Meet the requirements of the HSE's ACOP L8 & minimise the risk of Legionnaires Disease. Trust Mark Certified Legionella Specialists. Risk Assessments, Legionella Testing, Training, Control Schemes, Logbooks, Temperature Monitoring, Chlorination and Disinfection.
Covid 19 (Coronavirus) Notice
Under the current National Emergency we are working to a reduced capacity. Obviously most of our work involves visiting sites which most people are trying to minimise and as such we have had to furlough most of our staff. We are still available to answer your queries but it is best to email us rather than call. In an emergency situation our team are still available.
Do customers, tenants, service users, the public or employees have access to a property that you control? Can other people be affected by what you are doing? If the answer is yes to either of these questions, then you need to act to control & prevent Legionella bacteria. These requirements are found in the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Act (COSHH) 2002 & The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Failure to do so can lead to unlimited fines with a starting point of £10,000, prosecution and even imprisonment, the Crown Prosecution Service have also previously authorised charges of corporate manslaughter for deaths related to Legionella failures. In support of these legal requirements the Health & Safety Executive have released the 4th edition of the Approved Code of Practice for the Control of Legionella Bacteria commonly called ACOP L8.
Legionella Bacteria Warning During National Emergency
At this dangerous time, we understand your concerns over having contractors and visitors coming to your site, especially if there are people at your site at significant risk of complications if they contract Covdi 19 (Coronavirus). Unfortunately, it is a sad fact that those who are at increased risk from the Coronavirus are also at increased risk from Legionella bacterial infection which has a mortality rate as high as 40% in more susceptible groups. The current National Emergency does not allow you to ignore all other health & safety measures, especially if you have susceptible people at your site although some adaptation is understandable.
You still need to ensure you address the risk from Legionella bacteria. One of the safest, efficient and most cost-effective ways of doing this is by using our wireless and remote temperature monitoring system. The system allows us to proactively monitor your water temperatures without the need to repeatedly visit the site which of course reduces the potential risk of infection. More information can be found on our temperature monitoring page, click here for more information.
Another major failure we see coming while businesses and schools are shut down is the risk from stagnant water. The risk from Legionella bacteria increases when there is no water movement through outlets or pipes for a week or more. While businesses are running at a reduced capacity or shut down altogether there is a real risk that water will stagnant, Legionella bacteria may grow and pose a significant health risk. You need to ensure that there is adequate water movement to minimise the risk.
The Right Service at the Right Price
Legionella Risk Assessments
UKAS Accredited Legionella Testing
Water Testing
Legionella Control and Prevention
Legionella Training
The HSE's Approved Code of Practice for the Control of Legionella Bacteria ACOP L8 & the Department of Health's Technical Memorandum HTM 04-01
In November 2013 the Health & Safety Executive released the 4th edition of the Approved Code of Practice for the Control of Legionella Bacteria in Water Systems commonly called ACOP L8. The code of practice has been released by the HSE with the consent of the Secretary of State. It gives practical advice on how to comply with the law. If you follow its advice you will be doing enough to comply with the law in respect of those specific matters on which the code gives advice. The code of practice has a special legal status. If you are prosecuted for a breach of health and safety law, and it is proved that you did not follow the relevant provisions of the code of practice, you will need to show that you have complied with the law in some other way or a court may find you at fault.
The Health & Safety Executive have also released technical guidance documents
HSG 274 Part 1 The Control of Legionella Bacteria in Evaporative Cooling Systems
HSG 274 Part 2 The Control of Legionella Bacteria in Hot & Cold Water Systems
HSG 274 Part 3 The Control of Legionella Bacteria in Other Risk Systems
HSG 282 The Control of Legionella & Other Infectious Agents in Spa-Pool Systems
The Department of Health have also released Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) 04-01: Safe Water in Healthcare Premises with accompanying guidance documents parts A, B, C and specification D 08 for Thermostatic Mixing Valves. HTM 04-01 is a requirement for all health and care environments, it does not replace the HSE's ACOP L8, it is designed to work along side it and concentrates on the increased performance criteria required to address the potential increased risk of Legionella in health and care environments.
