A recent inquest into a legionella death at a Bupa care home found that staff were not trained to recognise and address legionella risks. This blog will explain when legionella training is necessary and whether you need it in addition to a legionella risk assessment and control scheme implemented by a water treatment company.  

What do the regulatory bodies say?

As part of the Health and Safety at Work Act, if you are an employer you must protect your staff, residents and visitors from the dangers of legionella bacteria within your premises. You can achieve this by following the guidelines put forward by the HSE in the L8 Approved Code of Practice. 

Although you are responsible for the safety of your residents and employees, and you should understand where compliance risks may be present, you don’t have to necessarily carry out legionella control measures yourself. The HSE makes note that it is perfectly appropriate to appoint someone from outside your organisation with the knowledge and credentials to manage legionella risk.

Which control measures can you carry out yourself?

However, even if you go down this route, there may be some tasks you choose to keep in-house. There are some legionella control activities that you can (and should) be able to implement in-house, and your staff should receive training on:

Temperature control

The growth of legionella bacteria is most prolific at temperatures between 20 and 45° C. Keeping an eye on the temperature of water in your tanks and pipes, and making sure it doesn’t enter this danger zone, is one of the easiest ways to keep legionella in check.

Flushing outlets

Care homes are particularly at risk of water stagnation due to unoccupied rooms. The pipes, water tanks and other components of a water system that haven’t been used in a while may cause water temperatures to drop to a level that legionella can survive. This, along with the build-up of slime and scale on showerheads, faucets and drains creates an environment that encourages bacterial growth.

Taking the time to flush out the system by running water through components for a few minutes will reduce the likelihood of legionella being present.

Practicing diligence

One of the best practices for reducing legionella risk is awareness. Monitoring for changes to the water system, regularly checking and updating your legionella records and overseeing the use of your premises will help you continually keep your residents safe.

Why you may need a water treatment company

An annual state of care report released by the CQC demonstrates that there has been a decrease in the number of available care homes within the UK. The demand on these remaining homes is greater, and the industry is in a fragile state. It is no surprise, then, that managers are struggling to comply with regulations given the various pressures they are facing.

The limited time, resources and knowledge available to care home managers demonstrates that a careful balance needs to be struck between in-house legionella control measures and the work that is outsourced to a water treatment company. A professional who understands legionella risks and compliance will be able to alleviate some of the strain owners are facing and ensure the complete safety of residents and workers.

If you want to learn more about the particular legionella risks present within a care home, and the kind of things that you should be trained on, click below to access our free guide on water safety.