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L8 Lite Risk Assessments for property portfolios

Enhancing Legionella Compliance with L8 Lite Risk Assessments

Facilities management (FM) companies, maintaining compliance with Legionella control regulations is a critical responsibility. Ensuring the safety of water systems across a portfolio of properties requires meticulous attention, particularly in low-risk environments where a streamlined approach is both practical and cost-effective. This is where Dantek’s L8 Lite Risk Assessment service becomes invaluable.

What is the L8 Lite Risk Assessment?

The L8 Lite Risk Assessment is a specialized service designed by Dantek for FM companies managing multiple small sites, particularly in sectors like retail, hospitality, and public services. This service provides a simplified yet comprehensive evaluation of water systems in properties that are generally considered low-risk for Legionella proliferation.

Key Features of the L8 Lite Risk Assessment:

Asset Register: A detailed electronic asset register of all water-related assets within a property, complete with full-color photographs. This register ensures FM companies have clear visibility on water assets, which is crucial for ongoing management and compliance.

Condition Survey: The assessment evaluates the current condition of the water systems, checking for compliance with relevant standards, including the Water Fittings Regulations 1999 and ACoP L8 guidelines.

Remedial Actions: The L8 Lite includes full recommendations for remedial actions and monitoring tasks, ensuring any potential risks are addressed promptly.

Why Choose the L8 Lite Assessment?

The L8 Lite is not just a risk assessment; it’s a strategic tool for FM companies to manage their compliance obligations effectively.

Here’s why it’s trusted by leading companies across various sectors:

Cost-Effective Compliance: The L8 Lite is a low-cost option, ideal for operators of multiple small sites. It provides the necessary compliance documentation without the expense and detail required for higher-risk properties.

Expertise with a Light Touch: While it is a “lite” version, the assessment is carried out by fully qualified surveyors who is competent in identifying significant risks. This ensures that even the simplified approach does not compromise on safety.

Tailored for Low-Risk Sites: The L8 Lite is specifically designed for environments where the water systems are straightforward, such as those without complex plumbing or significant stored water. This makes it an excellent fit for retail outlets, small offices, and similar properties.

Actionable Insights: Each L8 Lite assessment comes with a written report, including an executive summary of concerns and site-specific recommendations. This enables FM companies to take swift, informed action to maintain compliance.

What You Don’t Get with L8 Lite

It’s important to note that the L8 Lite is a streamlined service, which means it doesn’t include certain elements that might be necessary for more complex or higher-risk sites:

  1. No Schematic Diagrams: For properties where the water system is simple, a detailed schematic is not provided, as it would offer minimal value.
  2. No ALARP Risk Score: The assessment does not include an ALARP (As Low As Reasonably Practicable) risk score. If significant risks are identified, a full Legionella Risk Assessment would be recommended.

The L8 Lite service has been successfully deployed across a variety of low-risk sites, including multiple retail chains and Public service outposts.

For FM companies managing varied portfolios, particularly those with numerous low-risk properties, the L8 Lite Risk Assessment offers a practical, cost-effective solution. By partnering with Dantek, FM companies can ensure they meet all necessary compliance standards while focusing resources where they are needed most.

If you’re interested in learning more about how Dantek’s L8 Lite Risk Assessments can support your facilities management strategy, contact us today.

Email: sales@dantek.co.uk

Phone: 01454 417 920

Website: http://www.dantek.co.uk

Remedial actions: Do I have to do all of them?

Remedial actions: Do I have to do all of them and how do I choose the correct contractor?

Welcome back to the top 5 problems schools face with legionella risk assessments!

In our last month, I am going to try and help you answer question 5. If you have a problem or question that is not covered, please email holly@dantek.co.uk

Top 5 problems with legionella risk assessments!

  1. April’s Blog: Is your Legionella risk assessment current and when does it need to be updated? How will you know?
  2. April’s Blog: Written scheme. What is it and how do I write one?
  3. May’s Blog: How safe can my school ever be?
  4. May’s Blog: Asset registers. Mind-blowing pages of cold taps, hot taps and mixer valves etc. What’s the point?
  5. June’s Blog: Remedial actions: Do I have to do all of them and how do I choose the correct contractor?
Remedial actions: Do I have to do all of them and how do I choose the correct contractor?

