Carrying out a legionella risk assessment

As the building owner, manager, or landlord, you can carry out a legionella risk assessment yourself if you have the skills to do it… you must be competent in this area of risk assessment.

However, you should leave this to a professional if it is a large or complex site or if you don’t have the necessary training, experience and knowledge to do a thorough job.

Who can carry out a risk assessment?

In most domestic cases, no special training is needed to conduct a legionella risk assessment.

The person performing the assessment only needs to be competent enough to do so.

Competency means the individual must have proper knowledge of health and safety requirements.

They should also have the appropriate skills and experience to complete the task properly.

This person may be the legionella responsible person, the duty holder, the business owner, or the building owner.

Some people prefer to hire an expert to ensure all these areas are covered if they are not knowledgeable enough to conduct the risk assessment themselves.

Can you carry out a risk assessment yourself?

If you own a small property with a simple hot and cold water system, you may decide to conduct the risk assessment yourself.

The resulting report may indicate there is no need for testing and that simple steps can be taken to minimise all risks.

However, even if your risk assessment is straightforward, you can never be sure you have covered all the requirements in enough depth and detail to minimise the legionella risk at your property.

Our experts can provide you with a detailed risk assessment, guidance, and peace of mind of knowing you have met all the legal requirements.

Legionella risk assessment training

If you wish to conduct your own risk assessment, but don’t feel you have the necessary skills or competencies, you should consider undertaking legionella risk assessment training.

Legionella Control is the UK’s leading legionella training course provider, delivering a full range of specialist classroom-based, on-site and online courses accredited by City & Guilds.

Meeting all of the latest regulatory requirements including ACOP L8 and HSG274, the training courses are tailored to meet the needs of different candidates.

The courses range from practical task-based workshops and legionella awareness training to advanced-level duty holder and responsible person training.

Lean more about Legionella Control training or to book onto one of our training courses in Manchester, London, Glasgow and other major UK cities.

Legionella risk assessment template

For basic domestic properties, risk assessments are relatively simple to complete using a template.

Download our risk assessment checklist here to make sure you cover all the required elements and considerations.

Why use Legionella Control for your risk assessment?

We are the UK’s leading commercial water safety risk management company.

We are experts in providing cost effective water safety solutions to control waterborne pathogens including legionella.

If you are responsible for a large or complex water system with a multitude of legionella risks and you don’t have the necessary expertise or training, it is advisable to use a specialist consultant to carry out the risk assessment.

We use highly trained specialists with years of experience who comply with all relevant health and safety regulations and codes of practice.

Legionella risk assessment cost

The cost of a legionella risk assessment will vary according to the quantity, size, and complexity of buildings and water systems to be assessed.

Typical costs range from around £250 for straightforward projects to £2,000 and upwards for sites with more complex requirements.

Request a risk assessment consultation

Discover how Legionella Control can help you meet all your legal and health and safety requirements, putting your mind at rest and making sure your premises and water systems are safe from the threat of legionella.

Call us today on 0330 223 36 86 to request a no obligation consultation with one of our experts.

What happens when the risk assessment is complete?

The risk assessment is not the end of your responsibilities – it is the beginning.

Risks can change, disappear, or be introduced, depending on the water system, how it is used, and whether it changes.

Regularly reviewing your risk assessment helps to determine whether any such changes have occurred.

High, medium, and low risk

Considering the risk level of your water system is vital. Your approach to safely managing the water system depends on the level of risk in that system.

High Risk

Cooling towers

Spas and hot tubs

Buildings with complex water systems or vulnerable people present, i.e. hospitals and care homes

High risk locations require a more frequent risk assessment to maintain control and safety.

Regular testing and monitoring are required, including checking temperature levels and bacterial levels in the water.

All risk and control measures should be consistently and closely monitored.

Medium Risk

Hot and cold water systems

Process water systems

Larger buildings such as offices, hotels, and factories

Typically a risk assessment should be conducted every two years unless something changes, i.e. use of water, who uses it, or a change to the system.

Control measures should include regular testing and monitoring of the water system and supply.

Low Risk

Buildings with simple water systems or no water at all

Remote locations where no one could become infected

Low risk locations still need to be risk assessed to meet legal requirements.

However, you may find no further steps need to be taken beyond periodically reviewing the assessment.

For more advice on assessing the level of risk in your own water system, contact our risk assessment experts today on 0330 223 36 86.

Legionella testing

Legionella Control International provides UKAS accredited legionella testing solutions for all water systems that require them.

Our water analysis and interpretation services have been developed to produce accurate results to support the maintenance of hot and cold water systems.

If you wish to discuss legionella testing of your own hot and/or cold water system, call us today on 0330 223 36 86 to find out about our cost effective sampling and analysis services.

Keeping legionella risk assessment records

Record keeping is important when assessing legionella risk in the workplace.

UK law states all businesses with five or more employees must keep written records, and these should cover:

All legionella risk assessments and reports

Any and all actions taken to manage and control the risks

If you have fewer than five employees, we would still advise you to keep all records and assessments.

They provide evidence of all steps taken and a useful document to refer to in future.

Reviewing your legionella risk assessment

You should review your legionella risk assessment at least every two years as a minimum.

More complex water systems and higher risk situations that have been assessed should be re-assessed far more often, i.e. every three months if cooling towers or other complex systems are involved.

Even a straightforward risk assessment of a simple water system should be reviewed once more if any change occurs to any part of that system.

For further advice concerning your own legionella risk assessment, call now on 0330 223 36 86.