How to Prevent a Legionella Outbreak in your Factory or Warehouse
As with any place of business, directors, duty holders and facility managers in factories and warehouses have a duty of care to their employees and visitors. The Health & Safety Executive’s Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) offers detailed advice on “identifying and assessing sources of risk, preparing a scheme to prevent or control risk, implementing, managing and monitoring precautions, keeping records of precautions and appointing a manager to be responsible for others”.
Water is an integral part of the production process. Even if your factory doesn’t need to use water in the production process itself, you will need it to clean the machinery, as well as for use in canteens and bathrooms and for ordinary cleaning.
Do Factories and Warehouses Need Legionella Risk Assessments?
It is a legal requirement for duty holders in factories and warehouses to carry out a legionella risk assessment. The ACOP goes on to say: “As well as requiring risk assessments, they also require employers to have access to competent help in applying the provisions of health and safety law; to establish procedures for workers if there are situations presenting serious, imminent danger; and for co-operation and co-ordination where two or more employers or self-employed people share a workplace.”
The ACOP advises businesses to appoint a person, known as the ‘responsible person, to oversee the management of legionella. This means they need to undertake their own legionella risk assessment or organise a specialist water hygiene company to conduct it on their behalf.
Do Factories and Warehouses Need to Carry out Legionella Testing?
It is not a legal requirement to undertake legionella water testing and analysis, but it is advisable as part of your comprehensive risk management strategy. We recommend that all businesses test the water in their commercial premises every two years, whenever changes are made to the water system, after the building has been left vacant for a while, or if they have any concerns that they might be at risk of an outbreak.
Legionella Awareness Online Training Course
If you or others in your factory or warehouse would like to understand your legal responsibilities regarding legionella and the health and safety risks posed by it, take a closer look at our comprehensive legionella awareness online training course. The course covers what you need to know about legionella bacteria and your responsibilities when it comes to identifying risks. It also covers control management, record keeping, and how to continually monitor and review the risk assessment.
If you would like any advice about legionella risk management, please feel free to contact us to see how we can help.
Legionella and Water Hygiene Blog Posts
Office Fire Risk Assessment
As you would expect, keeping your office safe from the risk of fire is a legal requirement under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. If you are the owner or manager of a business, or landlord of an office building, it is your responsibility to ensure your...
Fire Risk Assessment For Flats
Your legal requirements as a landlord include taking precautions to keep your tenants safe, including when it comes to the risk of fire in flats. As part of the fire safety regulations, fire risk assessments for flats is therefore part of your legal obligation to...
Getting A Risk Assessment For Fire in the UK
As an employer, landlord or facilities manager, it is your legal responsibility to keep everyone who uses your premises safe. A fire risk assessment is an important part of this because it identifies what might cause a fire so you can take steps to prevent one, as...