Remedial actions are an essential part of lowering the risk of Legionella following a risk assessment. These actions involve improving the design of your water system and may include removing redundant pipework, cleaning cold water storage tanks, insulating pipework, servicing thermostatic mixer valves, and more. Prioritization of these actions is recommended based on urgency, with some requiring attention within a month, three months, or longer.

It’s worth noting that you don’t necessarily have to complete all the recommended remedial actions if you have budget constraints. By reviewing your risk assessment report, you can determine which actions are necessary to reduce tangible threats and which are tolerable risks.

If you need assistance with your school’s Legionella risk assessment, Dantek can help. We hope our past articles have helped you understand the importance of Legionella risk assessments and the common issues faced while receiving them. Finding a reputable contractor for your school’s needs can be challenging, but the Legionella Control Association (LCA) provides a register of companies that have met their requirements and passed their annual audit of systems.

The LCA’s code of conduct sets out the standard of service a client should expect from a water hygiene provider, requiring them to establish an appropriate management system for controlling Legionella and comply with the latest HSE guidance. By visiting https://www.legionellacontrol.org.uk/directory, you can search for a registered contractor by company or region.

At Dantek, we strive to provide the best service in the industry and act quickly to resolve the most urgent tasks. While we offer national coverage for Legionella risk assessments in schools, we may not be able to maintain our high standards for customers outside our geographic region. We believe in working together with schools as a team to solve problems in the real world.

Supported School Regions all services:

1.    South West

2.    West Midlands

3.    South Wales

 Contracted and one-off services we offer.

1.    Legionella Risk assessments

2.    Cleaning & disinfection of cold-water storage tanks

3.    Temperature monitoring

4.    Calorifier inspections

5.    Showerhead cleaning and disinfection

6.    Thermostatic mixer valve serving and fail-safe testing.

7.    Expansion vessel flushing

8.    Water softener servicing

9.    Closed system analysis.

10. Chlorine dioxide rental service

11. Chlorine dioxide installation and maintenance

12. Sampling (Legionella, TVCC, Pseudomonas)

13. Logbook user training

14. Responsible persons/management training

Included within all our contracts is our free-of-charge electronic logbook for all service users. Contact us now for a free demo.

If you would like to speak to us regarding any of our products or services, please do not hesitate to contact us at 01454 417 920 or e-mail your enquiry to sales@dantek.co.uk where a member of our team is available to help you. Please quote  #SCHOOL’S which will allow our 2022 day rates to be quoted saving you 5%

#legionellacontrolinyourschool #legionellacontrol #riskassessment #legionellariskassessment #teamdantek #legionellaadvice #riskassessmentproblems #safeschools #remedialactions #assetregister #riskassessmentupdate #writtenscheme #legionellacontractorsouthwest #legionellacontratorsouthwales #legionellacontractorwestmidlands

 

Don’t just take my word for the level of service, expertise, and confidence that our team provides. I have included 3 testimonials below. Read what our educational establishments say about us below!

 “As a senior maintenance manager for the University of South Wales I am responsible for 5 campuses, that’s around 1300 student apartments and 60 additional buildings. Dantek carries out Legionella testing and risk assessments for all these including, calorifiers, showers and water tanks. They are a good company to work with and have an excellent online monitoring system which allows them to upload test results for our compliance section to audit online. With Legionella you don’t want to take any risks and Dantek is really good at keeping us informed of what we need to do to keep our water safe and remain compliant. I would happily recommend them.”

Senior Maintenance Manager, University of South Wales

“Dantek manages Legionella control and all related compliance issues for Millfield. As the H&S Advisor I need to rely on the expertise of the companies that I work with. Dantek instils that confidence, if I go to them with any issues they always have the answer.

I also wanted to work with a company that Millfield could build a strong relationship with. The staff are reliable, responsive, honest and polite. If I have any issues they’ll always find the time to discuss them with me in order to find agreed solutions.”

H&S Advisor, Millfield School

“I cannot fault the service and your staff are always well presented and polite”

University of Bath – renewal of showerhead cleaning and disinfection contract

How safe can my School ever be?

Welcome back to the top 5 problems schools face with legionella risk assessments!

This month, I am going to try and help you answer questions 3 and 4. If you have a problem or question that is not covered, please email holly@dantek.co.uk

Top 5 problems with legionella risk assessments!

