Legionella monitoring and management
In order to comply with the law, organisations must put into place a comprehensive set of arrangements to control the risk of exposure to legionella bacteria from their water systems. To do this, risk assessments of properties should be carried out. A robust legionella control programme and tasks is then required to ensure the risk is managed on an ongoing basis.
A programme will comprise of several elements:
• Monitoring and control scheme – a set routine of planned maintenance tasks
• Sampling and analysis – measures to evidence efficacy of the monitoring and control scheme
• Reactive and remedial works – plumbing and engineering works to rectify system installation non-conformances and irregularities
Monitoring and control services
Once your initial risk assessment has been carried out, a full monitoring and control scheme should be implemented. Our professional service engineers are able carry out and log the full range of tasks and inspections required under law to ensure you stay compliant. Our technology-led service team will ensure that your specific control scheme and water system assets are inspected, serviced and maintained in line with the risk assessment and written scheme recommendations. Using the best in breed field service log and asset management system, we will ensure that your PPM compliance regime is managed and completely visible 24/7 for all tasks including:
- Water system flushing and temperature monitoring
- Showerhead cleaning and disinfection
- Water treatment chemical monitoring
- Calorifier inspections checks
- Cold water storage tank inspections
- Microbiological sampling and testing
Our online reporting platform provides all clients with real-time assurance of compliance, and our specialist service engineers are able to raise and escalate any abnormalities and non-conformance at the touch of a button, while providing the following insight:
Intelligent compliance with real time asset information
Instant access to all site, building and asset compliance information
Real-time reporting and escalation of NCRs, with recommended actions
Confidence in service delivery
High level and detailed (automated) reports directly to your inbox
Interactive dashboard – multiple logins available
We are also able to upload additional, relevant documentation (for example sample certificates of analysis) and interface the platform with many CAFM systems via an Application Programming Interface (API), to ensure a seamless flow of data and information into your own systems without creating additional administration duties.
All of these combine to provide true assurance that Churchill Environmental Services is managing your legionella and water hygiene compliance, and minimising any risk of an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease on your premises.
Sampling and analysis
With any planned maintenance or monitoring and control scheme, measuring the efficacy of the work undertaken is crucial to be able to demonstrate to any enforcing body that the risk is being sufficiently managed. Typically, that would mean sampling for legionella bacteria in accordance with British Standard (BS 7592:2022 Sampling for Legionella Bacteria), although sampling may also be required for a number of other reasons, depending on the risk assessment findings.
When and where to sample is key to doing this effectively, and our specialist team is able to devise and implement a full sampling plan to ensure this is achieved. Our service engineers are fully trained to ensure samples are taken in accordance with the above standards and transported to our UKAS accredited national laboratory services provider for analysis, and reported on the online portal.
Any recommendations following failed results are carefully considered by our technical team and advice and guidance issued swiftly to prioritise further samples or any corrective remedial actions.
Reactive and remedial works
Our technical services engineers are fully trained and equipped to carry a wide variety of plumbing and engineering works required to rectify water systems and help control legionella bacteria more effectively.
These would typically be remediation tasks such as:
• Removal of dead legs
• General pipework modifications
• TMV servicing and replacement
• Cold water storage tank refurbishment
• Water treatment installation
• Water softener servicing
• Chemical cleaning and disinfections
• Calorifier descaling and replacement
• Hot and cold water systems flushing and decontamination
Our skilled mobile engineers utilise the field service job management system to ensure they remain ‘connected’ to share live updates on progress
and issue job completion records instantly, reducing your organisation’s management and administration burden, by providing:
- Instant work completion reports
- Resource planning and management
- Optimised scheduling
- Live dataflow to mobile workforce
- Engineer tracking capability
- Realtime client updates
Churchill Environmental Services – subject matter experts in all areas of water hygiene and legionella control. If you would like to learn more about BS 8680 or water safety plans, email: environmental@churchillservices.com