skip to Main Content

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

Understanding and managing legionella risk – Hospitality

Welcome to our new blog series where we delve into the critical topic of Legionella control in the hospitality industry. Over the next quarter, we’ll be focusing on how Dantek caters to privately owned hotels, restaurants, and nationwide chains, ensuring peace of mind and offering practical advice for effective Legionella risk management.

At Dantek, we specialize in water hygiene and water treatment services, serving a wide range of organizations across Bristol, the South West, South Wales, and the Midlands. With a keen emphasis on prevention and control of Legionnaires’ disease, we begin our journey with you by conducting a comprehensive Legionella risk assessment, ensuring compliance with ACoP L8 and HSG274 standards.

As proud full members of the Legionella Control Association since 2007, our commitment to preventing and controlling Legionnaires’ disease is unwavering. With our innovative cloud-based electronic logbook, you’ll have real-time visibility of monitoring contracts, allowing you to stay informed day or night.

Established in 2000 by Dan Collins and Amy Richardson, we boast a team of dedicated professionals with extensive experience in water hygiene. Our field-based technicians, risk assessors, and engineers are fully trained and equipped to handle the complexities of Legionella risk management in the hospitality sector.

Understanding the unique challenges faced by hotels, bars, and restaurants, we’re here to provide practical insights into handling Legionella risk effectively. From appointing responsible persons to implementing control measures and maintaining meticulous records, we offer tailored solutions to meet your specific needs.

Whether you operate a large establishment with complex water systems or a smaller venue with mains-fed setups, our Legionella risk assessments are designed to ensure compliance with regulatory standards while addressing the nuances of your business.

As we start to explore Legionella control in the hospitality industry, it’s essential to understand the fundamental aspects of managing Legionella risk effectively. Let’s start by addressing some key points:

Who Handles Legionella Risk? Appointing competent individuals or teams, known as responsible persons, is imperative. Their role involves understanding water systems, identifying risks, and ensuring the safety of everyone on-site.

What to Look for in a Risk Assessment? During risk assessments, consider factors such as stagnant water, optimal temperatures for bacterial growth, conducive conditions like rust or sludge, and potential aerosolization of water droplets.

How to Assess the Risk Practically? Conducting thorough checks of water systems is essential. This includes clarifying responsibilities, ensuring personnel competency, having clear system diagrams, identifying risks, determining control measures, scheduling monitoring and maintenance, and establishing review timelines.

Control Measures Implementing various measures such as controlling water sprays, maintaining water flow to prevent stagnation, utilizing materials resistant to bacterial growth, water treatment, and regular temperature monitoring are vital steps in mitigating Legionella risk.

Keeping Records Maintaining meticulous records is crucial for managing Legionella risk effectively. Record-keeping should encompass activities, findings of risk assessments, action plans, water system conditions, and test results.

Whether your establishment is equipped with large plant items like calorifiers and tanks or operates without them, we offer comprehensive Legionella risk assessments tailored to your specific needs. Our surveys address the unique requirements of establishments of all sizes, ensuring thorough analysis and compliance with regulatory guidelines.

Our assessments are designed to ensure compliance with regulatory standards, including the Health and Safety Executive’s Legionella approved code of practice and guidance document ACoP L8 & HSG274.

Dantek’s Legionella risk assessment encompasses various critical components, including a full asset register, detailed system schematics, photographic documentation, and comprehensive recommendations for remedial and monitoring tasks. Our assessments are fully compliant with BS8580 standards, providing you with a thorough understanding of your water system’s risk profile and necessary actions for compliance.

Our team can also assist with the development and implementation of a Written Scheme of Control, essential for maintaining safe water systems on-site. Please refer to appendix 2.2, page 55, of the HSG274 part 2 for a summary of the requirements of a written scheme: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg274part2.pdf

Additionally, we provide a Lite version of the Legionella risk assessment designed specifically for sites in the hospitality sector that do not have significant plant items. This streamlined assessment process is particularly valuable for locations with mains-fed systems, offering efficient compliance with regulatory standards while acknowledging the unique characteristics of every business.

For personalized assistance and expert guidance in Legionella risk management, contact Dantek at 01454 417 920 or email us at sales@dantek.co.uk.

Legionella Risk Assessment and Written Scheme Of Control

Legionella Risk Assessment and Written Scheme Of Control: As an educational institution, the safety and well-being of your students and staff are paramount. We understand the importance of ensuring a safe environment for learning and growth, and one significant aspect of this safety is guarding against Legionella susceptibility.

