Legionella Risk Assessment & Provision of Building Hygiene Log Books

Members of the Legionella Control Association

Comfort Services Group is now a proud member of the Legionella Control Association.

What is the Legionella Control Association?

The Legionella Control Association (LCA) is a voluntary organisation whose membership comprises providers of services and products concerned with the control of Legionella bacteria in water systems. The primary aim is to keep water systems safe and minimise the risk of cases of Legionnaires' disease caused by poorly maintained systems.

Companies and individuals are invited to pledge 9 commitments making up the Code of Conduct with the specific objective of raising standards in the control of Legionella bacteria in water systems.

Membership is voluntary, but is seen across the industry as increasingly important in demonstrating a commitment to high standards of service.

What does this mean to our customers?

Becoming members of the LCA offers our customers the assurance that our engineers offer extensive experience and knowledge in the Management and Control of Legionella in water systems. This will ensure you receive the best possible service to meet your legal duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

Comfort Services Group adhere to the Code of Conduct set out by the Legionella Control Association.

Legionella Risk Assessment

It is important to ensure that any water system does not contain Legionella bacteria, as the growth and spread of Legionella bacteria can result in Legionnaires disease. Legionella bacteria contamination can rapidly spread throughout a water system of a building especially those buildings with larger, more complex water supplies, so they should be adequately assessed via a Legionella Risk Assessment. This should be carried out at regular intervals, to ensure that the risk of Legionella contamination is minimised and systems are proactively managed. 

Legionella risk assessments in accordance with ACOP L8 & Guidance Document HSG274 must be carried out by a competent professional and are a legal requirement for any employer or premises owners (such as Landlords). With responsibilities also including the management of risk areas, prevention and control of Legionella and maintaining records.

Not completing a Legionella risk assessments on susceptible systems can be considered an offence and could result in fines, prosecution or civil action. After the completion of a Legionella Risk Assessment, our Legionella Risk Assessment which will include recommendations detailing the steps you need to take to ensure your site is compliant. The assessment will also provide a programme for ongoing maintenance.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE HSE: A BRIEF GUIDE FOR DUTYHOLDERS

This leaflet is aimed at employers and people in control of premises (i.e.landlords) where man-made water systems are used, that could be a potential source for legionella bacteria growth. It will help you to understand the health risks associated with legionella (Legionnaires’ disease) and will provide you with further details about how to manage and control the risks in your system.

Service Provider Requirements

Our Legionella Risk Assessments (LRA) will include:

• schematic diagram
• asset register
• photographs
• overall executive summary

The LRA will not produce a written scheme of control, but elements of the risk assessment can contribute to the production of one.

In order to perform a LRA, we will require:

- Access to any previous legionella risk assessment, records for all training and competence, monitoring and any activity regarding legionella control. This data will be used in the final report.

- An escort who has knowledge of the site and who will be responsible for the assessor’s health and safety

- Notification of site inductions, health & safety training needed to allow access to site

- A contact to report matters of immediate concern to

The final assessment will be issued to the addressee of the quote in electronic format (printed copy available upon request).

Where there are areas of repetition, we will survey random representative sample of these areas. Where areas are not accessible during the assessment, these will be highlighted in the final report.

Matters of significant concern seen during the assessment will be communicated that day by telephone/email. Any matters or queries arising from the final report will be resolved initially by email, and if necessary, in a meeting.

Any reported information used in the risk assessment process (not directly seen by the assessor) will be identified in the final report.

We confirm that the assessor is competent for the legionella risk assessment undertaken.

Systems that require a Legionella Risk Assessment

All water systems should have an adequate Legionella Risk Assessment carried out on them, with special attention to be paid to systems that are more at risk of harbouring and spreading Legionella Bacteria.

Legionella risk assessments should be carried out on systems that:

• Have a water temperature of between 20-45°C
• Store water, or re-circulate water in the system
• Have contamination from rust, iron oxide sludge, organic matter or biofilms
• Release water droplets, such as showers or cooling tower aerosols
• Are used by people who are more susceptible to developing Legionnaires’ Disease

This includes a selection of systems such as:

• Spa pools, swimming pools and hot tubs
• Hot and cold water systems
• Humidifiers, misters and wet scrubbers
• Fountains and Water Features

We’re experts in Legionella Risk Assessment and testing, if you’re unsure if you’re responsible for completing and documenting Legionella testing or are unsure which of your systems require a Legionella Risk Assessment, then get in touch with us today and we’ll be happy to provide you with the advice and recommendations you need to ensure you meet your legal obligation for Legionella Risk Assessments.

Monitoring

It should be ensured that water systems have an adequate risk assessment carried out on them, and that a Legionella control program is in place. This will help to minimise any threats identified within the risk assessment and will ensure that water systems are monitored and maintained to the highest standard.

We offer water quality sampling services, in line with BS 8552 – 2015, in which sampling and monitoring is carried out on a regular basis, ensuring your water system is free of contaminants. Our state-of-the-art quality sampling analysis can quickly and efficiently identify contaminants within the system and our experienced engineers will help to identify the contamination area and offer advice for how to remedy the problem.

For more information on our Quality Sampling or Closed Systems Monitoring, please take a look at our Quality Sampling and Closed Systems Monitoring information pages, or get in touch today via our contact form and we’ll be happy to discuss your water quality sampling requirements.

Our Legionella Risk Assessment Process

Low levels of Legionella bacteria are naturally present within water. However, a health risk arises when the concentration of the bacteria reaches above safe thresholds. The ACOP L8 Legionella Risk Assessment, has been put in place to help increase awareness of Legionella within water systems and to ensure that property owners and employers do not need to carry out expensive Legionella testing and treatment when it’s not required.

Our Legionella Risk Assessment is undertaken with a thorough testing and analysis of your water systems, followed by our detailed recommendations based on the results. Low level, low risk water systems often require no action, but a risk assessment must be carried out regularly. We recommend every 2 years, or whenever changes are made to the water system.

Our highly qualified engineers can provide you with all the information required to help reduce high concentrations of Legionella. We can help you introduce water management procedures and documentation, as well as complete Legionella and water potability sampling, to ensure you meet your legal obligations, to minimise the risk of high levels of Legionella bacteria occurring within your water systems.

Provision of Building Hygiene Log Books

We can help you create provision for documenting water management procedures, helping you to plan and schedule any needed preventative and testing works. This includes correct documentation for Legionella Risk Assessments and building management hygiene log books.

We’re impassioned about ensuring property owners, landlords and employers are aware of their legal obligations for domestic water systems and can provide a wealth of knowledge and additional services including storage, plant and tank checks and Potability and Legionella sampling.

We are passionate about delivering the highest standards of service demanded by our industry and perform all work efficiently and effectively. We also pride ourselves on the high level of customer service we provide and our engineers strive to provide you with help and advice to ensure you’re getting the most from your water systems and meeting your legal obligations.

If you are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of water systems, but are unsure if you require a Legionella Risk Assessment or are unsure of your legal obligations, then contact us today. We can help identify the water systems you require risk assessments for and will offer helpful recommendations on how to ensure you have minimised Legionella bacterial risk.