  1. April’s Blog: Is your Legionella risk assessment current and when does it need to be updated? How will you know?
  2. April’s Blog: Written scheme. What does it mean and how do I write one?
  3. May’s Blog: How safe can my school ever be?
  4. May’s Blog: Asset registers. Mind-blowing pages of cold taps, hot taps and mixer valves etc. What’s the point?
  5. June’s Blog: Remedial actions: Do I have to do all of them and how do I choose the correct contractor?
How safe can my school ever be?

You need to sleep at night knowing that you have done everything that is reasonably practicable to make your school a safe place to learn and grow. Your school can be or already is a safe place and if you follow the advice given by your contractor and local authority it will continue to be.

Legionellosis sounds scary and if not managed life-threatening.  Legionellosis is an illness in humans caused by a bacteria called Legionella. We do not have any figures for 2021 or 2022 yet, and figures from 2020 are distorted by Covid. In 2020 the monthly surveillance reports stopped in October with 295 cases reported in the first 10 months of the year. Legionnaires disease is a real threat and requires real action to be taken.

An assessment of the susceptibility of the site population is a critical part of a Legionella risk assessment, which must be reviewed regularly. This takes us back to staff changes and the mental and physical health of your teachers and staff. Risk factors include Males, Age, heavy smokers, alcohol consumption, no exercise, and underlying diseases such as cancer, organ transplant, etc.

Unfortunately, we have little control over stopping Legionella from getting into our water systems. Contamination from small amounts of this bacteria within the mains water and airborne droplets is inevitable. From a risk analysis point of view, we must assume that our systems will encounter Legionella bacteria at some stage in their life cycle.

Risk Factors

  • Water temperature between 20–45 °C
  • Stored, stagnant and/or re-circulated water
  • A source of nutrients for the organism e.g. presence of sludge, scale, organic materials and rust
  • Water fittings made of certain materials
  • Capacity for aerosol generation
  • Numbers & susceptibility of site population
  • The ability of management to control risk

 Once you have taken the first step in compliance and had your legionella risk assessment completed, your school will be graded like an Ofsted report with the difference of 5 bands.

The reality of the school’s risk from legionella will be the current risk score. Don’t be alarmed, look at the “action to be taken” i.e. risks that can be removed, and then the realistic score for your school following completion of the advised remedial actions.

As you can see from the below example the “New Building” has a current score of 50 which has placed the school into the medium-risk category. By completing the recommended actions, the school or particular academic building will reduce to a low/medium risk with continued monitoring. Be mindful that even the smallest buildings, even if they only have one wash hand basin will be graded with a risk factor.

Risk Summary inc review date

  1. Must be current.
  2. High risk = 6 months
  3. Medium risk = Two years
  4. Low risk = 5 years

 

 

 

Can your school ever be safe from legionella?

Your school may never be free from legionella, but you can manage and control the risk and prevent staff from catching legionnaires disease.  Legionella specialists are available to help you, including Dantek, and by working together as a team we can prevent the harmful effects of water.

  • Keep hot water hot
  • Keep cold water cold
  • Keep the water moving
  • Keep it clean

Consider if special steps need to be taken at different times of the academic year. Half term and summer holidays, resulting in a big change to the use of the school. Very few staff and no pupils, resulting in taps and showers that are used regularly during term time have now been left unused for weeks. This can lead to stagnation of the water which can encourage the growth of legionella and other nasty bacteria. Make plans for who is going to flush those normally used outlets at least weekly during the holidays.

Additional information can be found:

Approved code of practice – https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l8.pdf

HSE website – legal updates & outbreaks https://www.hse.gov.uk/index.htm

HSG274 technical guidance https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg274.htm

Dantek – Advice, services and training https://www.dantekenvironmental.co.uk

Asset Registers: The Key to Efficient Legionella Risk Assessments in Schools

When it comes to ensuring the safety of students and staff in schools, there are many factors that must be considered. One of these is the potential risk of Legionella bacteria in the water system, which can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a potentially fatal form of pneumonia. To prevent this, schools must conduct regular Legionella risk assessments and take appropriate measures to control the risk.

One crucial aspect of Legionella risk assessments is the creation of an asset register. This is a document that lists all the assets in the water system that could potentially harbor Legionella bacteria, such as cold taps, hot taps, and mixer valves. While this may seem like a mind-numbing task, the importance of maintaining a comprehensive asset register cannot be overstated. It is the foundation of effective Legionella risk management and is essential for record-keeping purposes.

