Water safety

Legionella risk assessments for landlords, care homes & businesses

A clear assessment of your water systems and a written control scheme that's realistic to run, in line with the HSE's Approved Code of Practice L8.

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Why legionella matters

Legionnaires' disease is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia caught by breathing in small droplets of water containing legionella bacteria. The bacteria multiply in water between about 20°C and 45°C, particularly where water stagnates or where there's scale, sludge or biofilm. Showers, spray taps and similar outlets can then release contaminated droplets into the air.

Older people, smokers and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk, which is why care homes and similar settings need particular care.

Your legal duties

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the COSHH Regulations 2002, anyone in control of premises, including employers and landlords, must identify and control the risk from legionella. The HSE's Approved Code of Practice L8 and its technical guidance HSG274 explain how. In practice, you should:

  • identify and assess the risk from your water systems
  • appoint someone responsible for managing the controls
  • where there's a reasonably foreseeable risk, put a written scheme in place to prevent or control it
  • carry out the scheme and check it's working
  • keep records, generally for at least five years

What's included

  • Site survey of your hot and cold water systems, including tanks, water heaters, outlets and little-used areas
  • A schematic diagram of the water system
  • A risk assessment report in plain English
  • A written control scheme with practical tasks and frequencies
  • Monitoring guidance, such as temperature checks (HSG274 sets targets including hot water stored at 60°C or above, distributed at 50°C or above, and cold water below 20°C) and flushing little-used outlets
  • Record-keeping templates so your checks are easy to evidence

Who we help

Landlords and letting agents, HMOs, care homes, schools and nurseries, hotels and pubs, offices, gyms and any business with hot and cold water systems.

FAQs

Legionella questions

Do residential landlords need a legionella risk assessment?

Yes. Landlords must assess and control the risk from legionella in their properties. For many simple domestic systems the assessment is straightforward and the risk is low, but it still needs to be done.

How often should the assessment be reviewed?

Regularly, and whenever there's reason to think it's no longer valid, for example after changes to the water system, a change in use of the building, or if monitoring shows the controls aren't working.

What's a written control scheme?

It's the practical plan for controlling the risk: what checks to do, how often, who does them and what to do if results are outside the targets. We write it so it's realistic for your team to follow.

Is the risk higher in care homes?

Residents are often more vulnerable, so controls need to be robust. Care settings also need to manage the risk of scalding from hot water, which has to be balanced with legionella control.

Health & Safety that's easy to work with.

Tell us about your business and we'll be in touch with clear, practical next steps.

Get a quote enquiries@mmsc.uk