Water Treatment Services and Legionella Risk Assessments
We are in partnership with a Legionella control association registered national contractor to offer professional and comprehensive Legionella control and prevention including associated environmental hygiene and risk management services. Whether you need a Legionella risk assessment completed or require work on rainwater systems, water storage tanks or swimming pool water quality, our fully trained and competent engineers will work with you to understand your specific needs.
We offer a comprehensive water treatment service including:
- Legionella risk assessments
- Water treatment for closed systems
- Private water supplies
- Assessing swimming pool and Spa pool water quality
- Maintaining rainwater and greywater systems
- Legal compliance, including Legionella management
- Remedial work
- Staff training on in house control tasks
For more information on Legionella, your legal responsibilities and our risk assessments please click here.
Our success comes from understanding customers’ requirements and developing trust, loyalty and peace of mind. We work in strict accordance with current legislation, Approved Codes of Practice & guidance standards. One such ACoP being L8, the control of Legionella bacteria in water systems.
Gives practical advice and guidance on the requirements concerning the risk from exposure to Legionella bacteria. It also gives guidance on compliance with the relevant parts of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
Your Legal Responsibilities
Employers must consider the risks from Legionella
In order to comply with their legal duties, employers and those responsible for the premises must assess and manage the risks from Legionella.
Under general health and safety law, as an employer or person in control of a premises (e.g. a landlord), you have health and safety duties and need to take suitable precautions to prevent or control the risk of exposure to legionella.
- identify and access sources of risk and prepare a scheme for preventing or controlling the risk
- implement, manage and monitor precautions
- keep records of the precautions implemented
- appoint a person to be managerially responsible
Legionella Risk Assessments have been developed in accordance with the guidelines and recommended practices issued by the UK Health & Safety Executive ACoP L8 and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). A Legionella Risk Assessment will have a significant impact on reducing liability should any problems occur.
The objective is to identify and assess all water systems where Legionella bacteria could potentially grow and assess the risk of people being exposed to potentially contaminated aerosols from them. All water systems need to be included in the Legionella Risk Assessment.
The assessment must be carried out by trained, competent personnel.
The ACoP says “a suitable and sufficient assessment is required to identify and assess the risk of exposure to Legionella bacteria from work activities and water systems on the premises and any necessary precautionary measures.”
Download your free copy of ACoP L8
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l8.pdf
Why Do I Need A Legionella Risk Assessment?
- Legionella Risk Assessments are required by law
- They are a statutory requirement under the HSWA, MHSWR and COSHH.
- Legionella Risk Assessments should meet the requirements of the HSE’s ACoP L8 and British Standards relating to Legionella.
- The guidance to the ACoP L8 states as and when recommended by the risk assessor
- Legionella Risk Assessments are an essential first step in protecting your employees and the public from exposure to Legionella bacteria.
What Does A Legionella Risk Assessment Involve?
Legionella Risk Assessment involves a trained assessor visiting your premises and making an objective assessment of the water system’s potential to be colonised by Legionella bacteria and the various factors favourable for their continued growth along with any work or other activity associated with the water system that may increase risk.
Our Legionella Risk Assessments include identification and evaluation of all potential sources of risk associated with Legionella within your building’s water system. This involves:
- A thorough inspection of water systems in the premises
- Water temperatures taken from all outlets with readings measured against acceptable parameters
- Identification of all pipe work configurations and water sources
- Identification of potential hazards and associated risks
- Control scheme recommendations against the potential hazards
- Photography of all findings
- Site schematic
- Discussion with the building’s Responsible Person on initial assessment findings
Following a site survey, our qualified and experienced risk assessor will produce a comprehensive report. The Legionella Risk Assessment report will identify any risks, appropriate control measures as well as any remedial action necessary to meet current standards and legal requirements.
Water Sampling is often a crucial part of any Legionella Control Scheme, by measuring the effectiveness of the control measures.
Water Storage Tank Cleaning and Disinfection / Chlorination
We offer a comprehensive tank cleaning and remedial service to comply with all the requirements as set out in ACoP L8 and BS6700. The ACoP L8 says “The risk from exposure to Legionella should be prevented or controlled; precautions include keeping the system and the water in it clean.”
Numerous types of bacteria can be present in water, including the potentially fatal Legionella. Neglected water tanks are extremely high risk areas for the spread of disease, as Legionella bacteria can proliferate where conditions in such water systems are allowed to deteriorate. It is important that cold water storage tanks are inspected and most importantly cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis to prevent sediment/sludge build up which can act as a nutrient, facilitating bacterial contamination and proliferation. Quite often we see that this is not the case and over time deterioration occurs. See below.
Why do I need a Water Storage Tank Clean and Disinfection?
- When Risk Assessment or inspection findings deem it necessary
- If the water system, or part of it is substantially altered or has been entered for maintenance purposes where contamination is possible.
- During or following an outbreak or suspected outbreak of Legionellosis
Following the disinfection a certificate will be issued with sample results for your log book along with detailed photographs. All our work is documented and filed, giving you peace of mind that you are fully compliant with current legislation. Our service & maintenance database will automatically generate a reminder for your next inspection / disinfection adding to that peace of mind.
