Legionella services

Maintaining legionella compliance is incredibly important, and the best way to ensure your premises are safe and compliant is to undertake a legionella risk assessment, which is a visual inspection of your property’s water system. It involves inspecting all water outlets, pipes and tanks and also assessing the risks of each asset and the management that is in place to cover the monitoring side of your building. The risk assessment should be reviewed on a regular basis and may need to be renewed, this can be due to building changes, new installations of pipe work or changes in regulations.

Legionella management plans – Our management plans will help you to meet water safety compliance, providing key information and actions to be taken to ensure you remain safe.

Gap analysis – A gap analysis allows us to gain a snapshot of your current levels of compliance with legislation. Our experienced consultants will analyse your site(s), taking into account current management plans and any previous surveys. The compliance level is determined and an action plan is put in place to get you back on track. Whether your portfolio is for one site or 300, we guarantee to get you compliant moving forward.

Outlet flushing – If an outlet in your building is low-use or even not used at all, stagnant water can allow legionella bacteria to increase considerably. Low use outlet flushing should take place weekly, and each outlet should also be flushed for two minutes. Infinity can include flushing in our monitoring package if required, or provide a facility to record your own flushing.

Temperature monitoring – Taking temperatures is the easiest and most common way to reduce the risk of legionella. Hot and cold outlets need to be within a certain temperature to ensure the legionella bacteria is eliminated. Monthly checks will be undertaken to ensure your outlets are working correctly and also at the right temperature. Additionally, you will receive a monthly report of all temperatures taken, any faults and a suggestion of how to proceed.

Showerhead head/spray nozzle cleaning – To prevent the growth of bacteria, shower heads/spray nozzles cleaning should be cleaned, disinfected and de-scaled quarterly. Our engineers will ensure showers/spray nozzles are clean and any faults identified. Additionally, all clients with thermostatic mixing valves (TMV) receive a report after servicing has taken place.

TMV servicing – TMVs mix hot and cold water in outlets. They ensure that water does not present a scalding risk and limits the water temperature to 41-43C. Therefore, TMVs need to be flushed on a six monthly basis. Infinity supplies a detailed report following all TMV servicing with a breakdown of any faults.

Annual inspections – As part of our monitoring services, Infinity will carry out annual inspections on all water heater types and cold water tanks and provide annual reports stating all questions answered and any faults identified. We would also supply you with recommendations which would help reduce the faults.

Tank clean and disinfection – Water stored in tanks can often facilitate the growth of bacteria. Therefore, your tanks will be inspected every six months in our standard legionella package. We recommend tanks are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected as soon as sediment starts to build up or there is any identification of stagnation.

Water sampling and analysis – Infinity can sample water from a range of different water systems. To enquire about our water sample services please email infinity@norsegroup.co.uk.

Legionnaires’ disease –

• A brief guide for dutyholders INDG458
• Approved Code of Practice and guidance L8 – Legionnaires’ disease – The control of Legionella bacteria in water systems
• Legionnaires’ disease – Part 2: The control of legionella bacteria in hot and cold water systems (HSG274)
• The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.

Half day duration – The legionella course will give you awareness about the bacteria as well as how it develops in water systems. It also gives an understanding of the legal requirements and responsibilities of all levels of a company. The course covers monitoring of domestic and commercial water systems, as well as codes of best practice. This course is ideal for individuals who own or have a legal responsibility for a building, along with people such as business managers and landlords. All delegates will receive a certificate at the end of the course.

Infinity offers a compliance portal for all clients. This ensures that regulation needs are met by easily highlighting risk areas of properties inspected. All reports are held electronically in one convenient manageable place helping our clients manage property portfolios in line with regulations.

What is legionella?

Legionella bacteria is common in nature and can easily colonise in man-made environments such as hot and cold water distribution systems.

Why is it dangerous?

Once legionella bacteria has grown in the water system, inhalation of water droplets (aerosols) can lead to Legionnaires’ Disease. There is an estimated 250 cases in the UK each year, with approximately 12% of these resulting in fatalities.

Whose responsibility is it to ensure compliance with regulations?

If you are an employer, or someone in control of premises, including landlords, you must understand the health risks associated with legionella. If you are an employee, you must know your responsibilties as everyone has a role in controlling the spread of the bacteria. Responsibilities cannot be delegated.