Legionella Risk Assessment in Chelmsford
Our experts are on hand to deliver professional, reliable and cost-effective Legionella risk assessments that help to proactively ensure the safety of your building and its occupants.
When it comes to owning a property or business, nothing is more important than the health and safety of the employees, tenants and people who live in, work at or visit the building each day.
Legionella is a type of bacteria which can thrive under certain conditions within water systems, where, if the aerosolised particles are inhaled, they can lead to Legionnaires’ disease, a potentially fatal form of pneumonia.
At Swiftclean, our experts are on hand to deliver professional, reliable and cost-effective Legionella risk assessments that help to proactively ensure the safety of your building and its occupants. Our Chelmsford Legionella risk assessment services not only help to maintain compliance with the relevant health and safety regulations but work to protect the people who depend on your premises.
Understanding the Risks of Legionella Bacteria
Legionella bacteria can thrive in water systems under the right conditions which, if not properly managed, can cause Legionnaires’ disease, posing a significant health risk to everyone who uses or visits the premises. These bacteria naturally occur in freshwater environments, yet become hazardous when they spread through man-made water systems under optimal conditions, including;
- Where temperatures range between 20-45°C as the bacteria can multiply rapidly.
- Stagnant water caused by redundant pipework, dead ends, or infrequently used pipes that increase the chances of bacterial growth compared to moving water.
- Nutrients which can fuel Legionella growth, such as slime, rust, sediment, sludge, and scale.
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Industrial sites, large public buildings, and healthcare facilities face elevated risks due to their extensive and often complex water networks. These environments can contain rarely used pipework, leading to stagnant water, conditions in which Legionella bacteria flourish, making Legionella risk assessments essential for public safety.
The danger comes from inhaling the contaminated water droplets, which is how Legionnaires’ disease is contracted. Certain groups face heightened vulnerability to Legionella infection including – those over 50, current or former smokers, and individuals with specific health conditions. Additionally, those with cancer, chronic lung disease, diabetes, kidney failure, liver failure or weakened immune systems are significantly more susceptible.
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Swiftclean commitment:
- FREE quotation/technical advice – Nationwide – call 0800 243 471
- Works carried out in accordance with the Legionella Control Association (LCA) code of conduct
- Risk Assessments and control schemes carried out to L8, BSRIA and CIBSE guidelines
- All works fully certified and legionella control log books provided
- Fully trained and directly employed staff
- Method Statements and Risk Assessments provided site specific as required
- Training for your own staff following risk assessment
What is Our Legionella Risk Assessment Process?
We have a systematic approach to Legionella risk assessments. Our specialists begin the process with a thorough examination of your entire water system. Initially, we conduct a detailed on-site inspection, mapping out all water systems on your property, including hot and cold-water systems, cooling towers, and any other water features. This comprehensive mapping is essential for identifying potential risk areas.
Subsequently, we examine temperature profiles throughout your water system. Since temperature control is the primary method for managing Legionella risk, we verify that hot water is stored at 60°C or higher and distributed at 50°C or higher, while cold water remains below 20°C. We identify “sentinel” outlets (furthest and closest to each tank or cylinder) for monthly monitoring.
Our assessment primarily focuses on six key areas:
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- Risk level assessment for building occupants, especially vulnerable individuals
- Detailed documentation of cold and hot water systems
- Temperature profiling at all water outlets
- Comprehensive assessment of cold-water storage conditions
- Evaluation of hot water system types and insulation adequacy
- Identification of additional risk areas such as dead legs, redundant pipework, or infrequently used outlets
Moreover, we review your existing management procedures and documentation, including previous assessments, to ensure that all previous recommendations have been implemented. We examine whether your current control measures are effective and identify any improvements needed.
Following the assessment, we then prepare a detailed report with specific recommendations tailored to your water system. The report outlines an ongoing control scheme that may include routine temperature checks, tank inspections, outlet flushing, and cleaning schedules. Altogether, this creates a living document that guides your Legionella risk management process.
Why Choose Swiftclean for Legionella Risk Assessments?
When selecting a provider for your Legionella risk assessment in Chelmsford, expertise and credentials make all the difference in ensuring your safety and compliance. Our team stands apart through our unwavering commitment to excellence and a thorough approach to water safety.
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- Technical Partnership – we work closely with our clients, bringing in-depth knowledge of current legislation, industry codes of practice, guidelines and clauses relevant to Legionella control.
- Industry experts – we employ and train our workforce to directly carry out our services, ensuring only trusted and skilled specialists work on your property.
- Accreditation – We have achieved ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certification, which helps to provide assurances that our services are of the highest quality, delivered within a safe management framework and are completed with due regard for their impact on the environment.
- All of our consultants are DBS checked, helping to provide complete peace of mind regarding who is accessing your premises.
- Given that Legionella risk assessments are a legal requirement under the Health and Safety at Work Act, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH), and Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, our services help you maintain full compliance with all regulatory obligations.
Legionella risk management remains an essential responsibility for all property owners and managers. Enlisting the services of professional, experienced and skilled Legionella specialists helps to ensure that your property is safe and compliant.
At Swiftclean, our dedicated team of experts is ready to deliver comprehensive Legionella risk assessment services tailored to your specific property needs. If you have any questions or would like to know more about Chelmsford Legionella risk assessments, then please get in touch and one of our friendly advisors will be happy to help.
