Have you checked your water systems recently?
A recent article from the BBC stated Legionella bacteria was found in shops leased out by Barrow council. The councillors believe that current tenants had been making changes to the water systems, which could very well be a cause to these new cases.
Risk of legionella isn’t the first of this kind to hit the area of Barrow-in-Furness. In August 2002, an outbreak was traced back to a faulty air conditioning unit within the local arts centre. The incident sadly claimed seven lives and left 180 people with ill health.
We’ll explain what you as a business owner can do to limit the spread of legionella.
Legionella in shops
Business owners should be aware that even if the building is council-let, they must ensure that the buildings water systems are safe from legionella. You, your staff and customers could all fell acutely ill from the mere presence of legionella. The bacteria are capable of entering any water system, that includes your air conditioning.
Prevention involves accurate surveying, testing and cleaning of the water systems. Since legionella is unseen without testing, you won’t know it’s there until people start falling sick.
Legionella risk duties as a shop owner
Some business owners may be unaware of their requirements by eliminating the risk of legionella. After all, it’s not a word you hear every day.
But. It is your duty under the law. The Health & Safety at Work Act (1974) states that any business with five or more employees must have a legionella risk assessment every two years. However, this needs carrying out earlier if there are any changes to the building.
You can understand from earlier that if tenants were making changes to the water system, this could have had a knock-on effect to almost causing a legionella outbreak.
Legionella Risk Assessment & Testing
Any shop can be affected by legionella, which is why at Direct365, we provide legionella risk assessments for all sizes of businesses. Prevention is often better than the cure, and in the case of legionella testing, this is most certainly the case.
To ensure your water systems are safe and free from this deadly bacteria, our LCA-certified engineers will tailor an action plan for your business. Keeping you safe and compliant under the law. We also offer interim health checks to monitor your water systems and minimise any future risks.
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