Understanding Legionellosis

Legionellosis is a potentially life-threatening illness caused by Legionella bacteria. Though precise figures for 2021 and 2022 are unavailable, the impact of COVID-19 distorted 2020 statistics, with 295 reported cases in the first ten months. The threat of Legionnaires’ disease is real and necessitates concrete action.

Assessing Susceptibility

An integral part of a Legionella Risk Assessment is evaluating the susceptibility of your institution’s population, which should be periodically reviewed. Factors influencing susceptibility include gender, age, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and underlying medical conditions such as cancer or organ transplants.

While we have little control over preventing Legionella from entering our water systems, contamination from minute traces in mains water and airborne droplets is virtually inevitable. From a risk analysis perspective, it’s essential to anticipate encountering Legionella at some point in your systems’ life cycle.

Key Risk Factors

  • Water temperature between 20–45 °C
  • Stored, stagnant, or re-circulated water
  • Presence of nutrients like sludge, scale, organic materials, and rust
  • Water fittings made of specific materials
  • Potential for aerosol generation
  • Number and susceptibility of your institution’s population
  • Management’s ability to control risk

Steps Involved in a Legionella Risk Assessment: Identification of Potential Hazards:

Legionella Risk assessments involve identifying potential sources of Legionella, such as water storage tanks, showers, Calorifiers, infrequently used outlets and cooling towers plus much more. This step helps create an inventory of potential hazards within your educational setting.

Evaluating Risk Factors:

Once potential hazards are identified, assessing the risk factors associated with each source of Legionella helps prioritize control measures. Factors like water temperature, how often the water is used, stagnation, and the presence of biofilms are considered during this evaluation.

Developing Control Measures:

Based on the risk assessment findings, tailored control measures can be developed. These may include regular monitoring and maintenance of water systems, implementing water treatment strategies, and ensuring appropriate cleaning and disinfection practices.

Monitoring and Reviewing:

Legionella Risk Assessments should be an ongoing process. Regular monitoring and review of control measures help ensure their effectiveness over time and enable timely adjustments if needed.

Once your educational setting has commenced the Legionella Risk Assessment process, it will be categorized on a scale, ranging from Low Risk to High Risk.

Risk Score

  • Low Risk
  • Low / Medium
  • Medium Risk
  • Medium / High
  • High Risk

The actual level of risk your setting faces from Legionella is denoted by its current risk score. It’s crucial to pay attention to the “action to be taken” to mitigate specific risks and evaluate the realistic score following remedial actions.

While completely eliminating Legionella from your educational setting may be an unattainable goal, you can effectively manage and control the risk, ensuring the safety of your staff and students.

All risk assessments are regarded as “working documents,” and as per current guidelines, a risk assessment must be carried out whenever the Approved Code of Practice L8 and guidance applies.

Understanding the Reassessment Process

What does this mean in practice? The front page of the Legionella Risk Assessment contains a resurvey date, initially determined by the risk assessor based on site-specific findings, resulting in a simple risk score categorized as high, medium, or low. Your resurvey date can range from 6 months to 5 years.

But it doesn’t stop there. Even if your Legionella Risk Assessment specifies a resurvey date 24 months from now, this may not be the final word. Simple amendments to the working document or significant changes within your setting can necessitate a new assessment.

For instance, if your school decides to convert the English block into an additional shower block for the expanding sports hall, a new assessment becomes essential. This is classified as “A change to any of the assessed water systems or its use.”

One of the primary challenges educational establishments face is understanding when and how to update their Legionella risk assessments. All risk assessments are considered “working documents” and must align with the Approved Code of Practice L8 and associated guidance. What this essentially means is that your Legionella Risk Assessment should be continually evolving to reflect the current state of your water systems.

  • Resurvey Dates Matter: The resurvey date on your Legionella Risk Assessment is initially determined by the risk assessor, based on site-specific findings. This date can range from 6 months to 5 years, depending on the assessed risk.
  • Changes Trigger Updates: Any significant changes to water systems, their use, or key personnel require a new assessment. For example, if your school decides to convert a math block into an additional shower block, this change necessitates a new assessment.
  • Monitoring and Reviews: Regular monitoring is crucial. If your control regime indicates problems like inadequate water temperature or changes in key personnel, a review becomes necessary.
  • Constant Vigilance: Always remember that a Legionella Risk Assessment is a live document, requiring regular attention and updates.
  • After 3 months, if calorifier 1 in the DT block fails to reach the required 60°C, and outlet temperatures fall within the primary growth range, a review is required.
  • Even a minor staff change, such as a shift in the statutory duty holder or site responsibilities, mandates a review.

