Legionella Monitoring

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and in compliance with the Approved Code of Practice (ACoP L8, HSG 274), duty holders, including employers and those in control of premises, must ensure the health and safety of their employees or others who may be affected by their undertaking, this includes the risk of legionella. Legionnaires Disease is a form of pneumonia, which can be fatal and the main route of infection is through inhalation, by inhaling airborne water droplets that contain Legionella. This also applies if you are a private Landlord and have rental properties which are occupied.

This includes legionella awareness, taking suitable precautions to prevent, manage and control the risk of exposure to legionella. You can do this by undertaking the following: legionella awareness training, a risk assessment, actioning all identified risks within the initial report with remedial works, sampling the water quality to confirm bacterial presence with water testing, and carrying out ongoing record keeping also known as monitoring.

We also offer a legionella awareness training course. You can learn all you need to know about legionella bacteria, legionnaires disease and water systems from the comfort of your own home with our online course and awareness training. Our Legionella awareness course is succinct and easy to follow, telling you what you need to know about legionella bacteria. As well as, giving you all the information you need about legionnaires disease, legionella bacteria and disease awareness. Our online course aims to make legionella awareness training accessible to all.

Legionella and legionnaires testing, water testing or sampling is not to be confused with a legionella risk assessment. You are required by law to undertake a legionella risk assessment under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, COSHH and a number of other regulations where you can show you are working to comply with the HSE's HSG 274 legionella guidelines. Testing or sampling for legionella awareness, whilst not a legal requirement on it's own, it plays an important role in determining how efficient a water system is managed. Your risk assessment may identify that sampling is required due to existing risks or as control measures and management precaution. In this instance legionella awareness sampling then becomes a requirement from your assessment. Without an L8 risk assessment you will not know where and how many samples are required. And without water testing/sampling you cannot determine how affective your control and management is. These two actions therefore should be undertaken together, not necessarily at the same time but unison to effectively management your risk from legionella. Legionella awareness training is another step in helping ensure your company is free of legionella bacteria. 

Water testing services include Legionella, e-Coli, total viable count (TVC), Pseudomonas, hard water, chlorine free, pH levels and more. Learn more about legionella testing. We only use UKAS approved laboratories giving you peace of mind that the test will be of the highest quality possible.

We also offer legionella awareness training. You can learn all you need to know about legionella bacteria, legionnaires disease and water systems from the comfort of your own home with our online course and awareness training. Our Legionella awareness course is succinct and easy to follow. Giving you all the information you need about legionnaires disease, legionella bacteria and water systems. Our online course aims to make legionella awareness training accessible to all.

All assessments vary in prices depending on the number of water outlets, cold water storage tanks, hot water cylinders, combi boilers and other water assets that may be present. The number of assets within your water system will determine the time spent on site and how long it will take to produce your report.

So how much does it cost? Across the industry, prices vary enormously often depending on the size of the company you use and their processes, the speed of works and professionalism. There are two types of assessments, the first is commercial and the second domestic, also referred to as residential rental properties or landlord risk assessments.

Commercial risk assessments normally start from £250 to in excess of £750, however our prices start from £99 depending on the size of the water systems and location.

Domestic risk assessments can range tremendously with a number of plumbers, gas engineers and other tradesmen offering these assessments without the specialist training, it’s important to check that your assessor or engineer is properly qualified. Our prices start from £55 for multiple landlord properties to £95 for single landlord properties. Our prices for residential rental properties are based on the property being no more than 5 bedrooms.

On average, the time our qualified assessor spends on site is 1 hour for every 10 outlets (sinks, showers, baths, etc). So an assessment can take anywhere between 30 minutes to 6 or 7 hours. It entirely depends on the size of your water system and the number of water assets you have such as cold water storage tanks, cylinders or combination boilers.

Our engineers will work closely with you to ensure minimal disruption to your business is caused. Clear and easy access to rooms and buildings will play a part in time spent on site at your premises.

You will receive your LRA report between 2-10 working days from the date the assessment was carried out. From time to time, not often, our team will need a little more time, so please expect to have your report no later than 30 days. Need your assessment sooner? Get your report, guaranteed next day delivery via email for just £50.

Within your report document, you will have an action plan offering guidance which lists all identified dangers of legionella and risks associated with legionella, with photos, that need remedying in order of importance. By following our advice and undertaking remedial works you will reduce the risk of exposure to Legionnaires' disease.  Once all the remedial works are complete, you will then need to focus on implementing your monitoring (periodical checks and maintenance) with a logbook for recording keeping all legal duties and monitoring requirements.

Yes, all of our assessors are fully qualified and accredited by City & Guilds and can help assist you in meeting compliance today for HSE (ACoP L8). We are also Safe Contractor and Construction Online approved so you can rest assured that you are working with a trusted water hygiene service provider who put health and safety first.

All our engineers are DBS Checked to ensure suitable people are entering your premises and to safeguard vulnerable people. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards.

Yes, our services are nationwide. Whether you have one or multiple water systems and one or multiple sites, we provide services across the country, with qualified engineers scattered throughout the UK and  offices based in Hertfordshire which is a 30-minute train journey to London King’s Cross.

Who is the Legionella Responsible Person?

The legionella responsible person would be an individual involved in managing the risk of legionella bacteria in your companies water systems, whether your company uses hot and cold water systems. Especially water systems that pose a reasonably foreseeable legionella risk. A companies legionella responsible person may include (but are not limited to) Duty Holders, a Companies Responsible Persons, Deputy Responsible Persons and Landlords.

Role of the Legionella Responsible Person: Training

When it comes to legionella responsible person training, the responsible person must first be assigned. These individuals who have been selected as the legionella responsible person, whether they are Duty Holders, a Companies Responsible Persons, Deputy Responsible Persons and or Landlords, must undergo the relevant legionella responsible person training. These aforementioned roles typically have significant control over and responsibility for the management of legionella in the workplace, in accordance the Health and Safety Executives ACOP L8, and Health and Safety Guidance HSG274 Parts 2 and 3.

Duty Holder Training Courses

Typically candidates will have management responsibility for the day-to-day control of legionella risk systems, monitor legionella bacteria in water systems, compliance requirements, the safe storage of water and safe operation of water risk systems under their control.

If you require training involving the health safety management, the risks associated with managing water and the control of legionella in hot and cold water systems you should consider our city guilds accredited programme and online course.

Control of Legionella Bacteria in Hot & Cold Water Systems

• The role of the responsible person, or duty holder, is to have the knowledge to monitor and regulate legionella bacteria risk management in hot and cold water systems. As well as identify bacteria risk systems and meet compliance requirements.
• This responsible person, or duty holder, must know the necessary steps associated to the control of legionella bacteria in hot and cold water systems and be able to provide technical guidance and effective safety management of bacteria risk systems.
• The role of the responsible person, or duty holder, is to pass the necessary legionella safety training in the control of legionella bacteria in water systems and maintaining water safety. The Duty holder must pass a city guilds accredited legionella training course, so as to have the necessary knowledge to be able to provide technical guidance relevant to the United Kingdom health safety laws for risk systems.