Legionnaires' Disease and The Law

By law, you must ensure you are covered. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, together with a host of further legislation regarding the control of substances hazardous to health, requires businesses to provide protection against the risk of exposure to Legionella bacteria and impose statutory duties on the management and control of spa pools and other wet facilities.

Premises managers should refer to the Management of Health and Safety Regulations to provide a safety framework.

You are required to provide:

A Legionella Risk Assessment which is an essential risk management process and comprises a detailed examination of the risks presented by man-made water systems, and seeks to identify and assess the risks associated with Legionnaires' Disease through exposure to Legionella bacteria.
A Risk Assessment should also consider anyone who could be potentially exposed to any Legionella bacteria in your system, and particularly groups that are at a higher risk of contracting Legionellosis.
Have access to competent help and advice to apply Health and Safety legislation.
Evidence you have accessed competent help & advice.
Information, instruction and training to your employees.

SAS can take the stress out of your Legionella Control responsibilities. We provide a holistic Legionella Control Service or, either in tandem or as a one-off programme, we can train your team, contact SAS on 01335 347058.

Understanding Your Responsibilities

Our independent Legionella Audits for the hotel, spa and leisure industries, are designed to give you confidence and peace of mind that you are fully compliant with all legal requirements and that your practices are up to date.

There are recorded cases of Legionnaires’ Disease in the UK each year. Breathing in water droplets containing the legionella bacteria can put your customers and staff at risk of a potentially fatal infection.

SAS can support your safety management, whether you need a comprehensive long-term solution or are facing a potential crisis.

Your business has a duty under the law : HSAWA (Health & Safety At Work Act 1974) MH & SAWR, HSG 274, HSG282 & HTM 04-01 both to understand and monitor risk. SAS will support you every step of the way. While only a court of law can make a final ruling, Local Authority Inspectors require that all employers follow the latest guidance on the prevention of Legionnaires’ Disease and to demonstrate compliance with the law.

Did you know

Legionnaires’ Disease got its name after veterans from the American Legion fell ill at their annual convention in Philadelphia. Up to 11 war veterans died after complaining of chest pains, congested lungs and a fever. The cause of death was traced to the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel where the convention had been held. The hotel closed for good in November 1976, just four months after the outbreak.

Legionella Regulations

We are here to help you to understand your responsibilities

SAS has the knowledge and experience to ensure you are up to date and compliant with all changes in regulations.

We ensure that you meet your legal responsibilities under Health and Safety Law with regard to carrying-out Legionella Risk Assessments, accurate record keeping, pool safety operating procedures, taking water samples and testing and monitoring. We can ensure that you have a comprehensive operating plan in place and an emergency action plan which can be activated in the event of a problem.