Legionella FAQs

Yes, 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 taking suitable precautions to prevent, manage and control the risk of exposure to legionella. You can do this by undertaking the following: 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.

Relevant regulations:

• Health and safety at work act 1974
• Managing health and safety at work (reg 3 (1))
• The water supply (water fittings) regulations 1999
• Control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH) (reg 6 (1)(a))

Guidance documents to help you meet regulations:

• Approved code of practice L8, HSG 274, part 1-3

If you can prove that you have followed and implemented the guidelines from HSG 274 it is considered that you are meeting the identified regulations listed above.

The Approved Code of Practice L8 (HSG 274) in accordance with The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 states that – “The Duty holder should arrange to review the assessment regularly and specifically when there is reason to suspect it is no longer valid. An indication of when to review the assessment and what to consider should be recorded and this may result from:

• A change to the water system;
• A change to the use of the building where the system is installed;
• New information available about risks or control measures;
• The results of checks indicating that control measures are no longer effective;
• Changes to key personnel;
• A case of legionnaires disease.”

Here at uRisk we recommend annual reviews to ensure correct implementation is being carried out. Legionella bacteria can double within 15 minutes, so it is important to review your risk assessment and monitoring records regularly.

Legionella 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, Management of Health and Safety at Work, 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 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 a control and management precaution. In this instance 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.

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.

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 system 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.

Your report is Quality Checked and emailed to you in PDF format, typically with Next Day Delivery but you should allow for 5 working days.

Within your report document, you will have an action plan offering guidance which lists all identified risks, with photos, that need remedying in order of importance (legionella remedial works). 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 legionella monitoring (periodical checks and maintenance) with a logbook for recording keeping all legal duties and monitoring requirements to ensure you are meeting all your legal requirements.

As an employer, or a person in control of the premises, you are responsible for health and safety and need to take the right precautions to reduce the risks of exposure to legionella. You must understand how to:

• identify and assess sources of risk – legionella risk assessment
• manage any risks – legionella remedial works
• prevent or control any risks – legionella monitoring
• keep and maintain the correct records and carry out any other duties you may have – legionella monitoring

• x1 Sterile Sample Bottle
• x1 Instructions
• x1 Pre-Paid Return Pack

It is recommended that you use one sample bottle for each sample point. Do not mix samples from more than one tap as this will dilute positive results and gives no indication of what outlet or area is affected.

The bottle must be full, with at least 250ml of water to undertake the test. Refunds will not be offered where minimum sample requirements are not met.

We will start analysing your water sample as soon as we receive the bottles. The legionella bacteria culture test tasks at least 10 days to confirm results.

uRisk is a water hygiene specialist, so unlike many other water testing service providers we are not just a laboratory, we’re water hygiene consultants, and therefore can explain what your results mean, and what the next actions are to remove the bacteria from your water system. uRisk offers disinfection and chlorination services for legionella when detected.

It is recommended that you use one sample bottle for each sample point. Do not mix samples from more than one tap as this will dilute positive results and gives no indication of what outlet or area is affected. May companies provide sampling at low prices with this formula. It is not recommended and often becomes more expensive should you have a positive result, you will need to pay for more samples.

When it comes to testing water, time is of the essence! Once the sample is put into your sample bottle, we have 24 hours to get the test to our laboratories for testing. Any longer and this can make for inaccurate readings.

“The responsible person(s) appointed to implement the control measures and strategies should be suitably informed, instructed, and trained and their suitability assessed.”

Section 18 – ACOP L8 HSG 274 Part 2 (Fourth Edition 2014)

This course is suitable for duty holders and responsible persons for health and safety of buildings with water systems of any size. This includes employers, self-employed and people who control water systems.

Landlords also have an obligation to be aware of the dangers of legionella and must undertake a legionella risk assessment to identify the risks from legionella.

On successful completion of this course will will receive a legionella awareness online training course certificate via email the same working day as completed. This can be used to provide evidence for compliance and auditing.

The end of course test is taken after you have read through all of your training course material. You will be asked to complete a multiple choice questionnaire, where you will be marked automatically so you will know instantly whether you have passed. If you don’t pass don’t worry, you can take the test as many times as you need with no further charge.

Legionella Risk Assessment

A water logbook may cost between £50-100 depending on whether you opt for a generic logbook or a bespoke logbook.

