Recent news that a hospital in Ireland failed to monitor for legionella has once again brought to attention the importance of undertaking a comprehensive legionella risk assessment.

Patients in Kerry General Hospital were at immediate and high risk of infection with management failing to monitor the bug which causes the Legionnaires' disease, watchdogs have said. The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) raised concerns after an unannounced inspection in July also found dilapidated operating theatres which had not been upgraded since opening in 1985.

The inspectors warned about the spread of legionella, commonly found in water supplies and the cause of Legionnaires' disease, and that the hospital had never undergone testing or a formal site risk assessment for the bacteria.

HIQA said: "Kerry General Hospital did not have robust mechanisms in place to provide assurance that potential risks in relation to legionella in the hospital water system had been effectively assessed, identified and managed."

Legal obligations

Under health and safety law, such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers or people in charge of premises are responsible to carry out a regular Legionella risk assessment in order to identify any risk areas that they may have, or potentially develop growth of Legionella bacterium. All those in charge of premises can be held liable for not undergoing a Legionella risk assessment; it is of high importance.

What does a Legionella risk assessment involve?

We recommend that organisations should undertake an in-depth risk assessment to identify and assess sources of risk, and manage, prevent and control these risks. But what does this involve?

Documented overview

A documented legionella risk assessment overview will include pipework schematics and photographic evidence. Common sources of legionella bacteria are water tanks and cooling towers and similar systems that tap into a public water supply. Certain conditions increase the risk of legionella including the water temperature, any stored or re-circulated waters or deposits supporting bacterial growth.

Testing and sampling

We will undertake a series of tests, including those which measure temperature, flow and stagnation. A regular water testing service will determine your water quality throughout the system and demonstrate that it meets legal standards.  We test hot and cold water throughout the building at key points (e.g. strong tanks).

We also undertake water tank surveys. Corrosion and scale formation in a water tank if left untreated not only weakens the structure of a tank can also harbour bacterial growth, including legionella, which could prove harmful to the water stored within the tank.

Water management plan

The preparation of a basic water management scheme for preventing and controlling the risk of Legionnaire’s disease will ensure future legal compliance.  There should be a system in place to keep and maintain the correct records. If you have five or more employees you have to record any significant findings, including those identified as being particularly at risk and the steps taken to prevent or control risks.

Finally, we will put in place plans for further legionella risk assessments and actions to maintain a clean water system.

For further information on Brodex’s legionella risk assessment services  go to:

http://www.brodexuk.com/services/