When Do You Need a Follow-Up Legionella Risk Assessment?

Any facility that utilizes water and has human occupants or visitors should have a Legionella risk assessment completed periodically. A Legionella risk assessment is an evaluation of your facility’s unique characteristics and environment with regard to the bacteria that can cause Legionnaires’ disease. The risk assessment identifies factors that may promote bacterial growth and includes recommendations for Legionella testing, mitigation, or remediation if needed.

If you haven’t yet had a Legionella risk assessment, the potential liability of a Legionnaires’ Disease outbreak should be enough to convince anyone in your organization that a Legionella risk assessment pays for itself through liability reduction alone. While it’s not a substitute for an actual Legionella risk assessment, you will also find the brief CDC Legionella Risk Assessment quiz a helpful guide to quantifying your risk. Higher risk levels are a clear signal that your organization needs a full Legionella risk assessment now. Delay merely increases your liability.

Presuming you have had a thorough Legionella risk assessment, when should you have another risk assessment conducted? Perhaps the best way to answer that is by considering what has changed in your facility in recent times.

Ask yourself if any of the following has occurred since your most recent Legionella risk assessment:

  • There has been a change to the water supply
  • There has been a change or addition to the facility
  • There has been a change to the way water is used by the occupants
  • There has been a change in the use of the building
  • New information is available regarding risks
  • New information is available regarding control measures
  • The hot water temperature from any outlets was measured and found below 122°F (50°C)
  • The cold water temperature from any outlets was measured and found above 68°F (20°C)
  • The currents occupants or visitors are more susceptible to Legionnaires’ disease due to age or health (not knowing whether the occupants are more susceptible is not a viable defense)
  • There has been a case of Legionnaires’ disease associated with the system or systems at similar facilities

If the answer is “Yes” to any of these, then you should have a new risk assessment performed right away.

Regardless of who conducted your original Legionella risk assessment, it is important that ongoing risk assessments are performed by a truly independent Legionella consultant such as Legionella Control Systems Company. Utilizing an independent consultant can lower the risk for your budget and your liability because they can recommend any Legionella control option, not just the one or two their company sells. As a result, an independent consultant can find the most effective and efficient solution for your facility.

Questions? Call our Legionella experts at 317-961-3798 or email us at info@legionellacontrolsystems.com.

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