Changes to the HSE Approved Code of Practice, L8 Legionnaires Disease

1. Anthony Hoare
Head of Surveying, Swiftclean
• BSc (Hons) Applied Geography
• Joined Swiftclean as Head of Surveying in
2006
• Runs a team of 9 Compliance Risk Assessors
across the UK
• Has trained thousands of FMs since 2006
• Over 250 FMs from BHS (Arcadia Group)

2. Anthony Hoare
Swiftclean , Head of Surveying
Legionella L8 updates

3. Water quality
• Wholesome water is an essential requirement
for quality of life
• UK Water Quality is considered one of the best
in the world
• Supply into a building is the responsibility of
the local Water Authority

4. Legionella – A brief History
• Initial outbreak in
1976
• Bacteria causes a
serious pneumonia
• Fatal in 12% of
cases
• 250 cases each
year in the UK

5. Domestic
Water
Systems

6. History of UK Legionella Guidance
• HSG 70 1993
• ACOP L8 2000
• ACOP L8 2013 (HSG 274)
• Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations
2001
• Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations
1999

7. Importance of Management
• Requirement under the Health and Safety at
Work Act 1974 as well as the COSHH
Regulations 2002
• Health and Safety Offenses Act
• Active management may highlight other
potential issues

10. ACOP L8 2013 - Legionnaires’ disease
The control of legionella bacteria in
water systems
The ACOP and Guidance are now
separate documents
The ACOP focuses on
requirements of Risk Assessment,
Responsibility and Management
"The Science of Compliance"

11. HSG 274
Three separate documents:
• Part 1: Guidance on Evaporative Cooling
• Part 2: Guidance on Domestic water systems
• Part 3: Guidance on other risk systems

12. Main Changes
Clarification on responsibilities:
• Statutory Duty Holder
• Appointed Responsible Person
• Deputy Responsible Person
• The Importance of competence

13. Competence
• Essential for any Health and Safety Task
• Legionella Control Association
• Water Management Society Training
• Knowledge, Training, Ability and resources

14. Changes to Domestic Water
System Management
• No appointed time frame for risk assessment
review
• A risk assessment should be reviewed when
there are changes made to the system and/or
when there are changes to the management
team
• Specific guidance for monitoring of specific
water system assets

15. Requirements of Landlords
• “Organisations, or self-employed individuals,
who provide residential accommodation or who
are responsible for the water system(s) in their
premises, are responsible for ensuring that the
risk of exposure to legionella in those premises
is properly controlled.”

16. Case Study – ASRA Housing
Group
• Over 70 properties
• Ranging from 28 storey apartment blocks to
managed bungalow/houses
• Many occupants are considered high risk

17. Case Study – ASRA Housing
Group
• Swiftclean have managed the ASRA contract
for 8 years
• No legionella outbreaks in this time
• Successfully re-bid and re-won the 2013 tender
process for a 5 year extension

18. Case Study – ASRA Housing
Group
• Risk Assessment Review every 2 years
• Monthly Temperature Checks
• Quarterly Shower cleaning
• 6 Monthly Tank Inspections
• Annual Calorifier/Hot water cylinder
Inspections

19. Case Study – ASRA Housing
Group
• Difficulties with Management:
− Access
− Safeguarding susceptible persons
• Interpreting the guidance for tenanted buildings
− Where does the responsibility lie?

20. Summary
• Legionella is a waterborne bacteria present in
Mains water
• UK Guidance clearly outlines the need for an
effective management structure of competent
persons
• A risk assessment is essential as a starting
point
• On-going planned preventative maintenance
will ensure good future water quality

21. Legionella Control Association
• The LCA was founded in 1999 by the British
Association of Chemical Specialities (BACS)
and the Water Management Society (WMSoc)
• It is a voluntary, independent, not for profit
organisation managed by a committee drawn
from BACS, WMSoc, industry experts and
health authorities

22. Legionella Control Association
• Each company registered with the LCA has a
statement of compliance which consists of 9
service provider commitments to ensure
appropriate internal systems for legionella
control
• One of these commitments is to provide annual
reviews with clients to ensure effective
legionella management control is in place

23. Legionella Control Association
• Swiftclean successfully re-registered in August
2014 with no changes required to our
statement of compliance

25. Legionella Control Association
• Annual review document