Home > Legionella Prevention
What is Legionnaire’s Disease?
Legionnaire’s disease is potentially fatal pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria. It is the most well-known and serious form of a group of diseases known as legionellosis. Other similar (but usually less serious) conditions include Pontiac fever and Lochgoilhead fever.
Infection is caused by breathing in small droplets of water contaminated by the bacteria. The disease cannot be passed from one person to another.
Everyone is potentially susceptible to infection but some people are at higher risk e.g. those over 45 years of age, smokers and heavy drinkers, those suffering from chronic respiratory or kidney disease, and people whose immune system is impaired.
Where is legionella found?
Legionella bacteria are common in natural water courses such as rivers and ponds. Since legionella are widespread in the environment, they may contaminate and grow in other water systems such as cooling towers and hot and cold water services.
They survive low temperatures and thrive in temperatures between 20°C - 45°c if the conditions are right e.g. if a supply of nutrients is present such as rust, sludge, scale, algae and other bacteria. They are killed by high temperatures.
All information correct as HSE guide for employers legionnaire’s disease.
How can we Help?
Here at HLA Services we can offer you anything from monthly temperature checks & quarterly chlorination to full L8 control packages that include:
L8 Risk Assessments
The risk assessment is your personal liability as the employer or person in control of the premises. You may be able to carry out the assessments yourself but, if not, you should call on help and advice form within your own organisation or if this is not available, from outside sources, e.g. consultancies.
You need to find out if your water systems (including the equipment associated with the system such as pumps, heat exchangers, showers etc.) are likely to create a risk.
Legionella Control
A suitable and sufficient risk assessment is required to identify and assess the risk of exposure to legionella bacteria from work activities and water systems on the premises and identify any necessary precautionary measure.
If the assessment shows that there is a reasonably foreseeable risk and it is reasonably practicable to prevent exposure or control the risk from exposure, the owner/manager should put in place appropriate controls and monitor these controls for effectiveness. Person carrying out these assessments should be suitably able, experienced, instructed, trained and informed.
Where the above expertise can not be found in house it may be necessary to enlist the help of an outside organisation.
Legionella Monitoring
A good legionella monitoring programme should include regular testing and inspection of water storage tanks and calorifiers, we use UKAS approved laboratories to carry out specialist analysis of water samples to monitor for both TVC and Legionella these are carried out in accordance with ISO11731:1998. We can carry out your monthly temperature checks, quarterly and annual checks as part of a site specific implementation plan which would be fully discussed with your own responsible person and tailored to suit your needs. If legionella or abnormal TVC readings are detected we have the expertise in place to immediately deal with the situation and bring the system back under control.
Regime Advice
Temperature control is a very effective way of controlling legionella, in hot & cold water systems legionella has been traditionally controlled by storing hot water above 60°C & cold water at below 20°C. This should be done regularly as part of an effective legionella control strategy & results recorded in a site log book as evidence that control is in place.
Should I take samples to test for legionella?
It depends: Sampling and testing for the presence of legionella bacteria is just one way of checking that the system is under control. But is not a simple test sampling and detecting legionella requires specialist help. Further details on how to sample and the frequency of sampling in both cooling towers and hot and cold water systems can be found in part 2 of the ACOP and guidance L8 document.
Water Tank Chlorination/Disinfection
Storage tanks can be a haven for all kinds of bacteria including legionella this can be for a varied amount of reasons.
Calorifier De-scaling
Stored hot water should be kept at 60°C & distributed above 50°C to all outlets. Calorifiers should be regularly serviced & cleaned at least annually.
Scale can be a major problem with stored hot water & calorifiers should be inspected annually and de-scaled if required.
If you have fewer than five employees you do not need to write anything down. Although it is useful to keep a written record of what you have done.
You also need to keep records of your written scheme and who is responsible for managing the scheme. You should also keep the results of your routine monitoring. You need to keep these records for a minimum of five years.
For more information contact gary@hlaservices.co.uk.
Legionella Prevention Information Pack
Controlling Legionella in nursing and Residential Care Homes
Essential Information for Providers of Residential Accommodation
Legionnaires' Disease at Chemical Sites
Legionnaires' Disease: Controlling the Risks Associated withusing Spa Baths
What is Legionnaire’s Disease?
Legionnaire’s disease is potentially fatal pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria. It is the most well-known and serious form of a group of diseases known as legionellosis. Other similar (but usually less serious) conditions include Pontiac fever and Lochgoilhead fever.
Infection is caused by breathing in small droplets of water contaminated by the bacteria. The disease cannot be passed from one person to another.