When a Legionella risk assessor arrives at a school, it is important that they have access to all the areas they need to inspect. This can be a challenge, as schools have busy schedules and exam timetables that must be taken into account. To ensure that assessors have the access they need, the operational management team must work with the school to determine which areas the assessors will need to inspect. A clear and detailed asset register is essential for this process, as it will provide a complete list of all the assets that require inspection.

Creating an asset register can seem like a daunting task, especially for schools with multiple buildings and thousands of outlets. However, it is an investment in the safety of students and staff, and there are tools available to make the process easier. On completion of the risk assessment, your assessor will be able to provide you with an asset register in Excel, allowing schools to use filters to sort the data by asset type and location. This makes it easy to identify the sentinel points that need to be monitored and recorded every month.

In addition, schools can choose to go paperless with their water hygiene records by using an electronic logbook. This eliminates the need for paper-based logbooks and makes it easier to track compliance. Many reputable providers offer this service, and some, such as Dantek, provide a free electronic logbook to contracted customers. This logbook includes an automatic asset upload and real-time compliance.

Maintaining a comprehensive asset register is a key element of Legionella risk management in schools. By investing in this process and using tools such as electronic logbooks, schools can ensure the safety of their students and staff while reducing the administrative burden of compliance. To learn more about Legionella risk assessments in schools or to schedule a free demonstration of Dantek’s electronic logbook, visit our website or call our friendly team.

#legionellacontrolinyourschool #legionellacontrol #riskassessment #legionellariskassessment #teamdantek #legionellaadvice #riskassessmentproblems #safeschools #remedialactions #assetregister #riskassessmentupdate #writtenscheme #legionellacontractorsouthwest #legionellacontratorsouthwales #legionellacontractorwestmidlands #electroniclogbook

Contact us for more information or to book a free demonstration.
Our website is a great tool for local services, FAQs, sectors, and price guides. please visit https://www.dantekenvironmental.co.uk/sectors/schools/ for further information or contact our friendly team on 01454 417920 or email sales@dantek.co.uk quoting reference, SCHOOL23 which will allow 5% discount for new customers.

The top problems your school will face with a legionella risk assessment.

Hi, my name is Holly, and I have been a part of the Dantek team for over 14 years. In the upcoming months, I will be discussing the common problems schools face when it comes to legionella risk assessments, I am going to be talking about the top problems your school will face with legionella risk assessments, being open and honest throughout. Dantek has over 20 years of experience with an excellent, dedicated, and qualified team of field-based technicians, legionella risk assessors, and water treatment specialists.

Your school needs to consider all risks, consequently, you may feel you are drowning in risk assessments which the water risk assessment is just one!

Having two young children in school I can see how hard the staff work. Not just the teachers but everyone, support staff, cleaners, and maintenance. The entire school is based around a profound team who works together to allow pupils to succeed and have a safe space to learn.

I don’t know the first thing about running a school or teaching a class of 30 energetic pupils, but I do know that I want to help you to make one of the tasks on your desk a little easier to understand and manage.

Top problems with a legionella risk assessment!

Being a responsible person in a school is hard work and the pile-up of multiple risk assessments never seems to end. Your number one main priority is to make your school a safe place for your pupils, staff, and visitors. As legionella control specialists we know the frustrations that are felt! Split properties across your campus including sports halls, residential blocks, catering facilities, and frankly any building that has a tap-in it!

Needs must! This has now resulted in a huge document on your desk plus multiple smaller versions you now must read and make sense of.  The feeling of being overwhelmed, frustrated, cross, and bored springs to mind.

Top 5 problems with legionella risk assessments!

  1. April’s Blog: Is your Legionella risk assessment current and when does it need to be updated? How will you know?
  2. April’s Blog: Written scheme. What is it and how do I write one?
  3. May’s Blog: How safe can my school ever be?
  4. May’s Blog: Asset registers. Mind-blowing pages of cold taps, hot taps and mixer valves etc. What’s the point?
  5. June’s Blog: Remedial actions: Do I have to do all of them and how do I choose the correct contractor?

This month, I am going to try and help you answer questions 1 and 2. If you have a problem or question that is not covered, please email holly@dantek.co.uk 

Problem No 1 – Is your Legionella risk assessment current and when does it need to be updated? How will you know?