Always keep in mind that the Legionella Risk Assessment is a dynamic “working document” and must consistently reflect your school, college or universities current status.

Top Tips
  1. Keep hot water hot.
  2. Keep cold water cold.
  3. Keep the water moving.
  4. Keep it clean.

Consider special measures during academic breaks, such as half-term and summer holidays, to prevent water stagnation that promotes Legionella growth. Develop plans for regular flushing of outlets that go unused during these periods.

Additional Resources: For further information, consult these valuable resources:

  1. Approved Code of Practice https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l8.htm
  2. HSE Website – Legal Updates & Outbreaks https://www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/
  3. HSG274 Technical Guidance https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg274.htm
  4. Dantek – Advice, Services, and Training https://dantekenvironmental.co.uk/

What Our Legionella Risk Assessment Includes

  • Full Asset Register: We meticulously document all relevant assets, including taps, sentinel points, TMV valves, Expansion vessels, Calorifiers, and more. This asset register can be easily exported to an excel file and integrated into our electronic logbook system.
  • System Schematics: Our AutoCAD drawings provide detailed system schematics, highlighting key plant items, valves, loops, and outlet locations. Sentinel outlets are marked for easy identification.
  • Visual Documentation: We include full-colour photographs of assets to enhance understanding.
  • Condition Survey: Our assessment evaluates the current condition of systems, ensuring they adhere to hygienic standards set by the Water Fittings Regulations 1999.
  • Recommendations and Remedial Works: We provide comprehensive recommendations for remedial and monitoring tasks, complete with a risk score comparison before and after implementing these recommendations.
  • Schedule of Remedial Works: A detailed schedule, including pictures, simplifies the delegation of tasks to teams or external contractors.
  • Audit of Existing Records: We assess your existing records systems to ensure compliance with ACoP L8.
  • Guaranteed Compliance: Rest assured, all Dantek Legionella Risk Assessments are fully compliant with both the ACoP L8 and BS8580.

 Written Scheme of Control

When it comes to ensuring the safety of water systems within educational establishments, the Legionella Risk Assessment is just the beginning. One critical component that often arises during assessments is the need for a Written Scheme of Control. This document plays a pivotal role in preventing the growth and proliferation of Legionella bacteria, and Dantek is here to guide you through its creation.

Why a Written Scheme of Control?

A Written Scheme of Control is your roadmap to maintaining water systems that are free from Legionella contamination. During a Legionella Risk Assessment, our assessors may identify that such a scheme is absent. In such cases, it becomes the responsibility of the statutory duty holder and the responsible person to act swiftly.

Tailored to Your System

A well-crafted Written Scheme of Control should be tailored to the specific water systems covered by the Legionella Risk Assessment. It provides a clear framework for managing Legionella risks and outlines the roles and responsibilities of key management personnel and any chosen water hygiene contractors.

What Does It Include?

  1. Here’s what you can expect from a robust Written Scheme of Control:
  2. Roles and Responsibilities: Clearly defined roles for key personnel, ensuring everyone knows their part in Legionella risk management.
  3. Shutdown and Commissioning Procedures: Detailed instructions for safe shutdown and commissioning of water systems.
  4. Response to Faults and Emergencies: A plan outlining how your organization intends to respond in the event of faults or emergencies related to water systems.

Dantek’s Solution

We understand that creating a Written Scheme of Control can be a daunting task, especially if it’s your first time. That’s why we offer an optional extra to simplify the process. Our initial custom Written Scheme of Control template is a live document that provides easy-to-follow steps for managing Legionella risks on a site-specific basis.

Your Input Matters

While our template serves as a valuable starting point, it’s essential to emphasize that it may not be considered suitable or sufficient by enforcing authorities without your organization’s input and ownership. The document should reflect how your organization operates and manage the control scheme for Legionella risk.

Your Responsibility

Ultimately, the responsibility lies with the statutory duty holder and the responsible person to review the information in the document. You have the power to add or revise text to ensure it aligns accurately with your practices.

For a detailed overview of the requirements of a Written Scheme of Control, please refer to Appendix 2.2, page 55, of the HSG274 Part 2.

Dantek is committed to ensuring the safety of your educational establishment by not only conducting thorough Legionella Risk Assessments but also guiding you through the creation of a robust Written Scheme of Control.

With this comprehensive knowledge and the collaboration of Legionella experts, you can ensure your educational institution remains a safe place for learning and growth.

Our Expert Team is Here to Support You

Contact Us Now!

📞 Phone: 01454 417 920

📧 Email: sales@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

Back To Top