Legionella Risk Assessments in
Wales & South West
Legionella is a type of waterborne bacteria responsible for Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia. It thrives in man-made water systems such as storage tanks, bathrooms, and kitchens. Infection occurs when people inhale tiny airborne droplets (aerosols) that contain the bacteria.
The bacteria multiply rapidly in contaminated water, especially when temperatures range between 20°C and 45°C. Effective control therefore relies on keeping hot water hot and cold water cold. Conditions like rust, scale, sludge, and biofilms also encourage Legionella growth, making regular cleaning and proper maintenance of water systems critical.
Legislation
UK Legionella Regulations
Legionella risk management in the UK is backed by strict health and safety laws. Together, they place a clear duty on employers, landlords, and building managers to keep water systems safe and protect people from harm. Key regulations include:
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Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA) – Duty of care to keep premises safe and free from health risks.
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COSHH 2002 – Legionella is classed as a hazardous substance; employers must assess risks, control exposure, train staff, and keep records.
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MHSWR 1999 – Requires risk assessments for workplace hazards, including Legionella, with regular reviews and updates.
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Notification of Cooling Towers Regulations 1992 – Cooling towers and evaporative condensers must be registered with the local authority.
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RIDDOR 2013 – Any case of Legionnaires’ disease linked to your premises must be reported to the HSE.
Legionella Risk Assessments
If you own or manage a building in the UK, you are legally required to carry out a Legionella risk assessment under the HSE’s Approved Code of Practice L8 (ACoP L8). This assessment is the first step in protecting your staff, tenants, or visitors from the risks of Legionnaires’ disease.
A professional Legionella risk assessment will:
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Pinpoint risk areas – We look for places where Legionella bacteria could grow, such as water tanks, pipework dead-legs, or low-use outlets.
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Identify who’s at risk – Certain groups, like the elderly, hospital patients, or people with weakened immune systems, are more vulnerable.
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Recommend control measures – From keeping hot and cold water at the right temperatures, to flushing unused outlets and improving system design, we outline practical steps to keep your system safe.
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Ensure compliance – The law requires the assessment to be carried out by a competent person with the right training and expertise.
Because water systems can be complex, many businesses and landlords choose to use a specialist Legionella risk assessor. This ensures the assessment is thorough, legally compliant, and tailored to the needs of your site.
We provide clear reports, easy-to-follow action plans, and expert advice to help you stay compliant and give you peace of mind that your water system is safe.
Legionella Management Plans
Once your risk assessment has highlighted any potential problem areas, the next step is to put a Legionella management plan in place. This plan is your roadmap to keeping your water systems safe, compliant, and free from harmful bacteria.
A good management plan should be clear, practical, and tailored to your building’s needs. It usually includes:
Temperature control
Legionella bacteria thrive between 20°C and 45°C. To stop growth, hot water should be stored at 60°C or above and delivered to taps and showers at a minimum of 50°C. Cold water must stay consistently below 20°C. Regular monitoring ensures these safe temperatures are maintained.
Flushing unused outlets
Taps, showers, or pipes that aren’t used regularly can become breeding grounds for bacteria. Routine flushing helps prevent water from becoming stagnant and keeps the system safe.
Water treatment solutions
In some cases, chemical treatments like chlorination or other disinfection methods may be used as an extra safeguard. These ensure bacteria are killed and water quality is maintained.
Cleaning and descaling
Showers, taps, water tanks, and pipework can build up scale, rust, or biofilm over time – all of which encourage Legionella growth. Regular cleaning and descaling stop this build-up and keep your systems in good condition.
Clear records and monitoring
Compliance isn’t just about taking action – it’s also about proving it. A proper plan includes written logs of temperature checks, flushing schedules, and maintenance activities, so you can demonstrate compliance if inspected.
By putting these measures in place, you not only meet your legal duties under ACoP L8 and HSG274 but also protect the people in your building from serious health risks.
If your site has a complex or high-risk water system, our team can design and manage a custom Legionella control plan for you, giving you peace of mind that everything is covered.
Ongoing Monitoring
Keeping accurate records isn’t just good practice – in many cases, it’s the law. Under the HSE’s Approved Code of Practice L8 (ACoP L8), any business with five or more employees must keep written records as part of their Legionella control duties.
Your records should cover:
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Risk assessments – Document every Legionella risk assessment you carry out. These need to be kept for at least two years.
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Monitoring, testing, and inspections – Logs of temperature checks, flushing routines, water sampling, and system inspections must be kept for a minimum of five years.
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Corrective actions – If an issue is found, you must record what steps were taken, who carried them out, and when.
Even if your business has fewer than five employees, maintaining records is still highly recommended. It helps you prove compliance, gives peace of mind to staff, tenants, and visitors, and provides a clear history of your water safety measures should the HSE or local authority ever request evidence.
Good record-keeping also makes your life easier. By keeping everything in one place – whether it’s a logbook or a digital monitoring system – you can quickly track what’s been done, spot patterns, and plan maintenance before small issues turn into costly problems.
We can provide professional record-keeping templates and digital reporting options, so you’ll always have the right paperwork ready for inspections.