It is high recommended that you have a bespoke logbook made after your legionella risk assessment to correspond with your report. Our research and regular periodic visits show that customers that opt for a bespoke logbook rather than a generic one are 95% more likely to complete their logbook accurately and in accordance to the HSG274 legionella guidelines.

This means people are safer and compliance is better almost 100% more than those with generic logbooks.

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

Take our online legionella training course for a better understanding of the compliance needed.

Following a legionella risk assessment a water logbook should be produced to aid with your legionella monitoring and record keeping. Each water system is different and therefore will require a bespoke water monitoring plan. Typically tasks should be undertaken weekly, monthly, quarterly, six monthly and annually.

Water monitoring prices vary 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 carry out all legionella monitoring tasks.

So how much does a water monitoring cost? Across the industry prices vary enormously often depending on the size of the company you use and their processes, speed of works and professionalism.

uRisk carries out price comparison and reviews regularly to ensure our prices are kept competitive and with the customer in mind.

Depending on the type of water monitoring visit it is and the size of the water system will determine how long a water hygiene engineer is on site for. For monthly temperature monitoring you can expect the engineer to be on site for a period of 30-60 minutes on average. However, if the tasks are quarterly de-scaling you might expect the engineer to be present for 1-4 hours.

Other tasks such as TMV servicing and inspections can take considerably longer due to the nature of the works.

Legionella monitoring contracts at uRisk range from 2 to 5 years. In special circumstances we offer 12-month contracts, but the longer the contract the better price we can offer you.

It is your legal responsibility under HSE ACOP L8 (HSG 274) to ensure the safety of those at your place of work or property. Should you choose not to undertake water monitoring, you run the risk of allowing harmful bacteria to grow within your water system which may lead to illness and prosecution.

By opting for remote water monitoring you are choosing to use the industry’s latest technology in automated temperature monitoring, removing the need for manual temperature monitoring. This means reduced man hours spent driving between sites, reduced costs on travel and labour, improved management system with all records online in one place, and easy assess to records. The list really is endless.

Whilst this is a great technology, it only completes your monthly temperature monitoring. It still means that weekly flushing, quarterly descaling, six monthly expansion vessel flushing and annual tasks, servicing and inspections are still required.

HSG 274 part 2 (paragraph 2.127 – page 42)

Where necessary, hot, and cold-water services should be cleaned, flushed, and disinfected in the following situations, as specified in BS 8558:

• on completion of a new water installation or refurbishment of a hot and cold-water system
• on installation of new components, especially those which have been pressure tested using water by the manufacturer (see the manufacturer’s instructions)
• where the hot and cold water is not used for a prolonged period and has not been flushed as recommended or the control measures have not been effective for a prolonged period. For example, this could be as little as two or three weeks, but will depend on the ambient temperature, condition of the water system, potential for exposure to aerosols and the susceptibility of users considered in a specific risk assessment
• on routine inspection of the water storage tanks, where there is evidence of significant contamination or stagnation
• if the system or part of it has been substantially altered or entered for maintenance purposes that may introduce contamination
• following water sampling results that indicate evidence of microbial contamination of the water system (see Table 2.2 or 2.3)
• during, or following an outbreak or suspected outbreak of legionellosis linked to the system
• or where indicated by the risk assessment

A biocide such a chlorine is inputted into your water system when micro-bacteria is present. It is left within the water system at the correct dosage rate for a calculated contact time, normally 1 hour.

Once the chlorination/disinfection is completed, all chlorine will be removed from the water system through flushing and using a neutralising agent such as sodium thiosulphate.

During the disinfection process water usage will not be permitted and warning signs are put in place where occupants are present or may be at risk.

Once the chlorine or biocide has been neutralised or removed and signs have been taken down, it will be safe to start using the water again from a chemical free water supply perspective. However, micro-bacteria may remain present if the disinfection has been unsuccessful. Therefore it is advised that you speak with your service provider for the best plan of action and/or wait for confirmation from your sampling results for additional cover.

The site population is presumed to be mixed age, smokers may be present, possible for males over 50 to be present and potential for underlying health issues at all sites/properties.

Potential for aerosol exposure

The presence of shower heads and spray taps increase the risk of aerosol exposure (spray). As well as fast flow rates from outlets that cause a splash back and lime-scale build-up.

Potential for Legionella proliferation Dead legs/ ends

Dead legs/ ends are lengths of pipe work that do not allow water to flow, therefore, increasing the risk of stagnation and legionella growth. E.g., capped pipework where a tap has been removed.