Everyone is potentially susceptible to infection but some people are at higher risk e.g. those over 45 years of age, smokers and heavy drinkers, those suffering from chronic respiratory or kidney disease, and people whose immune system is impaired.
Where is legionella found?
Legionella bacteria are common in natural water courses such as rivers and ponds. Since legionella are widespread in the environment, they may contaminate and grow in other water systems such as cooling towers and hot and cold water services.
They survive low temperatures and thrive in temperatures between 20°C - 45°c if the conditions are right e.g. if a supply of nutrients is present such as rust, sludge, scale, algae and other bacteria. They are killed by high temperatures.
All information correct as HSE guide for employers legionnaire’s disease.
How can we Help?
Here at HLA Services we can offer you anything from monthly temperature checks & quarterly chlorination to full L8 control packages that include:
- Risk assessment
- Temperature regimes
- Quarterly shower de-scale & disinfection
- Yearly tank cleaning & chlorination
- Calorifier & water system descaling
- Sampling (approved UKAS laboratories are used)
- Emergency disinfection
- Maintenance & servicing of plant & equipment
L8 Risk Assessments
The risk assessment is your personal liability as the employer or person in control of the premises. You may be able to carry out the assessments yourself but, if not, you should call on help and advice form within your own organisation or if this is not available, from outside sources, e.g. consultancies.
You need to find out if your water systems (including the equipment associated with the system such as pumps, heat exchangers, showers etc.) are likely to create a risk.
Legionella Control
A suitable and sufficient risk assessment is required to identify and assess the risk of exposure to legionella bacteria from work activities and water systems on the premises and identify any necessary precautionary measure.
If the assessment shows that there is a reasonably foreseeable risk and it is reasonably practicable to prevent exposure or control the risk from exposure, the owner/manager should put in place appropriate controls and monitor these controls for effectiveness. Person carrying out these assessments should be suitably able, experienced, instructed, trained and informed.
Where the above expertise can not be found in house it may be necessary to enlist the help of an outside organisation.
Legionella Monitoring
A good legionella monitoring programme should include regular testing and inspection of water storage tanks and calorifiers, we use UKAS approved laboratories to carry out specialist analysis of water samples to monitor for both TVC and Legionella these are carried out in accordance with ISO11731:1998. We can carry out your monthly temperature checks, quarterly and annual checks as part of a site specific implementation plan which would be fully discussed with your own responsible person and tailored to suit your needs. If legionella or abnormal TVC readings are detected we have the expertise in place to immediately deal with the situation and bring the system back under control.
Regime Advice
Temperature control is a very effective way of controlling legionella, in hot & cold water systems legionella has been traditionally controlled by storing hot water above 60°C & cold water at below 20°C. This should be done regularly as part of an effective legionella control strategy & results recorded in a site log book as evidence that control is in place.
Should I take samples to test for legionella?
It depends: Sampling and testing for the presence of legionella bacteria is just one way of checking that the system is under control. But is not a simple test sampling and detecting legionella requires specialist help. Further details on how to sample and the frequency of sampling in both cooling towers and hot and cold water systems can be found in part 2 of the ACOP and guidance L8 document.
Water Tank Chlorination/Disinfection
Storage tanks can be a haven for all kinds of bacteria including legionella this can be for a varied amount of reasons.
- Missing or incorrect lids
- Inadequate or missing insulation
- Tank configuration
- Misplaced or wrong overflows
- Corrosion
- Sediments or debris
- Wrong size tanks
Calorifier De-scaling
Stored hot water should be kept at 60°C & distributed above 50°C to all outlets. Calorifiers should be regularly serviced & cleaned at least annually.
Scale can be a major problem with stored hot water & calorifiers should be inspected annually and de-scaled if required.
- Keeping Records
If you have fewer than five employees you do not need to write anything down. Although it is useful to keep a written record of what you have done.
You also need to keep records of your written scheme and who is responsible for managing the scheme. You should also keep the results of your routine monitoring. You need to keep these records for a minimum of five years.
For more information contact gary@hlaservices.co.uk.
Legionella Prevention Information Pack Controlling Legionella in nursing and Residential Care Homes Essential Information for Providers of Residential Accommodation Legionnaires' Disease at Chemical Sites Legionnaires' Disease: Controlling the Risks Associated withusing Spa BathsFor a free quote or for more information please call us on
0191 548 6699
or email us at ADMIN@HLASERVICES.CO.UK
HLA SERVICES
1 BOLDON COURT
BOLDON BUSINESS PARK
BOLDON
TYNE & WEAR
NE35 9PY