What is Legionella Bacteria & What Do You Need To Do?
Legionella is a naturally occurring bacteria, it is normally only found in low quantities which presents little risk. However, in hot & cold-water systems, air conditioning and even in soils & composts the bacteria can multiply and in larger quantities the various strains of Legionella bacteria can present a risk to life. The bacteria thrive in temperatures of between 20c and 45c. If inhaled Legionella bacteria can cause one of several diseases all of which can be fatal including Legionnaires Disease. The potential of this bacteria is so serious that the HSE publishes a monthly legionella report. In recent years we have seen a mortality rate of around 8% but as high as 40% in more susceptible groups, that is a higher mortality rate than some cancers.
The first step in meeting the requirements of the ACOP L8 is to have a Legionella Risk Assessment carried out by someone who is competent to determine the potential risk of Legionella bacteria. Legionella testing may also be recommended or required. A Control Scheme needs to be established and training needs resolved. Control and prevention measures then need to be implemented and regularly reviewed.
Why Choose Water Wise Services
"Your Passion, Integrity and Knowledge clearly shows"
is how one of our customers described us.
Legionella Risk Assessments with built in document control carried out by Trust Mark & Stroma Certified risk assessors.
Targeted UKAS Accredited Legionella and Water Testing. Legionella Test Certificates with built in document control.
Legionella Control Schemes, Logbooks & Prevention measures carried out by qualified and experienced engineers.
As a duty holder or person in charge of a property it is your responsibility to ensure that anyone who undertakes work on your behalf is competent to do so. Failing to ensure competency can still leave you liable to fines and prosecution even when nothing goes wrong.
At Water Wise Services we have being helping our customers for well over a decade, have become a well-known brand within the water related industry and are recognised as specialist contractors, experts and professionals in our field. We have also achieved recognition and membership of several governing and trade bodies due to our high standards of quality, technical competence and experience. Our service team are all qualified professionals including risk assessors, energy assessors, consultants & engineers. We work with landlords, lettings agents, schools, care homes & businesses of all sizes. Our customer list includes national parks, government departments, schools & local authorities.
We can carry out some or all of your Legionella requirements as well as completing the required paperwork and record keeping.
All our service team are as a minimum City & Guilds qualified to deliver our Legionella services. City & Guilds qualifications specifically cover Risk Assessments & Management Control Procedures, The Control of Legionella in Hot & Cold Water Systems and The Control of Legionella in Cooling Water Systems. Our service team also includes City & Guilds and NVQ Level 2 & 3 qualified plumbers who hold "Approved Contractor" status under the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999.
Trust Mark Certified Legionella Service Provider. Trust Mark is the only Government Endorsed Technical Competence Scheme in the UK and operates under a Government Licence from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Trust Mark also operate a code of conduct for service providers as recommended by the HSE's ACOP L8.
Stroma Certified Legionella Risk Assessors. Stroma is a Government approved provider of certification and training services for assessors and one of the UK's foremost certification bodies. Members are regularly audited and subject to an annual assessment to ensure compliance.
Our service team includes Water Safe Registered engineers. Using a Water Safe Registered engineer is a requirement of NHS Estates and HTM 04-01. Water Safe is funded by the water industry and is supported by the Drinking Water Inspectorate.
Our service team includes members of the Charted Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering. Founded in 1906 the CIPHE is the professional and technical body for the UK's plumbing and heating industry. Membership is made up of practitioners, consultants, specifiers, designers, public health engineers, lecturers, trainers and trainees. The CIPHE is a member of the Construction Industry Council and a licensed member of the Engineering Council.
Our service team includes members of the Water Management Society. The WMS is a not for profit membership organisation that has been providing practical and technical training for over 40 years.
Our service team includes members of the Engineering Council which is the UK's regulatory body for the engineering profession. The Engineering Council sets and maintains internationally recognised standards of professional competence.
The WIAPS scheme is funded by 16 of the countries water suppliers and is dedicated to the protection of public health by preventing contamination of water supplies.
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