Safety & Regulation
Legionella Feature
As tenant activity increases and landlords begin moving residents into homes that have remained empty throughout lockdown, it is essential that water systems are not put back into use without considering the risks of Legionnaires’ disease
INCREASED RISK Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia which can cause serious respiratory illness, caused by tiny droplets of water containing Legionella bacteria that are breathed into the lungs of susceptible people. Legionella bacteria will inevitably enter man-made water systems, both hot
and cold, and the degree of risk it poses will vary - but the results can be severe. During the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, the report states two
main risk factors that may have increased within properties, creating ideal conditions for Legionella bacteria to grow in your water system - temperature, and time for stagnation to occur. Legionella bacteria thrive at temperatures between 20°C and 50°C, so a key
control measure for minimising the risk is to ensure that cold water is below 20°C and hot water is above 50°C. When water meets these requirements, Legionella bacteria will not grow. However, water between those temperatures presents a greater degree of risk,
particularly where it is left to stagnate. Generally, where water is left within a system without movement for more than a week the risk of growth will increase.
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS As stated by The Legionella Control Association (LCA): “Simply reopening a building that has stood idle, without addressing the safety of its water system, is unacceptable and is likely to be in breach of the law.” Under health and safety law, all landlords must manage the risks of exposure
to Legionella bacteria. As such, owners and operators of water systems have a duty to keep them safe. To ensure this safety, a scheme of control should be in place to address risk.
Such a scheme will typically include checking water temperatures, programmed maintenance/checks, and flushing parts of the system that may contain stagnant water due to low use. Where the risks within the water system change, the risk assessment must be
reviewed and revised to address those changes. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has advised that if the premises
closed or had reduced occupancy during lockdown, the duty holder should review its risk assessment and manage the Legionella risks when they reinstate a water system or start using it again, or restart some types of air conditioning units.
RISK ASSESSMENT Ideally, changes in Legionella risk will have been considered at an early point in planning lockdown arrangements. If not, it is vital to consider that risk now, particularly if it is foreseeable
that buildings and water systems may remain shut down or subject to low usage for several weeks. Where conditions for Legionella bacteria growth exist, there is always an opportunity to put measures into place that reduce that risk. For simple hot/cold water systems, a review could be straightforward, and
duty holders can carry out the Legionella risk assessment if they are competent or they can use an independent contractor.
38 | HMM October/November 2020 |
www.housingmmonline.co.uk
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