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The importance of legionella risk assessments


HVR spoke with Dan Sutherland, senior water systems lecturer at Develop Training, about the WS7 course he has written for Develop Training to teach complete beginners how to conduct legionella risk assessments of hot and cold water systems


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n Health and Safety Law, it is stated that all water systems where there is a work activity require a legionella risk assessment. Violations of this law can incur an unlimited fi ne (previous fi gures have reached into the millions) and even imprisonment. Despite this, many have no concept of what a legionella risk assessment entails, leading to risk assessors being brought on in an incorrect manner and management systems not being suitably established. This is the exact issue our new, beginner WS7 course at Develop Training endeavours to rectify. To briefl y overview, legionella is a type of bacteria


which can be found in all types of water systems including both hot and cold water systems. It is able to adapt to environments, where if conditions are favourable for multiplication and dissemination it can be passed onto humans via the inhalation of water droplets. The primary concern of legionella is Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia and dangerous infection. But the need for our course isn’t just in


remedying the general public’s lack of awareness around legionella, it’s in modernising the stiff , ineffi cient methods people currently fi nd themselves undertaking when conducting a legionella risk assessment. As someone who has worked extensively as an assessor in this area, I’m all too familiar with the insuffi cient training, support, and knowledge that is commonly found. It seemed that now was a perfect time to write


and develop a course that could be as accessible as it was modern, and in developing those two strengths, create a course which would also be more comprehensive and applicable. I’m glad to say our newest course can take someone brand new to the hazards of water systems and, in just two days, deliver the practical advice needed so that risk assessments of hot and cold water systems can begin on the back of the training and certifi cation, by starting with more simple systems fi rst.


The course manages this through an entirely new programme, built from the ground up to be


Above: Dan Sutherland, senior water systems lecturer at Develop Training,


unlike any material we’ve delivered at Develop Training under the Water Systems (WS) banner to date. What makes the course so unique is the insider information it is built upon, information that stems from direct hands-on practical experience, the kind that would take years to accrue if sought on your own. It was my wish in designing this course that it be as practically applicable for learners as possible, and as a result, it has more practical areas of delivery than any of the other WS courses we provide. All areas of delivery come together harmoniously with the intention of providing learners with hands-on ability to execute actual legionella risk assessments in the most eff ective, current manner. Those assets are largely divided between


trainer teaching, accompanying visuals, workbook and practical exercises which includes learners completing a risk assessment template. Those tools take learners swiftly through the relevant theory – from the key facts concerning legionella and Legionnaires’ disease, to the legislation that frames it, an appreciation of hot and cold water systems and fi nally, the assessment process itself which is largely practical in delivery. And though we provide all necessary course


material, we also welcome any learner who may choose to bring materials relevant to their specifi c industry, such as previous risk assessments, water hygiene logbooks or any kind of management system they’re acquainted with. We understand that consulting items such as these during the programme can assist individuals in seeing how their materials are relevant to the training we deliver. We are also able to off er the course virtually


as well as in-centre. This is managed through a balance of virtual classes conducted over Microsoft Teams and supplementary video content, workbook exercises and practical activities. The virtual assessment remains in line with the assessment and certifi cation standards of the entire course, which is supported by the City & Guilds Accredited Scheme. Ultimately, this course provides a genuine opportunity for convenient upskilling to people in a range of industries, not just those who would ordinarily consider themselves associated with water systems. It’s a qualifi cation as well as a practical toolset, making it suitable for anyone who wishes to better understand and mediate the concerns and risks of legionella contamination, colonisation and infection.


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