All risk assessments are classed as a “working document” and under current guidelines, a risk assessment must be carried out whenever the Approved code of practice L8 and guidance applies.

What does that mean? 

Legionella risk assessment front page! A resurvey date is initially controlled by the attending risk assessor, based on site-specific findings, A simple risk score is then generated. High, medium, and low. Your resurvey date could be in the range of 6 months to 5 years.

That’s not where it ends. Just because you have had a legionella risk assessment completed and the resurvey date clearly states 24 months from now, doesn’t mean that it won’t be required sooner. Simple amendments to the working document may be required, or a brand-new assessment dependent on school changes.

  • To put it simply, if your school decides to change the math block, into an additional shower block for the growing sports hall, you will need a new assessment. This is known as “A change to any of the assessed water systems or its use”.
  • 3 months have passed and calorifier 1 in the science block has not been achieving 60°C and your outlet temperatures are within the primary growth range. Your control regime is indicating that control is not being achieved. A review is needed.
  • A simple staff change. The statutory duty holder was Miss Cox and is now Mrs. Harris. Site responsibility used to be Mr. West, but, he has now retired, and Miss Davies has been appointed. These key personnel changes have now made your assessment enter the “review” stage.

Always remember that the legionella risk assessment is a working document and must be current.

My top tip! Add your legionella risk assessment to your to-do planner, 6 monthly or annually (Dependent on risk) ask yourself these 6 questions.

  1. Have any alterations been made to the water systems?
  2. Has there been changes in the use of the system or the school?
  3. Has there been any key personnel changes or any that are due to occur?
  4. Have there been changes to the results of tests indicating that the control measures are no longer effective, or has new information about risks or control measures become available?
  5. Is my initial risk assessment review date still valid?
  6. Is the school’s responsible person up to date with training?

In the occurrence of a suspected or confirmed school outbreak or individual case of Legionella associated with the water system, review your risk assessment and written scheme immediately.

Problem No 2 – Written scheme. What does it mean and how do I write one?

You have recently had your legionella risk assessment completed and managed to make headway on the document between your countless emails from parents, maintaining academic success and broadening your school curriculum. Once a quarter you will be sat in front of the school governors and need to advise what are the next steps following your legionella risk assessment. A written scheme!

What is a written scheme? A written scheme of control for the control of legionella is a comprehensive risk management document that clearly identifies the measures required to control the risk of exposure to legionella bacteria, and how those measures are implemented and managed so that control over water systems is achieved and maintained.

Which means… Explain in detail how your school will manage the measures you have implemented to control the risk of legionella and who is responsible.

  1. Roles & responsibilities i.e. Who has overall responsibility for the safety of all members of the school community? Who manages the day-to-day implementation of the policy? Who is the Responsible person, and statutory site duty holder?
  2. What are the risks and how will the control tasks be implemented?
  3. Water hygiene provider contact details if applicable.
  4. Record keeping.
  5. Audit of control regime and noncompliance escalation process.
  6. Schematic drawing.
  7. Plant shutdown procedures.
  8. Risk assessment review procedure.
  9. Emergency procedures in the event of an outbreak or suspected outbreak of Legionella.

In the occurrence of a suspected or confirmed school outbreak or individual case of Legionella associated with the water, review your risk assessment and written scheme immediately.

Management & control flow chart example

  1. Governing board (If singular school) or Federation governing board (If multiple schools)
  2. Director
  3. Chief operations officer
  4. Director of estates
  5. Operations Manager
  6. Maintenance Supervisor
  7. Estate trade staff
If you require additional support, please contact me and I will be more than happy to provide a written scheme of control template. holly@dantek.co.uk
Our website is a great tool for local services, FAQs, sectors, and price guides. please visit https://www.dantekenvironmental.co.uk/sectors/schools/ for further information or contact our friendly team on 01454 417920 or e mail sales@dantek.co.uk quoting reference, SCHOOL23 which will allow 5% discount for new customers.

#legionellacontrolinyourschool #legionellacontrol #riskassessment #legionellariskassessment #teamdantek #legionellaadvice #riskassessmentproblems #safeschools #remedialactions #assetregister #riskassessmentupdate #writtenscheme #legionellacontractorsouthwest #legionellacontratorsouthwales #legionellacontractorwestmidlands

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