Legionella

Legionella Risk Assessment

Occupli Consultancy is a leading provider of Legionella Risk Assessments to our clients all over Ireland. Our specialists provide practical advice, training and practical solutions to Legionnaires Disease problems in the workplace.

Exposure to Legionella can be fatal and many deaths have been caused to employees and to people who were exposed to the bacteria while in close proximity to workplaces eg. in hotels, hospitals, etc.

Occupli Consultancy Services

Occupli Consultancy carries out detailed Legionella Risk Assessments that both identify and assess the risk of exposure to Legionella bacteria in your workplace. The assessment will identify the work activities and locations of the exposures and will of course list precisely any necessary precautionary control measures both interim and long term.

The Legionella Risk Assessment includes such specific items as follows:

• Identifying and assessing likely sources of risk
• Recommending schemes to help control the risk
• Suggesting a suitable routine monitoring program
• Clarifying lines of responsibility
• Identifying training deficiencies
• Providing recommendations

The following areas may be inspected during the assessment:

• Visual inspection of plant to identify sources of contamination or physical deficiencies.
• Temperature measurements
• Review of current control measures.

Applicable Irish Legislation

The principal occupational health and safety legislation in controlling Legionnaires’ disease include:

• Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (No.10 of 2005)
• Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No.299 of 2007)
• Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Biological Agents) Regulations 2013 and 2020 (S.I. No.572 of 2013 and S.I. 539 of 2020)
• Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Chemical Agents) Regulations, 2001-2015 (S.I. No.619 of 2001 and S.I. 623 of 2015)

Under Section 19 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, employers and those who control workplaces are required to carry out risk assessments. This would cover the assessment and control of the risks associated with Legionella in water systems.

The Occupli Legionella Risk Assessment programme has been developed in accordance with:

• Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), National Guidelines for the Control of Legionellosis in Ireland, 2009
• UK HSE ‘Legionnaires’ Disease – The control of legionella bacteria in water systems – Approved
• Code of Practice & guidance’ (L8).
• UK HSE ‘Legionnaires’ Disease – Technical Guidance’ (HSG 274 Parts 1 – 3)