Legionella Risk Assessment

What is Legionella?

Legionella bacteria are widespread in nature, mainly living in natural water systems, however, the conditions are rarely right for people to catch the disease from these sources.

Outbreaks of the illness occur from exposure to legionella bacteria growing in purpose built systems where the conditions are such that they encourage growth, e.g. dirt and heat within storage tanks, hot water cylinders, cooling towers, spa pools and hot water systems used in all sorts of premises (work and domestic).

What am I required to do?

To prevent exposure to the legionella bacteria, you as a duty holder must comply with legislation that requires you to manage, maintain and treat water systems in your premises properly.

This will include, but not be limited to, appropriate water treatment and cleaning regimes.

If you are responsible for any of the water systems described in HSE’s Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) and Guidance ‘Legionnaires’ disease: The control of legionella bacteria in water systems” (L8) you will need to assess the risk of employees and others in the workplace contracting Legionnaires’ disease.

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How Can Coral Help?

Coral Environmental takes pride in providing real, common sense and cost effective solutions to our client’s needs and statutory requirements in today’s ever changing working environment.

Coral Environmental employees have carried out in excess of 5,000 legionella risk assessments on everything from simple toilet blocks to complex pharmaceutical plants. All our assessors are City & Guilds Qualified and members of the Water Management Society. Each risk assessor has over 5 years field experience and constantly undertake refresher training to keep abreast of industry changes. Contact us today to see how we can help.

What We Can Test For

Routine water sampling is the single most cost-effective tool in determining the quality of water within your building / site. Coral Environmental cover all areas of microbiology, parasitology and chemistry sampling and we use independent UKAS accredited laboratories for analysis of same. This allows us to offer a range of microbiological analysis and chemical testing services to cover a variety of systems from domestic hot and cold water systems to process and evaporative cooling systems. Where monitoring for Legionella is considered appropriate in hot and cold water systems, sampling is carried out in accordance with “BS 7592:2008 Sampling for Legionella organisms in water systems. Code of Practice”

  • Legionella Sampling

  • TVC / E‐coli / Coliforms

  • Pseudomonas

  • Cryptosporidium

  • Enterococci

  • Clostridium Perfringens

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Cleaning & Disinfection

In order to control the legionella risk and maintain water hygiene, domestic and cooling water systems including storage tanks, calorifiers, towers and condensers should be inspected regularly and, if necessary, physically cleaned and then disinfected. The annual inspection of cold water storage tanks will determine if cleaning and disinfection is required, as stated in part 2 of the HSG274. Disinfection and physical cleaning of domestic water, food processing and evaporative cooling systems is essential if water hygiene is to be maintained and the risk of Legionnaires Disease is to be controlled.

Our technicians are well trained in all aspects of H&S, working at heights, manual handling, MEWP operation and observe the rigorous safety precautions needed for working in confined spaces, including trained operatives in emergency evac procedures. Each of our technicians is a qualified First Aider. With our experience working in such a diverse array of industries and environments, we are both capable and flexible enough to work under site or local management rules and instructions and have access to all necessary and required equipment to carry out same.

 

clean-and-disinfection

We are an approved service provider under our Legionella Control Association membership to carry out the cleaning and disinfection of all types of water systems. We offer a comprehensive range of cleaning and disinfection services, using specialist disinfectants including chlorine, chlorine dioxide and hydrogen peroxide.

Our water tank and cooling tower cleaning & disinfection service guarantees that your plant and equipment are operating within the appropriate laws, guidance and legislation. All of the services that we provide are carried out by our in-house team of fully trained, fully qualified and highly experienced engineers. Every member of our team follows the specific method statements for each project on which they work, as well as the standard procedures that we have in place. These statements and procedures are designed to ensure that all work complies with COSHH, The National Guidelines for the Control of Legionellosis in Ireland: 2009, BS8558: 2015, L8 (4th edition), HSG 274 and PD 855468: 2015.

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