|
Do you meet the COSHH regulations, and ACoP L8 Guidance?
Legionella bacteria are a family of bacteria that can colonise manufactured water systems such as evaporative cooling systems, hot and cold water systems, spa baths and other plant that stores water and gets warm. On average there are 200-250 reported cases of Legionnaires’ disease – a potentially fatal form of pneumonia – in the UK each year. Outbreaks are caused by inhaling contaminated aerosols produced by the above systems.
The Legislation
The control of substances hazardous to health regulations (COSHH).
Step 1 Assess the risks to health arising from hazardous substances used in or created by your workplace activities.
Step 2 Decide what precautions are needed. You must not carry out work which could expose your employees to hazardous substances without first considering the risks and the necessary precautions, and what else you need to do to comply with COSHH.
Step 3 Prevent or adequately control exposure. You must prevent your employees being exposed to hazardous substances. Where preventing exposure is not reasonably practicable, then you must adequately control it.
Step 4 Ensure that control measures are used and maintained properly and that safety procedures are followed.
Step 5 Monitor the exposure of employees to hazardous substances, if necessary.
Step 6 Carry out appropriate health surveillance where your assessment has shown this is necessary or where COSHH sets specific requirements.
Step 7 Prepare plans and procedures to deal with accidents, incidents and emergencies involving hazardous substances, where necessary.
Step 8 Ensure employees are properly informed, trained and supervised.
The Approved Code of Practice (ACoP L8) 'Legionnaires’ disease - The control of Legionella bacteria in water systems' revised on the 8th January 2001.
ACoP L8 Applies where:
. . . where water is used or stored and where there is means of creating and transmitting water droplets which may be inhaled, thereby causing a reasonably foreseeable risk of exposure to Legionella bacteria.
L8 Applies to whom:
. . . employers and those with responsibilities for the control of premises
You are required to:
Prepare a scheme for preventing or controlling the risk. Implement, manage and monitor precautions. Keep records of the precautions taken. Appoint a person to be managerially responsible.
Identify and assess the sources of risk – L8MS-QAR Risk.
Prepare a scheme for preventing or controlling the risk – L8MS-Consultancy.
Appoint a person to be managerially responsible – Down to you.
Implement and manage precautions – L8MS-Logbook.
Keep records of the precautions implemented – L8MS-Logbook.
|
