All water systems require an assessment of the risk which they can carry out themselves if they are competent, or employ somebody who is. In most residential settings, a simple assessment may show that the risks are low and no further action may be necessary.
When a legionella testing service is called in to sample water, there are two main methods they can use: swab and bottle. Swab sampling involves collecting a surface sample with a sterile swab.
Landlords are only required to look out for small legionella risks and keep a record of their findings.
- The Legionella Risk Assessment Process.
- Step 1: Identify the Hazards.
- Step 2: Consider Who May be At Risk.
- Step 3: Implement Control Measures.
- Step 4: Keep Records.
- Step 5: Review the Risk Assessment.
Hot = KillTo kill Legionella bacteria, you need to make sure that the water is too hot for them to live. You don't need to boil them, but you do need to get them above 60°C. Water at that temperature wouldn't be good for you either - if you were to have a 60°C bath, you would burn.
ACOP L8 is the shortened acronym for the approved code of practice, "Legionnaires' disease: the control of legionella bacteria in water systems". It is the eighth edition and was published in 2013.
What do I need to do if I discover legionella?
- Don't panic… The first you need to do after discovering you have legionella on-site is not panic!
- … But take it seriously.
- Who is responsible? The HSE states that any organisation can implement its own legionella control scheme.
- Follow the legionella control plan.
- Notify the relevant bodies.
- Update your records.
Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia — lung inflammation usually caused by infection. It's caused by a bacterium known as legionella.
Approved Code of Practice L8 – The Control of Legionella Bacteria in Water Systems. A thorough identification and assessment of all potential sources of Legionella risk, carried out in accordance with BS 8580:2010 – Water-quality Risk Assessment for Legionella control.
Legionella grows best within a certain temperature range (77°F-108°F). To keep water outside the range for Legionella growth, it is important to keep cold water cold and keep hot water hot.
Health and safety law3 Legionnaires' disease: The control of legionella bacteria in water systems. Approved Code of Practice1 gives specific information on the health and safety law that applies.
As a landlord you are not legally obliged to test for Legionella. 'There is a legal duty for landlords to assess and control the risk of exposure to legionella bacteria, but Health and Safety law does not require landlords to produce or obtain, a 'Legionnaires testing certificate'.
The actual timings employers, landlords, property managers should arrange to test for Legionella can vary amongst properties and is dictated by your Water Hygiene Risk Assessment. With monthly checks generally required on Sentinel taps for both hot and cold water and 6 monthly checks on incoming cold water inlets.
Q: Is legionellosis (Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever) reportable? A: Yes, legionellosis is a nationally notifiable disease. Lab-confirmed cases of legionellosis should be reported to state health departments, who are to notify CDC.
In these cases, the HSE advises that you can ensure risk is kept low by keeping hot water hot and cold water cold – and keep it moving. In these cases, you could almost certainly do the risk assessment yourself by following sensible advice and guidance, such as the ideas in this HSE document.
Stagnant water favours Legionella growth. To reduce the risk you should remove dead legs/dead ends in pipe-work, flush out infrequently used outlets (including showerheads and taps) at least weekly and clean and de-scale shower heads and hoses at least quarterly.
The most commonly used laboratory test for diagnosis of Legionnaires' disease is the urinary antigen test, which detects a molecule of the Legionella bacterium in urine. If the patient has pneumonia and the test is positive, then you should consider the patient to have Legionnaires' disease.
Identify and Assess the RiskThe first step towards ensuring your property is safe from Legionnaire's disease is to identify and assess the risk of Legionella. It is a legal duty for Landlords to assess the risk of Legionella exposure in their properties, and also to control this risk.
The cost of a water or Legionella and Water Hygiene Risk Assessment is entirely dependent on the amount of water services in and the size of the property. Typical costs range from £200.00 for a small dental or GP practice to £500.00 for a medium sized care home.
The responsible person for the Control of Legionella Bacteria is a competent individual that is appointed by the duty holder to take day to day responsibility for their organisation's building. They are to ensure compliance and most importantly, the safety of the users from harmful bacteria such as legionella.
A water temperature of 120°F does not kill the Legionella bacteria; a hot water temperature of 140°F is required at which Legionellae dies in 32 minutes. Hence it is recommended that the water heater be set at a safe hot water temperature of 140°F. The Legionella disinfection range is 158 – 176 °F.
A written scheme of control for the control of legionella is a comprehensive risk management document that clearly identifies those measures required to control the risks from exposure to Legionella bacteria, and how those measures are implemented and managed so that control over water systems is achieved and remains
Prevention
- Hot tubs.
- Hot water tanks and heaters.
- Large plumbing systems.
- Cooling towers (structures that contain water and a fan as part of centralized air cooling systems for building or industrial processes)
- Decorative fountains.
Legionella are transmitted directly from the environment to humans. There is no evidence of human-to- human or animal-to-human transmission of these bacteria. Potable water is the most important source of Legionella. Humans may inhale contaminated aerosols or aspirate small amounts of contaminated drinking water.
People can get Legionnaires' disease or Pontiac fever when they breathe in small droplets of water in the air that contain the bacteria. Less commonly, people can get sick by aspiration of drinking water containing Legionella. This happens when water accidently goes into the lungs while drinking.
Legionnaires' disease symptoms are similar to other types of pneumonia and it often looks the same on a chest x-ray.
- Cough.
- Shortness of breath.
- Fever.
- Muscle aches.
- Headaches.
