Legionella Compliance Audits & Management Planning
A legionella compliance audit is a detailed review of an organisations legionella management plan, control procedures and day-to-day activities to determine whether it is compliant with current legislation and guidance relating to the control of legionella bacteria and Legionnaires’ disease in the workplace.
In the UK this includes the primary legislation the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH). However, it is dealt with more specifically by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) in their Approved Code of Practice ACOP L8 “Legionnaires’ disease: The control of legionella bacteria in water systems”, and their supporting Health & Safety Guidance HSG274 “Legionnaires’ disease Technical guidance”. For healthcare premises the Department of Health (DoH) also publish their Health Technical Memorandum HTM 04-01 “Safe water in healthcare premises”.
The latest, fourth edition of the HSE’s ACOP L8 can be ordered direct from the HSE website if you require a hard copy, or downloaded here…
Why Have an Independent Audit of your Legionella Control Procedures?
” … the Code [Approved Code of Practice L8] has a special legal status. If you are prosecuted for breach of health and safety law, and it is proved that you did not follow the relevant provisions of the Code, you will need to show that you have complied with the law in some other way or a Court will find you at fault.”
Health & Safety Executive Approved Code of Practice ACOP L8 “Legionnaires’ disease. The control of legionella bacteria in water systems”
Legionella Control Internationals impartial legionella compliance audits provide an independent overview of an organisations current state of regulatory compliance highlighting areas where non-compliance may place that organisation, its employees and others at risk.
Our expert audit services have been developed to give organisations the confidence that their existing legionella control systems, management practices and the day-to-day activities of both their own staff and external third-party consultants, contractors and suppliers are legally compliant and that they can demonstrate this to the controlling authorities without issue.
What is a Legionella Compliance Audit?
Our compliance audits examine not only the performance and effectiveness of those risk management systems and procedures currently in place, but also seek to clarify roles, responsibilities and duties of all key stakeholders involved in the process including the appointed duty holders, responsible persons, managers, consultants and contractors.
Review of control measures: Monitoring and routine inspection
“For precautions to remain effective, the condition and performance of the system will need to be monitored. The appointed legionella responsible person should oversee and manage this. Or, where appropriate, an external contractor or an independent third party can do it. Management should involve:
(a) checking the performance and operation of the system and its component parts;
(b) inspecting the accessible parts of the system for damage and signs of contamination;
(c) monitoring to ensure that the treatment regime continues to control to the required standard.”
Health & Safety Executive Approved Code of Practice L8 “Legionnaires’ disease. The control of legionella bacteria in water systems”
What is Involved in an Audit?
Our audit team will examine:
- If there is an effective legionella management plan and communication system in place that exerts overall control of the water systems.
- If an accurate and impartial water safety risk assessment has been undertaken in accordance with BS 8580-1 and 2:2019 dealing with water quality risk assessments for legionella and pseudomonas.
- If there is a detailed legionella policy in place including an emergency plan.
- If all stakeholders involved in the legionella management plan have the correct levels of training and competence, this is especially important when external contractors are involved.
- If all water systems have been included in the management plan.
- If there is an effective contractor management process in place.
- Most importantly, if effective control over legionella proliferation is being achieved and that this is suitably recorded.
An audit of this nature can assist legionella Duty Holders and Responsible Persons from all sectors of industry and commerce, helping them to demonstrate to the regulator that they have effective contractor management procedures in place and that “abdication” of the responsibility for legionella risk management has not taken place, thus giving peace of mind that all reasonable precautions for the management of legionella risks are in place and effective.
Expert & Impartial Advice
Legionella Control Internationals teams of experienced legionella risk management specialists offer expert and impartial advice on the prevention and control of exposure to legionella bacteria in all engineered water systems including hot and cold water systems, cooling systems, cooling towers, and complex and novel water systems.
Identification and assessment of the risk
” …the person who carries out the [legionella] risk assessment and provides advice on the prevention and control of exposure must be competent to do so.”
Health & Safety Executive Approved Code of Practice L8 “Legionnaires’ disease. The control of legionella bacteria in water systems”
In the United Kingdom we are members of the Legionella Control Association (LCA) and are accredited by them to perform independent legionella related consultancy services including the assessment and evaluation of management planning and control systems for the control of legionella bacteria in water systems… LCA registration certificate
Relevant Legislation, Codes of Practice & Guidance
Our detailed compliance audits evaluate an organisations legionella risk management procedures and activities against the following legislation, codes of practice and guidance (where applicable):
- Health & Safety Executive: Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) L8 “Legionnaires’ disease. The control of legionella bacteria in water systems”
- Health & Safety Executive: HSG 274 Legionnaires’ disease: Technical guidance Part 1: The control of legionella bacteria in evaporative cooling systems
- Health & Safety Executive: HSG 274 Legionnaires’ disease: Technical guidance Part 2: The control of legionella bacteria in hot and cold water systems
- Health & Safety Executive: HSG274 Legionnaires’ disease: Technical guidance Part 3: The control of legionella bacteria in other risk systems
- Department of Health: Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 04-01: The control of Legionella, hygiene, “safe” hot water, cold water and drinking water systems Part A: Design, installation and testing
- Department of Health: Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 04-01: Safe water in healthcare premises
- Department of Health: Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices
- BS 7592:2022 “Sampling for Legionella bacteria in water systems. Code of practice”
- BS 8580-1:2019 “Water quality – Risk assessments for Legionella control”
- BS 8580-2:2019 “Water quality – Risk assessments for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other waterborne pathogens“
- Legionella Control Association: Service Standards (Various)
- Legionella Control Association: Recommended Code of Conduct for Service Providers
Expert Compliance Management
For further information regarding our legionella compliance audits please call +44 (0) 330 223 36 86 to speak to one of our specialists or send your questions to us here … contact us