Legionnella Risk Assessment
The most Detailed & comprehensive risk assessments offered by any company
What is Legionnaires Disease?
Legionnaires’ disease is a potentially fatal disease caused by inhaling infected droplets of water. Legionella bacteria is found in nature, but particularly likes to propagate in man-made structures like showers and storage tanks, with certain conditions such as stagnation, poor temperatures and nutrient availability adding to the risk.
Am I Legally Required to Test For Legionnella?
From the outset, the legal requirement is to perform a Risk Assessment. If your risk assessment then shows that testing and monitoring are required, then we can help you with certified testing. But, if you have no risk assessment or an invalid one, then testing only might be considered an attempt to circumvent the legal requirement.
There is sometimes a belief that testing for Legionnella bacteria alone is enough to meet the HSE's expectations. This is not true and we urge all Owners, Duty Holders', Responsible Persons' and their Deputy's to understand their legal requirements for compliance. Visit our Information page or contact us for more information or to arrange your Legionnaires Risk Assessment.
What is Included in an AquaTest Wales Risk Assessment?
When you commission AquaTest Wales to complete your risk assessment, you will receive all of the following as standard, with no hidden costs.
• Probably the most extensive and usable Legionella Risk Assessment from any company in the UK, but without the high price tag.
• Detailed explanations of Legionella, the Law and HSE requirements.
• Detailed review of current documentation.
• Review of the Organisations’ structure.
• Review of the personnel competency levels and advice on achieving compliance.
• Complete survey of the facility.
• Development of a schematic diagram of the water system. We won't charge an extra fee for this!
• Creation of an asset register and detailed review of each, with traffic light indication of risk level.
• Inclusion of a photographic record of the assets.
• Water quality assessment.
• Review of At-Risk persons who may visit the facility.
• Detailed corrective action plan.
• No sales pitches during the risk assessment. We follow the Water Management Society's code of conduct.
Do I Need a New Risk Assessment Every 2 Years?
This is another misleading myth we like to dispel.
There is no legal requirement to have a new risk assessment, so long as the one you have is still applicable and meets the requirements and aims set by the HSE. The question is whether or not you can demonstrate whether the risk assessment is still applicable.
Changes in water source, quality, storage conditions, piping system, etc. can all invalidate a risk assessment, as can a change in the planned way in which the water will be used, and the at risk groups who could be affected.
Who Can Perform a Legionella Risk Assessment?
We are often asked this question, and the answer is a complicated one. See the following FAQ's to help you:
Can I just download a risk assessment form?
There is no such thing as a downloadable legionella risk assessment. These are generic, poorly made, and any good risk assessor will tell you, they are a waste of your money.
Risk assessments should always be tailor made for the system being assessed. The process of risk assessment is not a tick-box exercise.
For example. A typical legionella risk assessment from AquaTest Wales for a 5 bedroom care home, will be around 60 pages, and not a 2 page checklist!
Can I complete my own risk assessment?
Technically, yes. However, to perform an effective legionella risk assessment, an inspector must have detailed knowledge of risk assessment methods, water microbiology, chemistry, legionella, the Law, HSG & ACoP documents, plumbing systems, the types of equipment which handle water and how they change the risk, and the experience needed to identify solutions.
Without the above, you would create a questionable situation for yourself in the event an investigation, unless the HSE deemed you competent to perform the assessment. Remember that an investigation will be triggered if only 2 reported cases of legionellosis are reported in the local area, and these may be some distance from your location.
By using a third party such as AquaTest Wales, you will gain the experience of many years of inspections and the required level of understanding to ensure a top quality assessment. You would also find added protection through our generous insurance policy.
What qualifications are required to complete a risk assessment?
When considering a legionella risk assessment, the HSE asks the question ‘are you competent’ to perform the task. They do not specify any qualifications.
There are many organisations which offer Legionella Risk Assessment ‘qualifications’. Some of these are large organisations like UKAS, and others are small companies who have simply joined the CPD scheme. Regardless of qualifications and certificates, a risk assessors ability to complete the inspections effectively, must be determined by the Client.
It is therefore important to meet a risk assessor when possible, and to see real examples of the work they perform.
Additionally, the HSE do not state any particular format to follow; only that the assessment contains certain things. It is therefore important to see whether the risk assessors reporting style is suited to yourself and your organisation.
What is a Logbook?
Logbooks are the means by which you record the temperatures, testing, cleaning and servicing involved in completing a legionella control programme.
A legionella risk assessment should not include preparation of logbooks as the risk assessor must be focused only on the task at hand. Logbooks are normally produced during the preparation of a Written Scheme of Control. This is the complimentary document to the risk assessment, which describes how you will maintain the water system in a safe way, and address the issues identified in the risk assessment.
Should a Risk Assessor be registered with any organisation?
No. Organisations, including the Legionella Control Association, are businesses which offer paid memberships to join their ‘register’. The services offered by companies who are members, are no better than those who don’t sign up.
Again. The emphasis in choosing a risk assessor, is to find one whose quality of work, work ethic and manner matches your ideals while meeting the needs of the regulatory compliance documents.
Beware that many companies will even use memberships as a means to elevate their standing, yet the risk assessment performed will be based on a generic template. Watch out for full-page mentions of things like ‘cooling towers’ for example, when viewing a risk assessment for care homes. These can be good indicators that the risk assessor themselves is sub-par.