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Risk Assessments |
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This comprehensive and trained process is an examination of water systems and storage locations to assess their condition to ensure hygienic conditions exist and are maintained. In particular, an assessment will highlight any risk with due regard to the building use and occupancy.
The risk assessment does not only concentrate on the physical conditions of the associated plant and equipment, the "hardware", but also assesses the risk generated by the management and execution of the systems and controls in place, the "software". Both of these are specific requirements of The Health and Safety Commission's Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) L8.
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| ACoP L8 |
The ACoP L8 is a Health and Safety Executive document and applies to:
"The control of Legionella bacteria in any undertaking involving a work activity and to premises controlled in connection with a trade, business or other undertaking where water is stored and where there is a means of creating and transmitting water droplets which may be inhaled, thereby causing a reasonably foreseeable risk of exposure to Legionella bacteria."
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A reasonably foreseeable risk of exposure to Legionella bacteria can exist in:
- Water systems incorporating a cooling tower
- Water systems incorporating an evaporative condenser
- Hot and Cold water systems
- Other plant and systems containing water which is likely to exceed 20°C and which may release a spray or aerosol during operation or when being maintained
Your legal duties:
- Identify and assess sources of risk
- Prepare a written scheme for preventing or controlling the risk
- Appoint a person to be managerially responsible
- Implement and manage precautions
- Keep records of the precautions implemented
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| AES Standards: |
To outline and place on record, a descriptive plan of the extent, condition and design of the domestic water systems and to assess the risk of bacterial contamination posed by these systems, particularly the Legionella pneumophila species.
Water hygiene survey
- A comprehensive multi-point physical examination of installed domestic cold water storage vessels, POU water heaters, calorifiers and associated pipework
- Where guidance exists, e.g. BS6700 and ACOP L8, such documentation is employed in assessing equipment standards
- Assessment of the effectiveness of the precautions that are currently being applied
Microbiological analysis of domestic water service
- To assess the quality of the domestic water services with regard to general microbiological activity
- Sterile containers containing Sodium Thiosulphate as per Environment Agency Practices and Procedures for sampling drinking water 2002 for sampling criteria and/or combination dipslides for bacteria count, and yeast / fungi count bacteria yeast and mould count
- Water samples collected from representative locations within the domestic water services
- Bacteriological samples are collected and transported as per UKAS accredited sample methods
- Samples are independently analysed by a UKAS accredited laboratory
Water temperature measurements
- To assess the physical temperature of the water services to establish safe thermal conditions exist
- Digital read out meters, immersion and contact temperature probes
- All testing is undertaken using equipment which has been pre-calibrated, in accordance with UKAS accredited test methods
- The optimum growth temperature for Legionella pneumophila is between 35°C and 46°C and it is a recognised fact that this bacteria can readily multiply in water systems that are within a temperature range of between 20°C and 50°C
Production of a site visit log book
- A comprehensive and user-friendly operating and record-keeping manual, which enables owners and operators of water systems to demonstrate their compliance for inspection by the Health and Safety Executive or Environmental Health Officer
- Log book to contain:
- Reiteration and guidance of the latest approved codes and statutory responsibilities
- System risk assessment reports
- System and equipment inspection reports
- System schematics, data and photographs
- Identification of responsible persons
- Risk report, conclusions and recommendations
- Log of control and monitoring measures, results and actions
- Annual clean and disinfection reports and site log book sheets
Recommendations
- Recommendations to resolve all highlighted potential threats and to ensure compliance
- Recommendations are made within the specific requirements of the site and take into consideration available manpower and budgets
- Potential recommendations:
- Monitoring and inspecting more
- Clean and disinfection more
- Tank refurbishment and replacement more
- Remedial action more
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