GeneralWhat Are the Health Benefits of a Legionella Risk Assessment?

Of the numerous risk assessments necessary in modern workplaces and educational settings, water testing is one of the most important. In locations which provide potable water, failure to regularly monitor the safety of those water sources can have dire health consequences, resulting in both illness and potentially significant fines from regulatory bodies.

In this article, we take a look at some of the health benefits of legionella risk assessments with the team, to help you make an informed decision on whether you might require one.

For further information, we recommend reading the expert guidance from a resource such as the Water Hygiene Centre website.

What is legionella?

First of all, what exactly is legionella? Legionella is a form of bacteria that, when present in high enough quantities, can lead to a potentially fatal form of pneumonia called Legionnaires’ disease, or another flu-like disease called Pontiac fever.

The health ramifications are thus potentially incredibly serious. Spreading in a number of ways from infected water sources, Legionnaires disease can spread by infected water droplets, making outbreaks even more dangerous due to their high levels of contagion. Should the bacteria get into air conditioning, this can further increase the risk, creating the optimal conditions for outbreaks.

Protect your staff and visitors

The main health benefit of regularly conducting legionella risk assessments lies in protecting those who spend any time on your premises. You have both a legal and moral duty to ensure that you don’t cause ill health to anyone who spends time in your buildings, and water risk assessments represent a part of that due diligence.

Given that Legionnaires’ disease can be potentially fatal, failure to mitigate the risks presented by the presence of legionella bacteria can obviously be incredibly high.

Legal compliance

In many settings, there is a requirement for water risk assessments in order to achieve legal compliance. Whether in schools or rented apartments, there is a legal and moral duty to ensure that visitors and inhabitants aren’t exposed to potentially lethal hazards.

In the case that an outbreak of Legionnaires disease was to occur, certified laboratory tests will be a necessary requirement to protect against litigation. These tests should be carried out regularly, especially if the environmental conditions conducive to Legionella growth are present.

Risk mitigation

The purpose of conducting legionella risk assessments is to mitigate risk factors where they are observed. In the case that worryingly high quantities of legionella bacteria are found to be present, various actions can be taken to mitigate those risks.

A range of reactive measures may be deemed appropriate; a common response might be the use of silver peroxide, an effective disinfectant that can kill the bacteria. Mitigating the risk of legionella build-up is part of any organisation’s due diligence, representing a key action that should be taken to ensure the safety of all users of any given building.

This post has been sponsored by Complete White Label