The HSG 274 part 2: The control of legionella bacteria in hot and cold-water systems state in paragraph 2.166 – “Where reasonably practice, dead legs should be removed, or the risk minimised by regular use of these outlets.”

Temperature information, measured with a legionella thermometer:

• all cold water must be below 20°C within 2 minutes of flushing
• hot water should be at least 50°C within 1 minute of flushing
• cylinders should be at least 60°C and return at least at 50°C
• combi-boilers should operate at 50-60°C, as should electric water heaters.

TMV temperatures should be set to a maximum of:

• 41°C for showers
• 41°C for washbasins
• 44°C for unassisted bath fill
• 46°C for assisted bath fill

Water supplied by TMVs should never exceed 46°C.

Scalding Temperature

The ACOP L8 states that ‘there is a risk of scalding where the water temperature at the outlet is above 44°C.

These regulations are not directly concerned with legionella hazards, but govern the design, construction and use of materials in water systems. They cover:

• backflow protection (use of air gaps and non-return valves)
• the maintenance of water quality (tank designs)
• the use of materials (those that do not promote bacterial growth)
• water conservation (prevent leakage)

ACOPs L8 states that “It is important that there should be ease of access to all parts of the system, components and associated equipment for management and maintenance purposes, e.g., tanks, calorifiers, thermostatic mixing valves (TMVs)…”

For more information, please visit HSEs website for more information about ACOP L8.

HSG 274 part 1 (table 1.1 – page 16)

Microbial activity – as estimated by dip slides or TVCs (total viable counts) at 30°C (minimum 48 hours incubation) Not greater than 1 x 10(4) cfu/ml (colony forming units per milliliter)

• Legionella – Not detected or not greater than 100 cfu/l
• Corrosion of carbon steel – generally less than 5 mpy and preferably less than 2 mpy Scale control
• No significant loss of hardness from solution (e.g., a calcium balance of >0.9)
• Minimal visible deposition of hardness salts on pack or other surfaces and no significant loss of heat transfer efficiency because of deposition
• Physical fouling and system cleanliness
• Bulk water should be visually clear, and the frequency of physical cleaning and disinfection should reflect the tendency of the system to build up fouling deposits because of airborne or process contamination or microbial growth

HSG 274 part 1 (table 1.9 – page 42)

• Aerobic count (cfu/ml and dip slide appearance at 30°C for 48 hours incubation) Less than 10,000 (1 x 10(4)) cfu/ml
• System under control: Good general microbial control and no action required More than 10,000 (1 x 10(4) and up to 100,000 (1 x 10(5)) cfu/ml
• Caution: Review programme operation. Ensure the water treatment programme and system operation is operating correctly. Adjust the biocide dosage if appropriate and resample after 24 hours
• More than 100,000 (1 x 10(5)) cfu/ml

Action – review programme operation and implement corrective action. As a precaution, the system should be shot dosed with an appropriate biocide or the level of continuous dosage of biocide should be increased. The system should then be re-sampled after 24 hours to determine the effectiveness of the corrective action. If the high count persists, the control measures should be reviewed and the risk assessment to identify any necessary remedial actions

HSG 274 part 1 (table 1.10 – page 44)

• Legionella bacteria not detected or up to 100 – ‘Not detected’ does not mean ‘not present’ or that there is no risk. Focus on maintaining control measures, particularly keeping the general aerobic count less than 1 x 10(4) cfu/ml
• Legionella bacteria >100 and up to 1000ml – Low-level legionella count detected. This may be a sporadic result or could indicate a persistent problem. Reassess the control programme and the general aerobic count. Ensure the water treatment system is operating correctly.
• Adjust the biocide dosage if the general aerobic count does not indicate good control (less than 1 x 10(4) cfu/ml. resample to verify the initial results and then again to check that remedial actions are effective
• Legionella >1000 or persistent low-level results – Immediate action required. Resample and as a precautionary measure shot dose the water system with an appropriate biocide or increase the level of continuous dosage of biocide
• Reassess the entire control programme and take any corrective actions. Resample the system to verify the count and to determine the effectiveness of the corrective action, resample again within 48 hours. If the high legionella counts persist, review the risk assessment to identify further remedial actions
• Once the water system is colonised with legionella, it may prove extremely difficult to reduce numbers to undetectable levels and periodic positive legionella results may recur. Under such circumstances steps should be taken to make sure the risk assessment reflects this, and control measures should be devised to ensure that, although likely to be present at low levels, legionella cannot multiply to dangerous levels