Guernsey's Legionella Specialists
Legionella & Your Duty
What is legionella?
Put simply Legionnaires' disease is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia and everyone is potentially susceptible to infection with a fatality rate between 7% - 13%
We first found out about it in the summer of 1976, where veterans and others who had attended an American Legion convention in Philadelphia began to develop an unidentifiable illness. Many people later were hospitalised with pneumonia, fever, and other symptoms. More than 25 died of what was soon termed "Legionnaires' Disease." Eventually, public health officials determined that infection by a certain type of bacteria was to blame for the illnesses and deaths.
Legionellosis is a collective term for diseases caused by legionella bacteria including the most serious Legionnaires' Disease, as well as the similar but less serious conditions of Pontiac Fever and Lochgoilhead Fever
We now know that there are over 50 species of legionella bacteria, with Legionella pneumophila being responsible for the majority of cases of human infection, Legionella bacteria are widespread in natural water systems such as rivers and ponds. However, the conditions are rarely right for people to catch the disease from these sources.
Unfortunately Legionella will naturally enter a water system in very low levels through the incoming main or through other means e.g. open water storage tanks or by back flow through a tap etc..
Once Legionella enters the water system, given the right conditions the bacteria will proliferate, form a biofilm and distribute throughout the system
You and Your Duty
As an employer or organisation in control of any premises, you have an absolute legal duty to undertake a legionella risk assessment and implement a suitable scheme of control, Here in Guernsey this duty is a requirement of Health and Safety at Work (General) (Guernsey) Ordinance, 1987 and subsequent ACoP The Control of Legionella Bacteria in Water Systems in Guernsey - Approved Code of Practice and Guidance.
This document states that you have a duty of care to people who…
- Work for you, including casual & work experience workers, part-timers, trainees and subcontractors
- Use a property you provide (i.e. you are a landlord)
- Are allowed to use your equipment
- Visit your premises (customers & contractors)
- May be affected by your work (public, other workers, your neighbours)
- Use products you make, supply or import
- Use your professional services (e.g. designers)
These document provide thorough and informed guidance on the control of Legionella, However, it is not always easy to read at face value as a lot of the information provided won’t be relevant to most systems.
Guernsey HSE state as a minimum requirement:-
"The principal requirements of the ACoP are as follows:-
- Under the Health and Safety at Work (General) (Guernsey) Ordinance, 1987, dutyholders including employers or those in control of premises, must ensure the health and safety of their employees or others who may be affected by their undertaking and must take suitable precautions to prevent or control the risk of exposure to Legionella.
- Identify and assess sources of risk by carrying out a Legionella risk assessment and ensuring it remains up to date;
- Prepare a written scheme of control (or course of action) for preventing or controlling the risk;
- Either understand, or appoint somebody competent who knows how to identify and assess sources of risk, manage those risks, prevent or control any risks and keep records;
- Implement and manage scheme of control - such as appointing a competent person to be managerially responsible, sometimes referred to at the 'responsible person';
- To provide information, instruction and training for persons with delegated responsibilities;
- Dutyholders must ensure that any contractors employed are competent to carry out the required tasks and that the tasks are carried out to the required standards."