No matter where you work, where you go in your spare time, or where you visit in your day to day activities, there is always a risk of legionella bacteria being present. Recently, American Airlines has said that legionella was found in water within their maintenance hangars used at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. According to reports, ‘varying levels’ of bacteria found in the hangars, but no one came down with legionnaires’ disease. As a precaution, American Airlines are going to install filters and their showers and tap outlets, and (although legionnaires’ disease cannot be caught through drinking infected water) providing bottled water to workers on site.
One of the problems with legionella is that it can turn up anywhere at any time if the conditions are right and there is no preventative water hygiene programme in place. This is why a legionella risk assessment should be the first thing to be organised, as well as a round of routine bacterial testing. The risk assessment will point out areas that could be (or are) problems when it comes to breeding legionella bacteria, but it will also give recommendations and suggestions as to how to combat these issues.
The specific legionella testing – which should always be carried out by a UKAS accredited lab (a number of which, we are happy to say, we are partners with), and this will confirm whether or not there is a current legionella problem on site. If there is, this will need to be dealt with (there are a few options, and a professional legionella control expert such as the ones at Assured Water will be able to give you all the details you need about that) and then a control regime put in place.
It’s so important. Would you ignore the need for health and safety in general? Or a fire risk assessment? It’s unlikely (we hope!)… And a legionella risk assessment is just as important.
Get in touch today – we can carry out risk assessments, suggest control regimes, work with your current water hygiene company as an auditor or consultant… Let us know what you need, and we will help you get it.