Our South England Team
We are well placed to provide expert Legionella risk assessments across South England using locally based teams. We deliver reliable, professional service you can trust.
Swiftclean has been working across South England for over 40 years, helping Housing Associations, Councils, Hotels, Restaurants, Schools, Facilities Management companies, and M&E contractors stay compliant with their water hygiene and Legionella control responsibilities.
- Bedfordshire
- Brighton
- Chelmsford
- Essex
- Harlow
- Hertfordshire
- Ipswich
- London
- Surrey
- Southend
- & more areas
More resources and best practice
What is a Legionella Risk Assesment?
A Legionella risk assessment is a tool used to identify the risk factors in a facility and determine interventions to help control the risks of Legionnaires’ disease.
Legionella assessment helps to evaluate and mitigate the risks and is also a legal requirement for employers; this includes the owners and operators of commercial buildings including social housing, facilities management, healthcare, hotels and many others. Owners and operators have a statutory duty to control the risk of legionella bacteria in water systems.
If the assessment suggests that remedial action is required, Swiftclean are able to undertake these tasks to help remove / reduce the risk of Legionella proliferation and exposure.
What is Legionella and What Causes It?
Legionnaires disease is a severe form of pneumonia – a lung inflammation caused by infection. The disease is normally contracted by inhalation, either in tiny droplets of water (aerosols), or in droplet nuclei (the particles left after the water has evaporated) contaminated with Legionella bacteria, direct into the lungs.
Legionella bacteria is widespread within natural water sources such as river, lakes and reservoirs. The bacteria may also be found in purpose-built water systems such as cooling towers, hot and cold water systems and spa pools. People can contract the illness by inhaling small droplets of water in the air containing the bacteria.
Outbreaks of Legionnaires disease often occur from exposure to the Legionella bacteria growing in purpose-built water systems where poor water condition allows for the proliferation of the legionella bacteria to dangerous levels. The disease cannot be spread from person to person – only by contaminated water being inhaled.
Legionella UK Specialists
Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations, owners and operators of all commercial premises (including: Social Housing, Facilities Management, Hotels & Stadiums, Healthcare, Education and many others) have a statutory duty to control the risk of legionella bacteria in water systems. This includes: identifying and assessing the sources of risk, preparing a scheme for preventing or controlling the risk, appointing a person to be managerially responsible, implementing and managing precautions and keeping records of the precautions implemented.
Swiftclean can conduct a Legionella Risk Assessment, which will identify the level of risk within your property.
Is It A Legal Requirement to Have A Legionella Risk Assessment?
There is a legal duty in place to assess and control the risk of exposure to Legionella bacteria, especially for commercial businesses, including hotels, spas, schools and social housing.
This assessment should be considered a ‘living document’ and reviewed regularly and/or whenever there is reason to believe that the original assessment may no longer be valid. This may be because of:
- changes to the water system or its use;
- changes to the use of the building in which the system is installed;
- the availability of new information about risks or control measures;
- the results of checks indicate that control measures are no longer effective.
- changes to key personnel
- a case of legionnaires disease associated with the system
Legionella Risk Assessment for Landlords
Landlords are under a duty to ensure that the risk of exposure to tenants, residents and visitors to Legionella is properly assessed and controlled. Health and safety legislation requires Landlords to carry out risk assessments and maintain control measures to minimise the risk.
Property managers or individuals responsible for the control of Legionella bacteria should ensure a safe and disease-free environment. The law is clear that if you are a landlord and rent out your property (or even a room within your own home) then you have legal responsibilities to ensure that the property is kept safe from health hazards. The requirement stems from the COSHH Regulations, which require the control of substances hazardous to health, bacteria being included; Section 3(2) of the Health and Safety Work Act 1974 to make provisions for the legislation to apply to landlords of both business and domestic premises.
Landlord Risk Assessment Details
A Landlord’s risk assessment provided by Swiftclean will include the following details:
- Potential sources of risk
- Any controls in place to control risks
- Procedures for monitoring, inspecting and maintaining
- Records of the monitored results, inspections and checks carried out
- Arrangements to review the risk assessment regularly
Why Choose Swiftclean?
If you manage a water system within a building and you require a risk assessment with control measures in place – Swiftclean are here to help.
We are known for being hassle-free, reliable and competitively priced. With a Legionella risk assessment from Swiftclean, you can help to prevent the deadly disease and rest easy knowing that professional measures are in place to help keep your business safe.
Our team of engineers will carry out comprehensive Legionella testing, tailor an action plan to your business and provide a written review to ensure that your business is compliant to the industry standards.
Whatever your needs, get in touch with Swiftclean today. We’re here to provide advice and cost-effective Legionella risk assessments and management to companies of all sizes in the UK.
What is Legionnaires’ disease?
Legionnaires’ disease can be a potentially fatal disease, caused by the inhalation of small droplets of contaminated water containing the bacterium Legionella pneumophila and related bacteria. Man-made hot and cold water systems are likely, if conditions deteriorate, to provide an environment where Legionella can grow, so it’s important to ensure your water systems are safe and not at risk of developing this fatal bacteria.
How much does a risk assessment cost?
The price of a risk assessment will differ depending on the size of the premises, how many water systems there are and whether it’s for domestic or commercial use. Contact us today for your FREE, no obligation quote.
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Please call us or email info@swiftclean.co.uk for further advice and a free quote.
