Legal Obligations
We confirm we have explained to you your obligations under the Law in respect of legionella control. For further details of the relevant Law please see standards and guidance at https://www.legionellacontrol.org.uk/standards/.
Legionella Control Association (LCA) Information
Ideally all appointed specialists should be Legionella Control Association (LCA) registered for the legionella control services supplied-which we are. Please see www.legionellacontrol.org.uk for the LCA’s latest Code of Conduct and evidence of our LCA registration for the legionella control services quoted for.
As part of our LCA membership we are required to inform you of a number of items of concern to the duty holder/legionella responsible person.
To comply with the Law, Regulations and ACoP L8 the management must:
identify and assess sources of risk
prepare a scheme for preventing or controlling the risk
appoint a competent person known as the responsible person
implement and manage precautions
review the control measures
keep records of the precautions implemented and will do so for each of the premises under our control
Records:
Whilst we are offering the services detailed in this quotation, the ultimate responsibility for managing legionella risks lies with you. This includes the requirement for maintaining all records for the legionella control activities – as advised in ACoP L8 – on the system in a central location, ideally a logbook. You are responsible for maintaining the records, including any we issue to you as part of our works: legionella risk assessment – These records should be retained throughout the period they are current and for at least two years afterwards. Retain records of any monitoring inspection, test or check carried out, and the dates, for at least five years.
We maintain records of all our activates associated with your site(s) for a 5 year period. These are available to you for a 5 year period after completion of the works at your site(s). Your primary contact for all matters is the quote signatory, the secondary is our offices. All contact details are as per the quotation. For the specific legionella control services quoted please review the below:
Legionella Risk Assessment Service
It is the responsibility of the duty holder to:
- Ensure there is a Legionella risk assessment record that includes all systems where water is stored/used in any premises controlled by the duty holder, and that it is reviewed regularly to ensure it is valid and reassessed when required.
- Clearly define the scope of any required Legionella risk assessment.
- Make reasonable enquiries of proof of competence of the Legionella risk assessor.
- Ensure any schematic diagrams and asset registers are available to inform and help the risk assessor.
- Ensure the findings of the legionella risk assessment including the required corrective actions and control measures are implemented, or if not implemented recorded as to why they were not.
- Ensure a written scheme of control is produced and maintained and the output from the scheme of control is recorded and used in any subsequent review of risk.
- Ensure regular reviews of the effectiveness of Legionella control activities are carried out to verify the written scheme of control remains adequate and if they are not to carry out a review of the legionella risk assessment.
- Have change management procedures and or regular review procedures to determine if the existing risk assessment is still valid, suitable, and sufficient. If it is not, then a reassessment of the risk is required.
Water Treatment and Hot and Cold Water Monitoring and Inspection Services
It is the responsibility of the duty holder/responsible person to:
- Have a legionella risk assessment, written scheme of control and schematic diagram in place which includes a programme of treatment, monitoring, and inspection (and may include legionella sampling) and make this available to us.
- Provide sufficient information to allow us to design an appropriate treatment programme, including a legionella sampling plan if appropriate.
- Make the systems available for the agreed work, with safe access, and adequate notice to ourselves to schedule and execute the agreed work.
- Provide us with any information on known risks and safety requirements in the areas we will be working.
- Ensure the control scheme tasks you are responsible for are completed and recorded.
- Participate in the agreed review process.
Cleaning & Disinfection Services
t is the responsibility of the duty holder/responsible person to:
- Maintain the water system, and the water in it, in a clean condition and to facilitate inspection to determine if the system is clean or not.
- Make the systems available for the agreed work, with safe access, and adequate notice to ourselves to schedule and execute the agreed work.
- Provide us with any information on known risks and safety requirements in the areas we will be working, and advise of any known deadlegs, redundant pipework and the location of schematic diagrams.
- Ensure any preparatory work you are responsible for is completed prior to commencing cleaning and disinfection work.
- Ensure any necessary trade effluent discharge consent is in place for effluent generated from the cleaning and disinfection process.
- Designate drains to use for wastewater from the cleaning & disinfection process and identify sensitive equipment on the system requiring isolation prior to the work. You are responsible for the isolation of this equipment unless defined as our responsibility in our issued method statement.
- Dispose of any solid waste generated by the cleaning process, unless identified as otherwise in the method statement.
Training Services
It is the responsibility of the duty holder/responsible person to:
- Assess the:
a. training needs of your staff
b. review staff training records and identify any further training requirements
c. complete regular competence assessments for specific tasks - Determine if the content of any training offered meets your requirements.
Legionella Analytical Services
It is the responsibility of the duty holder/responsible person to:
- Have a legionella risk assessment, written scheme of control and schematic diagram in place which includes a programme of treatment, monitoring, and inspection (and may include legionella sampling) and make this available to us.
- Provide sufficient information to allow us to design an appropriate treatment programme, including a legionella sampling plan if appropriate.
- Make the systems available for the agreed work, with safe access, and adequate notice to ourselves to schedule and execute the agreed work.
- Provide us with any information on known risks and safety requirements in the areas we will be working.
- Ensure the control scheme tasks you are responsible for are completed and recorded.
- Participate in the agreed review process.
- We will report interim results as soon as possible after receipt from the laboratory and follow up with final results as possible after receipt from the laboratory.
Note: When taking legionella samples, we do not use composite samples, we will take 1 litre samples, test for all legionella species, and test at a UKAS accredited laboratory with a test limit of detection of 100cfu/L minimum. The laboratory test method will be identified on the laboratory report. Pre-flush sampling is the default sample technique to comply with current British Standard guidance, unless identified as otherwise in our quotation. Sample points and frequency of sampling is based on the information supplied by yourselves and current HSE guidance (including the current legionella risk assessment and written scheme if supplied). The laboratory test methodology is indicated on the laboratory test certificate issued. We will report interim results when received from the laboratory but be aware these may differ from the final results. In addition to taking the samples we will record the water temperature and any biocide levels if the system is dosed with a secondary biocide.
Plant & Equipment Services
It is the responsibility of the duty holder/responsible person to:
- Consider that any changes to the system may alter the Legionella risk and therefore require a review of risk assessment, associated control scheme and records. This may result in:
a. a reassessment of the legionella risk
b. an update of the written scheme of control
c. a revised schematic diagram
d. a revision of the record keeping system - Make appropriate notification under the requirements of the Plumbing Notification Laws.
- Ensure the necessary trade effluent discharge consent is in place for any effluent generated from any equipment installed.
- Ensure any preparatory work you are responsible for is completed prior to commencing plant and equipment work.
- Ensure any equipment is installed, commissioned, operated, and maintained correctly.
Comfort Services Group are Essex based and long established within the building services sector, we strive to integrate new technology with the old tried and tested methodologies of working, Comfort Compliance is our in-house Water Hygiene management software designed to deliver task driven assist management services for every aspect for the control and management of legionella bacteria in water systems. Other services include Water Treatment of closed heating and cooling systems, provision of Mains Water Chlorination certification, servicing and recommissioning services for HIU Heat Interface Units along with air & water systems Commissioning Services. Contact us where one of our friendly team would be pleased to assist with your enquiry.
