What is Legionella?
“Legionnaires’ disease is a 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, eg 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” (HSE, 2001).
Does It Affect Me?
If your premises has any of the following then YES, you have a duty under the law;
- water systems incorporating a cooling tower;
- water systems incorporating an evaporative condenser;
- hot and cold water systems;
- other plant and systems containing water which is likely to exceed 20°C and which may release a spray or aerosol (ie a cloud of droplets and/or droplet nuclei) during operation or when being maintained.
The above list is NOT exhaustive. Overall the regulations apply to any undertaking involving a work activity and to premises controlled in connection with a trade, business or other undertaking where water is used or stored and where there is a means of creating and transmitting water droplets which may be inhaled, thereby causing a reasonably foreseeable risk of exposure to legionella bacteria.
The most common of the above is likely to be the hot and cold water systems. So for example, residential care facilities, hotels, hostels, HMO’s etc., but also includes canteens in factories, etc.
All have hot and cold water systems, which heat the water for central heating, hot tap water etc.
What Do I Have To Do?
Under general health and safety law, you have to consider the risks from legionella that may affect your staff or members of the public and take suitable precautions.
As an employer or a person in control of the premises (eg a landlord), you must:
- identify and assess sources of risk;
- prepare a scheme (or course of action) for preventing or controlling the risk;
- implement and manage the scheme – appointing a person to be managerially responsible, sometimes referred to as the ‘responsible person’;
- keep records and check that what has been done is effective; and
- if appropriate, notify the local authority that you have a cooling tower(s) on site.
Even self-employed persons sub-contracted to within your business, who work at your premises, whilst not part of your business in terms of tax, are part of your business in terms of health and safety. You are responsible for them too.
It all sounds very daunting however, as part of our range of services we also undertake Legionella Control. Our service is cost-effective and takes away the stress of having to deal with such issues, leaving you to continue with your core competencies.
