Why do I need to do this?
The law requires that all public buildings have Legionella Prevention and Control procedures in place. These procedures are specified by the Health and Safety Executive in a document called the ‘Accepted Code of Practice L8’, widely known as ‘ACoP L8.
ACoP L8 sets out specific monitoring tasks that should be conducted at specified intervals. These tasks help control the growth of the Legionella bacteria in a water system, and indicate if there is the potential hazard to public health.
ACoP L8 also states that there should be management procedures in place to ensure that:
The law requires that all public buildings have Legionella Prevention and Control procedures in place. These procedures are specified by the Health and Safety Executive in a document called the ‘Accepted Code of Practice L8’, widely known as ‘ACoP L8.
ACoP L8 sets out specific monitoring tasks that should be conducted at specified intervals. These tasks help control the growth of the Legionella bacteria in a water system, and indicate if there is the potential hazard to public health.
ACoP L8 also states that there should be management procedures in place to ensure that:
1. The monitoring tasks are completed on time
2. The results are recorded
3. There are clear procedures to be followed if the concentration of Legionella bacteria is above recommended levels
The code of practice also requires that a named individual is personally liable if these procedures are not followed and there is an outbreak of Legionella. This individual is legally known as the ‘Responsible Person’ This legislation is unusual in that individuals are not shielded by corporate liability – they are personally responsible and there have been a number of high-profile legal cases in recent years.