FAQs-Water Testing (Legionella)

Laboratory glassware including test tubes, beaker with liquid, and pipette on a white surface.

FAQs-General Risk Assessing

FAQs-PAT Testing

Multiple green and white electrical safety test tags marked 'PASSED' arranged in a grid pattern.

  • Legionnaires' disease is a lung infection you can get from inhaling droplets of water from things like air conditioning or hot tubs. It's uncommon but it can be very serious.

  • Since 1974, workplaces have become far safer for everyone. Legionella risks are covered under this legislation, since most workplaces have hot and cold water systems or other types of system that use water.

  • Water samples should be tested by a UKAS-accredited laboratory that takes part in a water microbiology proficiency testing scheme such as that run by the UK Health Security Agency.

  • Regular water maintenance measures are a major part of ACoP L8 compliance, which means that if you fail to carry out your responsibilities and legionella is found in your system, you could be liable for fines, or potentially even prosecution

  • The aim of the risk assessment process is to evaluate hazards and then remove that hazard or minimize the level of its risk by adding control measures, as necessary.

    You have a legal duty to assess the risks to the health and safety of your employees (and risks to the health and safety of persons not in your employment) to which they are exposed while they are at work.

  • Once completed a risk assessment should be reviewed periodically (proportionate to the level of risk involved) and in any case when either the current assessment is no longer valid and/or if at any stage there has been significant changes to the specific activity or task

  • By law, every employer must conduct risk assessments on the work their employees do. If the company or organisation employs more than five employees, then the results should be recorded with details of any groups of employees particularly at risk such as older, younger, pregnant or disabled employees.

  • If a business fails to comply with risk assessment regulations, they can face hefty fines and penalties imposed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The severity of the penalty depends on the level of non-compliance and the potential harm that could arise from the failure to have a risk assessment.

  • PAT testing legislation requires all landlords, employers, and even self-employed individuals to ensure that their portable electrical appliances are safe, suitable, and used for the intended purposes. These appliances should always be properly maintained and kept in working order.

  • the requirement for how often you should PAT test equipment is dependent upon various factors for example the environment the equipment is used in, how often it is used and the type of equipment. Industrial sites including commercial kitchens should have their portable and handheld equipment tested as often as every 6 months. For other stationary, movable or IT equipment, it is recommended to test every 12 months.

  • Yes, All items that have been Pat tested must display a test sticker which will show when the test was completed and that the item passed. The responsible person within your company should also hold a PAT testing certificate and log to show when items were tested and if they passed or failed.

  • Not complying with the above mentioned regulations can result in fines up to £5,000 and/or six months imprisonment. Fines have been seen to go as high as £20,000 and offences heard in the Crown Court have carried sentences of more than 2 years imprisonment in additional to unlimited financial penalties.