Open-access content
Monday 11th March 2013
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updated 1.53pm, Tuesday 5th May 2020
Legionella continues to pose a serious threat to health. Here, Simon Hilton outlines a recent British Standard that aims to assist FMs in fighting the bacteria.
11 March 2013
The Edinburgh outbreak in the summer of 2012 made headlines and caused a series of very unfortunate fatalities.
The NHS Choices website states that in 2010, the disease caused 38 deaths in England & Wales, out of 359 reported cases. An outbreak is therefore a serious public health issue and Legionnaires' disease is a risk that needs to be assessed and managed at your organisation.
Legionella risk assessments are a legal requirement under the Health and Safety at Work Act, the COSHH Regulations and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Act.
Facilities managers will already know the implications of not having a suitable Legionella risk assessment and control measures in place. Many readers will also be familiar with the HSE Approved Code of Practice for Legionnaires disease, more commonly known as 'L8' and be referring to this for guidance.
The document clearly states that you need to have a Legionella risk assessment in place and gives guidance on conducting one. However, this guidance amounts to only a few pages.
Considering the scope of the task at certain sites, something more substantial is required.
Now, to accompany the L8 guidance, there is a British Standard for Legionella risk assessment known as BS8580:2010 - 'Water Quality - Guide to risk assessments for Legionella control'.
This British Standard has been produced in order to underpin L8 and is a code of practice. This standard also supplements BS 7592 'Sampling for legionella bacteria in water systems'.
Published in December 2010, the standard acts as a guide to the processes required to produce a Legionella risk assessment for artificial water systems.
The standard covers a comprehensive range of water uses including:
The standard is applicable to risk assessments being undertaken on premises, plants and systems for the first time, and to review an audit where a previous assessment has been undertaken.
The guide comprises a series of annexes: Annex A gives general guidance on the assessment of systems; Annexes B to Annex E give guidance on the assessment of specific types of system; and, Annex F gives an example checklist for the assessment of a particular system (spa pool).
A list of equipment that might be used by a risk assessor is given in Annex G, while Annex H gives guidance on the production of schematics.
However, the standard BS8580:2010 will only cover the risks presented by artificial water systems and not natural waters. Also, the document does not cover the responsibilities and ongoing monitoring procedures that need to be in place for duty-holders, to prevent or control the risk of Legionnnaires' disease.
Monitoring procedures, or the scheme of control required to be in place, are listed in Appendix 1 of the L8 code of practice. This appendix contains guidelines on the frequency with which
the monitoring procedures should be carried out. This section of L8 also lists other risk systems.
The document states that the risk assessment should be carried out by a competent person. This person may be an employee of your organisation or an external contractor.
If you choose to entrust the task to one of your employees, ensure they have a recognised Legionella qualification and are fully versed with L8 and BS 8580 as a minimum - experience counts for everything.
If you decide to sub-contract, make sure the company has a current Legionella Control Association Certificate, along with other industry standard certifications and accreditations.
A proven track record is essential. L8 states that a risk assessment needs to be reviewed at least every two years unless there is reason the current assessment is no longer valid. This may be due to changes to the water system or the use of the building.
The sites you manage therefore need to have a Legionella risk assessment in place and an ongoing scheme of control. Arranging for microbiological samples to be tested by a UKAS-registered laboratory is also an excellent procedure to put in place.
Having all of the above in place at your site means you will be providing good management of Legionella control. Minimising the risk of Legionnaires' disease will reduce the risk of fines, prosecution and bad publicity.
Governing bodies continually regulate and check for Legionella control. Even if this has not been picked up on recent visits, it may well be on future ones. To give you peace of mind, make sure you are proactive in reducing the risk of Legionnaires' disease at your site.
Familiarise yourself with BS8580 and ensure that the Legionella risk assessments are in line with this standard and L8.
BS8580 can be purchased from the online BSI shop tinyurl.com/ag5yp6s
L8 can be downloaded for free from the HSE website at tinyurl.com/2ujbtdj
Legionnaires' disease and pseudomonas have been prominent in the news recently.
