Any person in charge of looking after a commercial property in the UK must follow strict rules for water safety.
This means using trusted commercial water treatment and carrying out a Legionella risk assessment regularly.
In this article, you will find clear guidance covering health hazards, the main legal obligations, and steps you need to put in place as control measures.
Following these points will help protect your building and ensure compliance with health and safety regulations.
Legionella Risks in Commercial Properties
Commercial properties can hold hidden issues inside their plumbing, which can be easy to miss. If hot and cold water systems are not checked on a regular basis, issues may build up.
Legionella can find these gaps, putting staff, guests, and users of the building at risk. Property managers must treat these health hazards as a priority
and have systems that make it less likely for Legionella risks to form in the first place.
What is Legionella Bacteria?
Legionella bacteria like natural places like lakes and rivers, but problems only appear when they get into man-made water systems. If the water is at the right temperature, and if it stays still, Legionella can increase fast. If someone breathes in water droplets containing these bacteria, it can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a disease of the lungs that can be life-threatening. The best plan is prevention. Check your system early, and you can stop Legionella spreading.
Most Common Sources of Legionella
You’ll usually find Legionella in warm, still water. Parts like cold water tanks, cooling towers, and unused pipes almost always need attention. Places where water sits for ages (like spa pools and swimming pools) also provide a safe spot for this bacteria to grow. Sometimes, hot water systems that don’t keep a steady temperature will cause trouble. Simple checks for contaminated water help reduce the risk and keep people using the building safer.
Water Treatment Services for Commercial Buildings
Every business that owns or manages a building needs to keep its water systems under control. Using skilled commercial water treatment is the surest way to avoid big problems. Services can include regular Legionella testing, checks on cold water tanks, and tackling any hazardous substances.
Doing these things shows you are taking health and safety law seriously. Regular inspections and easy steps help every property meet legal obligations.
Legionella Risk Assessment
A Legionella risk assessment reviews your whole water system to find possible risks. These checks look for problem areas in your building and show you which actions need to happen first. With every risk assessment, any weak points are spotted and you know what to fix. Keeping records lets you track which control measures are working and keeps your paperwork ready for inspectors. Maintain regular checks and keep your records tidy to stay within the law.
Chemical Descaling
Limescale often grows in pipes, combi boilers, and plant rooms, making things worse for Legionella. Chemical descaling takes off this hard layer, meaning bacteria have fewer places to hide. This not only helps stop Legionella but also makes hot water systems use less energy and last longer. Removing scale is a key control measure and stops the bacteria from finding nutrients in the water.
Water Quality Sampling
You can’t spot Legionella just by looking. Water quality sampling is used to find hidden dangers. At intervals, a technician takes water samples and sends them for testing. These tests search for Legionella bacteria and other issues. If any contaminated water is found, you’ll know quickly and can protect people at risk. This is important for meeting safety standards and health regulations.
Water Monitoring & Temperature Control
If you want to avoid Legionella, get the water temperature right. Hot water should stay hot and cold water must remain cold. If it drifts from these targets, it’s a sign of poor equipment or a fault. Checking temperatures at key times catches issues sooner, offering you the chance to fix things before they get worse. Consistent monitoring helps you stick to control measures.
Mains Water
Chlorination
When new pipes are added, mains water chlorination will clean them properly. Chlorine is pushed through the whole water system, flushing out bacteria and making sure that anything picked up during building work gets removed. Once finished, the water gets tested to check that it is ready and safe to use. This is needed before putting a new system into operation.
Cleaning, Disinfection & Remedial Works
To keep water quality high, you have to clean and disinfect tanks and pipes often. Disinfection clears up any dirt and debris from cold water tanks, while remedial works will fix leaks and remove pipework that’s no longer in use. Stale water can help bacteria multiply, so getting rid of it is best. All of these are proven control measures for commercial property settings.
Chemical Water Treatment Solutions
Some water systems need chemical treatment to work properly. Chemical water treatment solutions stop scale forming, help control rust, and block bacteria from getting a foothold in the pipes. Special dosing systems add chemicals automatically, keeping things balanced in places such as cooling towers or where there’s an increased risk. These systems don’t need much day-to-day attention.
Compliance, Record Keeping & Software
You need to keep records if you want to show your building meets water safety laws. Every time you do a test, check, or maintenance task, log it somewhere secure. Modern software makes it simple for property managers to store and review those details, from Legionella testing to routine checks. This approach keeps you on track with Health and Safety Executive guidance and helps with passing inspections.
Legionella Training
Training is vital for anyone involved in property management. Legionella training explains how to monitor hot and cold water, maintain cold water tanks, and spot other health hazards in water supply systems. The right training makes it simple for staff to keep records, flush taps, and follow best practice for every inspection. A trained team helps your property remain compliant with safety laws and respond to risks quickly.
