Legionella safety standard

The safety of our customers, colleagues and contractors is at the heart of all we do. We are committed to ensuring that arrangements are in place to monitor, inspect and maintain water systems in common areas and residents’ homes. We ensure services are delivered consistently to this standard, while meeting all regulation as an absolute minimum and best practice where appropriate.

This is our Standard:

1.    We have one person, our Landlord’s Authorised Person (Head of M&E and Compliance) who has overall responsibility for ensuring that all water systems are safe and reviews our policies and procedures annually to ensure that they are up to date.

2.    The Landlord’s Authorised Person will appoint a Delivery Duty Manager who has responsibility for drafting operational procedures, processes and managing the daily operations for Water Safety.

3.    We only use the services of specialist legionella contractors who are members of the Legionella Control Association (LCA).

4.    We categorise and risk rate our properties as follows (We have no high risk properties or systems):
•    Category 1 (medium risk): Communal shared water systems in extra care, sheltered and supported housing – classified this way because they have vulnerable people living there.
•    Category 2 (medium risk): Flats supplied by communal shared water systems, houses in multiple occupation and office buildings classified due to the complexity of the water systems and the number of people potentially at risk from a single system.
•    Category 3 (low risk): General needs housing, bungalows and flats with self contained systems in each property – classified due to the low number of people potentially at risk from each system, and the lower susceptibility of those people present

5.    Scheme risk assessments, periodic monitoring and inspections on Category 1 and 2 schemes are carried out at the following frequency levels by specialist contractors.

Category 1 and 2 properties only (common areas)
Main task	Sub task	Specialist contractor	Frequency
Scheme risk assessments including Schematics Diagram		Contractor	Every two years
Flushing of infrequently used outlets		LiveWest	Weekly
Temperature monitoring hot water	Sentinel taps (this is the first and last taps on the system)	Contractor	Monthly
	Input to thermostatic mixing valves	Contractor	Monthly
	To and from calorifiers	Contractor	Monthly
	Representative number of cold outlets	Contractor	Annually
Temperature monitoring cold water	Sentinel taps	Contractor	Monthly
	Incoming cold water	Contractor	Six monthly
	Tank water remote from ball valve	Contractor	Six monthly
	Representative taps	Contractor	Annually
Thermostatic Mixer Valves	TMV Failsafe Test and Service	Contractor	6 Monthly
Showerheads	Clean and Descale	Contractor	3 Monthly
Storage Tanks	Tank Inspection inc. Flush and Sampling (Potable)	Contractor	Six monthly
	Tank Inspection and Temperatures	Contractor	Annually

6.    Actions arising from the risk assessment/periodic maintenance visit will be prioritised as follows:
•    High risk action - Serious risk present – to be completed within a week. Where this is not possible, a regular disinfection and temperature monitoring regime must be adopted until the period of rectification.
•    Medium risk action - Slight risk under normal operating conditions – complete within six months.
•    Low risk action - Slight risk under exceptional operating conditions–complete within twelve months.
•    No risk - No action required.

7.    We undertake a Low Level legionella risk assessment and any follow up works on all void properties before they are re-let to any new residents.

8.    We provide practical advice to residents about how they can prevent legionella occurring in their homes. 

9.    We respond to all emergencies within an hour but no longer than 24 hours of them being reported.

10.    We compile a list of all water systems that need to be assessed and reviewed for legionella.

11.    We keep records of all equipment and periodic monitoring.

12.    We monitor the performance of our contractors monthly to ensure that inspection visits and repairs are carried out on time and to our satisfaction. 

13.    We compile a list of all water systems that need to be assessed and reviewed for legionella.

14.    We keep records of all equipment and periodic monitoring.

15.    We monitor the performance of our contractors monthly to ensure that inspection visits and repairs are carried out on time and to a high standard.