The Edinburgh outbreak in the summer of 2012 made headlines and caused a series of very unfortunate fatalities.
The NHS Choices website states that in 2010, the disease caused 38 deaths in England & Wales, out of 359 reported cases. An outbreak is therefore a serious public health issue and Legionnaires' disease is a risk that needs to be assessed and managed at your organisation.
Legionella risk assessments are a legal requirement under the Health and Safety at Work Act, the COSHH Regulations and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Act.
Facilities managers will already know the implications of not having a suitable Legionella risk assessment and control measures in place. Many readers will also be familiar with the HSE Approved Code of Practice for Legionnaires disease, more commonly known as 'L8' and be referring to this for guidance.
The document clearly states that you need to have a Legionella risk assessment in place and gives guidance on conducting one. However, this guidance amounts to only a few pages.
Considering the scope of the task at certain sites, something more substantial is required.
Now, to accompany the L8 guidance, there is a British Standard for Legionella risk assessment known as BS8580:2010 - 'Water Quality - Guide to risk assessments for Legionella control'.
This British Standard has been produced in order to underpin L8 and is a code of practice. This standard also supplements BS 7592 'Sampling for legionella bacteria in water systems'.
Published in December 2010, the standard acts as a guide to the processes required to produce a Legionella risk assessment for artificial water systems.
The standard covers a comprehensive range of water uses including:
- Industrial cooling waters
- Hospitals, nursing homes and care homes
- Leisure centres
- Water distribution and use within buildings
- Commercial and industrial uses of water
- Power generation
- Horticultural water-use
The standard is applicable to risk assessments being undertaken on premises, plants and systems for the first time, and to review an audit where a previous assessment has been undertaken.
The guide comprises a series of annexes: Annex A gives general guidance on the assessment of systems; Annexes B to Annex E give guidance on the assessment of specific types of system; and, Annex F gives an example checklist for the assessment of a particular system (spa pool).
A list of equipment that might be used by a risk assessor is given in Annex G, while Annex H gives guidance on the production of schematics.
However, the standard BS8580:2010 will only cover the risks presented by artificial water systems and not natural waters. Also, the document does not cover the responsibilities and ongoing monitoring procedures that need to be in place for duty-holders, to prevent or control the risk of Legionnnaires' disease.
Monitoring procedures, or the scheme of control required to be in place, are listed in Appendix 1 of the L8 code of practice. This appendix contains guidelines on the frequency with which
the monitoring procedures should be carried out. This section of L8 also lists other risk systems.
The document states that the risk assessment should be carried out by a competent person. This person may be an employee of your organisation or an external contractor.
If you choose to entrust the task to one of your employees, ensure they have a recognised Legionella qualification and are fully versed with L8 and BS 8580 as a minimum - experience counts for everything.
If you decide to sub-contract, make sure the company has a current Legionella Control Association Certificate, along with other industry standard certifications and accreditations.
A proven track record is essential. L8 states that a risk assessment needs to be reviewed at least every two years unless there is reason the current assessment is no longer valid. This may be due to changes to the water system or the use of the building.
The sites you manage therefore need to have a Legionella risk assessment in place and an ongoing scheme of control. Arranging for microbiological samples to be tested by a UKAS-registered laboratory is also an excellent procedure to put in place.
Having all of the above in place at your site means you will be providing good management of Legionella control. Minimising the risk of Legionnaires' disease will reduce the risk of fines, prosecution and bad publicity.
Governing bodies continually regulate and check for Legionella control. Even if this has not been picked up on recent visits, it may well be on future ones. To give you peace of mind, make sure you are proactive in reducing the risk of Legionnaires' disease at your site.
Familiarise yourself with BS8580 and ensure that the Legionella risk assessments are in line with this standard and L8.
BS8580 can be purchased from the online BSI shop tinyurl.com/ag5yp6s
L8 can be downloaded for free from the HSE website at tinyurl.com/2ujbtdj