What is Legionella
The legionella bacteria is found in natural environments including ponds, rivers and lakes. The bacteria can also be supplied in small amounts within the mains water supply. Where there are water and the conditions of creating water droplets (aerosols), people using or within the area of these services may be at risk. It is this bacteria found in the water supply which is the cause of Legionnaires disease.
Where there is a potential for legionella risk, there is an absolute need to manage and mitigate this and according to the HSE “if you are an employer, or someone in control of premises, including landlords you need to be aware of the risks that legionella poses.”
Conditions and contributing factors to legionella bacteria growth include:
- Temperatures between 20-45°C
- Available nutrients (including sediment, biofilm, algae, scale, rust, material, etc.)
- Presence of biofilm on surfaces of water
- Poor or inadequate management including training and awareness
Get in touch today to book your water risk assessment and reduce the likelihood of spreading the legionella bacteria.
Employers
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and in compliance with the Approved Code of Practice (ACoP L8, HSG 274), duty holders, including employers and those in control of premises, must ensure the health and safety of their employees or others who may be affected by their undertaking, this includes the risk of Legionella. Verdi Gas Services can carry out a water risk assessments that carries out a full range of control measures services including an initial legionella risk assessment, any legionella remedial works needed, legionella testing, and ongoing legionella monitoring for tasks and water tank cleaning. We are your one-stop shop for all legionella safety.
During the legionella risk assessment carried out by one of our qualified and DBS checked assessors, we will undertake a complete survey of the premises for factors such as non WRAS approved fittings and poor cold water tank or hot water cylinder conditions; temperature profiling and accessibility to all areas that require monitoring and maintenance by law. As a water treatment company, we provide non-technical legionella schematic drawings services to help identify potential risks should you not have this in place, and we will produce a comprehensive report for you outlining any risks within your water systems and any actions required to meet compliance with the HSE’s HSG 274 guidelines. Book a legionella risk assessment or a water risk assessment today to remove the risk of the legionella bacteria infecting people.
LANDLORDS
The law around legionella states that if you are a landlord and rent out a property you own, or a room within the home, then you have legal responsibilities to protect your tenants and keep them safe from health hazards; do not take this responsibility lightly. Failing to comply with the law around legionella can result in fines and prosecution in some extreme cases if convicted of a health & safety offence.
Tenants should be informed by their estate agents or the landlord directly of any control measures that are in place at the property and anything that needs to be maintained while at the property. Not a legal requirement for landlords but it is certainly advisable to maintain and keep records for your own protection of any water risk assessment and advisories or any ongoing remedial works at your properties to ensure that you are doing everything possible to ensure the health and safety of your tenants.
We provide Legionella Risk Assessment for single property landlords, multiple property landlords, estate agents, letting agents and property management companies to help prevent Legionnaires disease.
WHAT IS A LEGIONELLA RISK ASSESMENT
A Legionella risk assessment survey is a systematic examination of the potential risks presented by engineered water systems, and seeks to identify and assess the risks of exposure to Legionella bacteria from work activities and water systems.
Although it is impossible to guarantee that pathogenic micro-organisms such as Legionella bacteria will not exist in engineered water systems, through proactive risk management and control procedures, it is possible to significantly reduce the factors that allow such bacteria to proliferate in water systems.
Whilst identifying the risk to your water systems, our assessor will check; the temperature of each water outlet, for stagnated water and dead legs and for any other potential threats. They will then supply you with your own copy of the risk assessment, which includes; site survey data, an asset register, observations with photographic evidence, a property risk rating, recommendations to reduce the risk, a schematic drawing of the water system and a Legionella monitoring regime.