: There are changes to the water system.
There are changes in the use of business.
There is new information available about the risk or current control measures are no longer effective.
How Often Do You Need a Legionella Risk Assessment?
For high-risk environments, such as care homes, hospitals, or buildings with complex water systems, more frequent assessments may be necessary. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that any potential sources of Legionella bacteria are identified, assessed, and properly managed to protect the health and safety of building occupants. Keeping your Legionella risk assessment current is not just best practice—it's a legal requirement under UK health and safety law.
How frequently should Legionella testing be carried out?
Legionella testing follows the same principles: it is recommended to test every two years if you are confident that existing control measures remain effective and compliant. However, if there have been changes to the water system or if conditions such as stagnant water or fluctuations in temperature are present, factors that can encourage the growth of Legionella bacteria, it is advisable to carry out testing sooner.
Why is it so important to test for Legionella?
Legionella bacteria when inhaled can pose a serious health risk because the bacteria can cause Legionnaires' disease. Those most vulnerable include people over the age of 45, individuals and anyone with a weakened immune system. The illness can be dangerous to those who catch the disease.
Testing for Legionella is especially important because the bacteria can thrive in a wide range of common building water systems, including hot and cold-water tanks, pipework, showers, cooling towers, and even decorative fountains. It grows most effectively in water temperatures between 20°C and 45°C, particularly where water is stagnant or where scale, sludge, or biofilm are present. Many systems can develop these conditions unknowingly, especially in larger or older buildings.
Under UK law, including the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations, employers, landlords, and duty holders have a legal obligation to control the risk of exposure to Legionella.
By conducting regular Legionella risk assessments and ongoing water system monitoring, you reduce the risk of contamination and demonstrate compliance with your legal duties. This proactive approach safeguards your building's occupants and helps prevent avoidable harm.
What guidance is there for Legionella monitoring?
The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides comprehensive guidance on legionella monitoring to help employers and those responsible for premises manage and control the risks associated with Legionella bacteria, which can cause Legionnaires' disease.
A summary of the HSE's guidance:
Monitoring and control measures for Legionella risk, as outlined in HSE guidance, involve maintaining hot water at a minimum of 60°C at the heater and 50°C at outlets, while cold water should be stored and distributed at 20°C or below.
It is essential to ensure regular water movement to avoid stagnation and to clean and disinfect systems routinely. For hot and cold-water systems (HSG274 Part 2), temperature checks at sentinel outlets should be conducted monthly, showerheads and hoses cleaned quarterly, cold water storage tanks inspected annually, and calorifiers inspected and, if needed, cleaned every six to twelve months.
Infrequently used outlets should be flushed as required. For cooling towers and evaporative condensers (HSG274 Part 1), weekly system condition and chemical level checks are recommended, Legionella sampling should occur monthly, and a full clean and disinfection of the system should be performed quarterly, supported by an effective biocide treatment programme.
Record keeping is also critical; records of risk assessments, monitoring and inspection results, remedial actions, and responsible persons should be maintained for at least five years. All tasks should be carried out by competent individuals with suitable training and experience, which may include duty holders, designated responsible persons, or external you want to ensure your water systems are safe and compliant, contact us to arrange a comprehensive Legionella risk assessment by experienced specialists. Get in touch today for a quote.
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