Legal update : Legionella disease
The Health and Safety Executive has recently updated legislation regarding the control of Legionnaires’ disease. For the first time, landlords of residential accommodation now have responsibilities for combating the spread of this potentially fatal illness.
What is Legionnaires Disease?
Legionnaires Disease is a pneumonia-like illness caused by the legionella bacteria which is often found in natural and artificial water systems, e.g. natural lakes, storage tanks, hot tubs, water pipes, showers etc. Most of us would probably associate the discovery of legionella bacteria with larger water systems in factories, schools or hospitals for example. However, it can also live in smaller water supply systems such as those found in residential accommodation.
Humans become infected by breathing in airborne droplets of contaminated water from showers, whirlpool spas, water spray etc. The disease is not contagious and cannot be passed from one person to another.
What has changed for landlords?
All privately rented residential properties must now undergo a risk assessment to determine any threat of exposure. According to current health and safety law landlords now have a duty to take suitable precautions to prevent or control the risk of exposure to legionella.
How can you stay on the right side of the law?
If your property has a combi-boiler which instantly heats the water there is nothing to worry about. If you have an older style tank housed in the loft, the water will usually remain in the tank for more than 24 hours. In such cases, the cold water needs to be less than 20 degrees and the hot over 60 degrees to ensure it is safe. Furthermore, any dead legs in the system could also cause a problem.
If this description applies to your system, and particularly if you have an elderly or otherwise vulnerable tenant, then please contact your property manager and we will discuss next steps with you. Our usual heating engineers are putting a price together to provide these checks for you.
Avoid any serious consequences
By undertaking satisfactory risk assessments and quickly acting upon any areas of concern, you should stay on the right side of the law. Failure to do so could result in some weighty fines and even imprisonment for any landlords failing to prevent exposure to the legionella bacteria at any of their properties.
For further information please visit the Health & Safety Executive website at: www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires.
