Legionella is a bacterium that can cause a deadly illness if allowed to thrive in water systems. As a landlord or a block manager, you have certain obligations to ensure you are looking after the health and safety of anyone using, living, or visiting a premises you are responsible for. We outline what actions you must take to monitor and control legionella risk if you are responsible for a building’s health and safety.
What is legionella?
Legionella is a bacterium which thrives in water and can cause a pneumonia-like illness, which, in some cases, can be fatal. It can cause Legionnaire’s disease which is contracted through inhaling droplets of contaminated water. Legionella grows in places such as:
· pools
· fountains
· hot- and cold-water systems
· cooling towers and air conditioning units
Do you need a risk assessment for legionella?
Yes, health and safety regulations require landlords to carry out risk assessments to control legionella exposure. Whoever undertakes the legionella assessment must be competent, so, in most cases, calling in a consultant is the best way to be sure the risk is properly managed.
Under UK law, every landlord must assess legionella risk. Most of the time, a basic risk assessment is satisfactory. Although if the property has a complex, large scale water system, you will need a more in-depth risk assessment, to cover all potential hazards. It is a good idea to keep written records of all risk assessments, to ensure you can prove compliance, or in case they are needed for an investigation.
The legionella risk assessment will identify potential dangers and will outline any steps which the landlord needs to take to reduce levels of legionella, if required. Legionella is a preventable hazard and if it isn’t controlled, you may face penalties.
What can you do to minimise the risk of legionella?
There are steps you can take on a day-to-day basis to reduce the risk of legionella:
· flush out systems, that aren’t used frequently, once a week
· keep cold water temperatures below 20°C (legionella thrives between 20°C and 45°C)
· cover water tanks so insects and animals can’t gain access
· remove unnecessary pipes that are no longer used.
Don’t let legionella go undetected. If you are responsible for a premises’ health and safety, be sure you are controlling legionella by having an expert team conduct a legionella risk assessment. At Summit Environmental, all our reports are written in plain English and are clear and easy to understand. So you can be confident that you are aware of the risks our legionella surveyors identify, and the actions you need to take.
If you need advice on legionella risk assessments, give our trusted team of experts a call.
