LEGIONELLA RISK ASSESSMENTS
Elan Environmental can provide a comprehensive range of Legionella Risk Assessments suitable for all types of commercial & residential premises.
Our Legionella services include:
- ACOP L8 Legionella Risk Assessment
- HPSC Compliant Legionella Risk Assessment (ROI)
- Legionella Monitoring Services
- Site specific Legionella Logbooks
- Cleaning & Disinfection of CWSTS & down Services
- Disinfection of Water Services
- TMV Servicing
- Water Sample Analysis (Legionella, Bacterial, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa)
- Legionella Awareness Training
- Legionella Design Consultancy
- Legionella Management Consultancy
- Schematic Drawings of Water Systems
Our experienced team will be happy to assist you with your Legionella Risk Assessment. We can also assist you with ongoing management of legionella, with legionella monitoring plans tailored to your requirements and the results of your risk assessment.
What Is A Legionella Risk Assessment?
A legionella risk assessment is an assessment of the water systems within your buiding, which considers the risk posed by water borne pathogens. A legionella risk assessment will form part of a Legionella Risk Management Programme, which will help manage the risk of Legionnaires' Disease, a potentially fatal form of pneumonia contracted by the inhalation of airborne water droplets.
Who Is Required To Have A Legionella Risk Assessment?
By law, all businesses, including commercial and industrial settings, as well as landlord-controlled domestic properties should have a Legionella Risk Assessment. Legionella can be present in any water system, but some businesses have a greater risk than others when it comes to legionella and Legionnaires' disease.
These include hotels, spas and hospitality settings; hospitals, healthcare facilities and care homes; and industrial and manufacturing settings.
How To Carry Out A Legionella Risk Assessment
Business owners and people with responsibility for business premises are required to control the risk of exposure to legionella bacteria in accordance with Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations.
The requirements for managing legionella are outlined in the Approved Code of Practice L8/The Control of Legionella HPSC and include the following:
- Identification & assessment of the risk;
- Prevention or minimisation of risk from exposure to Legionella;
- Systems for the management and selection, training and competence of personnel;
- Record keeping of maintenance, cleaning and disinfection.
A legionella risk assessment should be carried out by a trained, competent person. At Elan Environmental Ltd, our team is competent, experienced and well trained, and will deliver a professional service that meets the needs of your business.
Our legionella risk assessment systems comply with the requirements of the British Standard BS 8580-1:2019 Water quality – Risk assessments for Legionella control, ACoP L8, HSG 274 and HPSC in Ireland.
The symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease are similar to the symptoms of the flu:
- High temperature, feverishness and chills;
- Cough;
- Muscle pains;
- Headache; and leading on to:
- Pneumonia, very occasionally
Legionella bacteria grow best between temperatures of 20°C - 45°C with optimum growth temperature being 35°C - 40°C. High temperatures (minimum 60°C) kill the bacteria. Legionella bacteria are found in low numbers in natural aquatic environments, for instance, lakes, rivers and ground water. As a result it is virtually impossible to prevent legionella bacteria entering man-made water systems. In low numbers the bacteria are generally considered harmless. With the correct conditions, for example, warm water, the presence of micro-organisms and nutrients in the water or materials such as rust, the bacteria can grow and multiply to high levels which increase the risk of exposure. The bacteria tend to grow in biofilms (slime). Biofilms are likely to form on surfaces where there is low water flow or water is allowed to stagnate. The growth of the bacteria can however be controlled.