What Our Customers Say
“The team at Comfort Services Group were awesome when they carried out the Legionella Control works at our offices, they were very accommodating, Tom and the guys on site were a pleasure to work with. I would recommend the services of Comfort Services Group without reservation. Excellent First impressions with the Office Team, which was mirrored by the guys who did the work. Thanks guys.”
Michael Green
“I have had Comfort commissioning working on different projects for the companies i have worked for over the past 15 years. They have assisted in many difficult projects throughout the country. Andy and Lawrence have been very professional and helpful. i found their attitude, and pro-active approach to be of very high standard. i will always push to use them on future projects”
Chris Richards
“Comfort commissioning are a great company, they deliver great services and the team there are very helpful and efficient. They really do care about their customers and take a keen interest in ensuring a high level of customer service is maintained at all times.”
Gary Clatworthy
“Fantastic service from Comfort from start to finish. Very responsive, friendly, reliable and professional.”
Sarah
“Contacted Comfort Commissioning Services Ltd for advice about unusual deposits in the header tank of an open vented domestic heating system. Not core business for them, but one of their directors responded to me really quickly via email with some excellent free advice which was greatly appreciated. Very impressed.”
Pete Davies
Legal Requirement for Water Health and Safety
All those in charge of a commercial property have a duty to stick to health and safety regulations. The UK law is clear about managing water systems.
This means organising a Legionella risk assessment, setting up control measures, and keeping evidence to prove what steps you are taking.
The regulations below explain what your building needs to follow. If you get familiar with them and act on your legal obligations, you can avoid problems with health hazards.
Core Legal Responsibilities
Property owners or managers must assign a responsible person to oversee water safety. This person will track checks, manage documents, and make sure no step is left out. Ignoring these jobs can mean legal action or fines. If you stick to your responsibilities and show that you remain compliant, you will be safer under the law.
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
(HSWA)
The Health and Safety at Work etc. The Act covers water safety as part of overall workplace hazards. Under this act, employers and building owners need to look for foreseeable risks, including Legionella bacteria, and do what they reasonably can to fix them. By running risk management checks and acting on results, you help keep everyone using the property safer.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)
COSHH deals directly with substances hazardous to health, such as Legionella bacteria. Part of your legal obligation is to carry out a detailed risk assessment of your water systems. Where any threat is found, you must apply a control measure and make changes, such as removing dirty water storage tanks, planning regular Legionella testing, or dealing with old plant rooms.
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Planning how to manage risks in a workplace needs a step-by-step process. For these regulations, every workplace (if there are five or more workers) needs to have risk assessments written down. Workers should receive the right training, and there must be a plan for emergencies. These steps help cover your legal duties and ensure you protect staff and other property users.
Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) L8
ACOP L8 is a guide that gives direction for Legionella control. It explains the details for Legionella risk assessment and picking a person responsible for overseeing the process. Set out by the Health and Safety Executive, it lists clear control measures and explains how you can ensure compliance. If you follow the approved code, you are taking all the required steps to manage water safety correctly.
Health and Safety Executive: HSG274
HSG274 is a set of instructions from the Health and Safety Executive for looking after water systems, following ACOP L8. It is split into different parts for cooling towers, hot and cold water, and other equipment. The guidance describes exactly what is needed for each setup, including water monitoring and cleaning cold water tanks. Property managers are advised to follow these steps closely for each building.
Implement Control Measures with Comfort Services Group
If you are unsure about what is required, getting help is easier than trying it all yourself.
Comfort Services Group provides commercial water treatment and Legionella risk assessments in the UK.
Being part of the Legionella Control Association means we are trusted to help you with all your checks, maintenance, and upgrades.
With Comfort Services Group, you can easily remain compliant and ensure everyone using your building stays safe.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do commercial properties require a Legionella responsible person?
Yes. For any commercial property, you need to appoint a Legionella responsible person. This may be the building owner or another competent person, sometimes called the duty holder. This role includes making sure checks and documentation are kept up to date, and that all tasks linked to water safety are completed. This is a basic requirement under safety law.
How often do commercial properties require a Legionella assessment?
It’s advised to carry out a Legionella assessment on a regular basis, even though the rules don’t name a specific time frame. Normally, the check should happen every two years, or straight away if there are any changes to your water systems. Doing this helps your site remain compliant and lowers the risk to staff and users.
Who is at high risk of Legionella in commercial buildings?
Some people face more danger from Legionella bacteria. Those at high risk might include older adults, smokers, and people with certain illnesses. Businesses like dental practices or leisure centres must be more careful and assess risk often. Paying attention to groups with increased risk makes sure you offer a safer space. By following these steps, property managers help stop health hazards from affecting those who use the building.
