Legionella Risk Assessments and Testing for Dental Surgeries and Practices. ACOP L8 and HTM 04-01 Compliant, Trading Standards Approved and Trust Mark Certified.
Health and care sites by their very nature present an increased risk of Legionella bacterial infection and can never be "low risk". You must take into account patients, residents, high-risk equipment such as dental equipment and not just the sites hot and cold water system. These requirements are found in both the HSE's ACOP L8, HSG 274 and HTM 04-01 which is a requirement of CQC registration. Both documents state enhanced performance criteria for health & care sites.
Accreditations, Qualifications and Memberships
At Water Wise our assessors are trained and qualified to a much higher standard than most assessors in the industry and are approved by Trading Standards and certified by Trust Mark who are a Government endorsed competent person scheme. Our assessors are also members of the CIPHE, recognised by DEFRA and the Secretary of State as Approved Contractor Persons under the Water Supply Regulations and are Water Safe registered as required by HTM 04-01.
Our Service
Our assessors will measure the performance of your systems against the requirements of the HSE's ACOP L8 or if you are a health and care site against the requirements of Department of Health and Social Care's HTM 04-01. We will also inspect any control and prevention records you may have to help assess the risk at the site.
Once the risk is assessed, a written risk assessment will be produced which will include an "Action Point List" and a site specific Legionella Control Scheme with our recommendations of measures to carry out at the site to minimise the risk of Legionella.
What Do Our Assessments Include?
- Built in Document Control
- Built in Review Log
- Air Conditioning Systems
- Cold Water Storage Tanks
- Water Heaters
- Expansion Vessels
- Outlets
- TMV Valves
- Deadlegs & Other Issues
- Action Point List
- Written Report
- Legionella Control Scheme
- Schematic (if required)
Dip Slides are "Not Acceptable"
In 2013 HTM 01-05 "Decontamination of Primary Care Dental Practices" was released by the Department of Health. Section 19.68 states "All microbiological measurements should be by approved methods and/or be carried out by UKAS accredited laboratories. Dip slides are not acceptable."
In December 2013 the British Dental Association released a fact file called "Contaminated Dental Unit Waterline", this document confirms that samples should tested by a UKAS accredited service and that Dip Slides are not considered acceptable.
The Care Quality Commission have also confirmed in "Dental Mythbuster 5 - Legionella and Dental Waterline Management" point 7 that "Apart from situations where there are taste or odour problems, microbiological monitoring for total viable counts is not considered to be necessary." So why are inspectors still asking to see evidence of Dip Slide test results? Very simply because CQC inspectors are not always competent when it comes to carrying out their inspections.
What does this mean for dental practices? It means that for over a decade an estimated 11,500 dental practices in the UK have been sold and are using a method of testing (costing an estimated £17,000,000 since 2013) that the Health and Safety Executive, the Department of Health and the British Dental Association consider not to be an acceptable method of testing.
Risk
Assessments
Legionella
Testing
Legionella
Training
Temperature
Monitoring
Checks &
Maintenance
Contact Us
For more information or for a free no obligation quote then please contact us and one of our team will be in touch as soon as possible.
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