WATER SYSTEM HYGIENE AND SAFETY
qualifications are available on request’, or ‘Risk assessor competence has been checked and established using the procedure detailed in the company’s Legionella risk assessor training and competency programme’. That sounds great, but you do need to obtain and review the assessor’s qualifications and competency details. Equally vital is to ascertain the competence of those who have checked and established your proposed risk assessor’s competency, and delivered their training, to give you confidence in their capability.
Procurement of services Often, as a part of procurement of services, a tender specification for Legionella risk assessors is created. This should provide a clear and detailed description of the services required, the deliverables expected, and the criteria for selecting a qualified contractor. Here are some elements that should be considered in a tender specification for a Legionella risk assessor: n Scope of services: A description of the work to be performed, including the types of water systems to be assessed, the number of sites to be assessed, and the frequency of assessments.
n Qualification requirements: A list of the qualifications and experience required of the Legionella risk assessor. This may include specific certifications, such as membership of a relevant professional body, or accreditation to a relevant standard, as well as experience in performing Legionella risk assessments, and referees who can be contacted.
n Deliverables: A description of the expected deliverables, including a written report of the Legionella risk assessment that clearly identifies potential sources of Legionella bacteria, assesses the level of risk, and recommends appropriate control measures. Example risk assessments should be requested and reviewed to ensure the report is easily understandable, and delivers on
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In addition to training and qualifications, assessors should have practical experience in conducting risk assessments, and be able to provide references and examples of their work
guidance recommendations.
n Timeframe: A clear description of the timeline for the project, including deadlines for the submission of the Legionella risk assessment report, and any interim progress reports.
n Cost: A detailed breakdown of the costs associated with the project, including any expenses that may be incurred during the assessment process.
n Insurance requirements: A description of the insurance requirements for the Legionella risk assessor, including public liability insurance and professional indemnity insurance.
n Contract terms: A detailed description of the terms of the contract, including payment terms, termination clauses, and confidentiality agreements.
Detailed description of the services required Overall, a tender specification for Legionella risk assessments should provide a clear and detailed description of the services required, as well as the criteria for selecting a qualified contractor. By providing clear guidelines and expectations you can ensure that you receive accurate and reliable Legionella risk assessments that comply with relevant regulations and standards.
Water management contractor competence The competence of contractor staff should also be assessed, including their training, experience, knowledge, and other personal qualities, to carry out work safely. Since 2016 HTM 04-01 has stated that all persons working on water systems – form managers to operatives – must undertake specific water hygiene training.
(see HTM 04-01, Part B, section 6.29). This should not be confused with Legionella training, and should detail 15 key issues related to hygienic methods of working on water systems, and explain how not to contaminate your water supplies. It also recommends health screening of personnel. How many of your contractors or in-house staff have undertaken such training? It is wise to check that your contractors have actually undertaken water hygiene training. We often see comments such as: ‘We only use Legionella Control Association (LCA) contractors’; this can be a good starting point, but this in no way absolves you from checking the competence of these contractors. The LCA does not check the competence of contractor staff. The Association in fact has an agreement for service-providers to follow a Code of Conduct. The small print states: ‘Compliance with relevant health and safety regulations (including avoidance of, or reduction of risk to, exposure to Legionella bacteria) is the sole responsibility of the statutory duty-holder, being the person in control of the premises or systems where any relevant risk is present’.
ACOP position The HSE’s Approved Code of Practice, L8, also states: ‘Employing contractors or consultants does not absolve the duty-holder of responsibility for ensuring that control procedures are carried out to the standard required to prevent the proliferation of Legionella bacteria’. If, for example, a contractor is opening tanks, taking photographs and temperatures of outlets in augmented care areas, or breaking into your drinking
August 2023 Health Estate Journal 43
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