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RESEARCH REPORT 140 - Health and Safety Executive

HSE Health & Safety Executive Evaluation of HSC s ACOP and Guidance Legionnaires disease: control of legionella bacteria in water systems (L8) Prepared by BRE Environment for the Health and Safety Executive 2003 RESEARCH REPORT 140 HSE Health & Safety Executive Evaluation of HSC s ACOP and Guidance Legionnaires disease: control of legionella bacteria in water systems (L8) BRE Environment Bucknalls Lane Garston Watford WD25 9XX This REPORT has been prepared for the HSE and sets out the findings of a RESEARCH study of industry s views of HSC Approved Code of Practice and Guidance Legionnaires disease: control of legionella bacteria in water systems (L8) published in 2000.

HSE Health & Safety Executive Evaluation of HSC’s ACOP and Guidance “Legionnaires disease: Control of legionella bacteria in water systems” (L8)

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Transcription of RESEARCH REPORT 140 - Health and Safety Executive

1 HSE Health & Safety Executive Evaluation of HSC s ACOP and Guidance Legionnaires disease: control of legionella bacteria in water systems (L8) Prepared by BRE Environment for the Health and Safety Executive 2003 RESEARCH REPORT 140 HSE Health & Safety Executive Evaluation of HSC s ACOP and Guidance Legionnaires disease: control of legionella bacteria in water systems (L8) BRE Environment Bucknalls Lane Garston Watford WD25 9XX This REPORT has been prepared for the HSE and sets out the findings of a RESEARCH study of industry s views of HSC Approved Code of Practice and Guidance Legionnaires disease: control of legionella bacteria in water systems (L8) published in 2000.

2 L8 applies to the control of legionella bacteria in any undertaking involving work activity and to premises controlled in connection with a trade, business or other undertaking where water is stored, and where there is a means of creating and transmitting water droplets which may be inhaled, thereby causing a reasonably forseeable risk of exposure to legionella bacteria . Document L8 replaces the 1995 version of L8 together with technical guidance document (HSG70) and the hot and cold water supplement to the technical guidance (MISC 150). L8 applies to the control of legionella bacteria in any undertaking involving a work activity and to premises controlled in connection with a trade, business or other undertaking where water is used or stored.

3 This REPORT and the work it describes were funded by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect HSE policy. HSE BOOKS Crown copyright 2003 First published 2003 ISBN 0 7176 2723 2 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. Applications for reproduction should be made in writing to: Licensing Division, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, St Clements House, 2-16 Colegate, Norwich NR3 1BQ or by e-mail to ii Executive SUMMARY This REPORT has been prepared for the HSE and sets out the findings of a RESEARCH study of industry s views of HSC Approved Code of Practice and Guidance Legionnaires disease: control of legionella bacteria in water systems (L8) published in 2000.

4 Document L8 replaces the 1995 version of L8 together with technical guidance document (HSG70) and the hot and cold water supplement to the technical guidance (MISC 150). L8 applies to the control of legionella bacteria in any undertaking involving a work activity and to premises controlled in connection with a trade, business or other undertaking where water is used or stored. The primary means of obtaining the views of users of L8 was through response to a questionnaire designed to determine the usefulness of: 1. the consolidation of the previous suite of documents into L8 (2002); 2.

5 Changes to the Approved Code of Practice; and 3. changes to the guidance. Initially, two focus group meetings were held at BRE to determine key areas of L8 which should be reviewed. The questionnaire was sent to approximately 6,000 individuals and organisations resulting in 979 responses (16%). Respondents were classified as belonging to one or more of the following groups: Employers Designers, Installers, Manufacturers Suppliers Consultants Enforcement officers Others The largest response rate was from Employers (over 65%), followed by Suppliers and Others which accounted for 30% combined.

6 Manufacturers, Importers & Suppliers accounted for 5% of the responses. In general, most respondents were satisfied with the amalgamation of the previous series of documents into L8 (2000). L8 was found to be easy to understand, although 18% of Enforcement officers found the document difficult to understand. The layout was found to be easy to follow with only 6% of respondents rating the document either difficult or very difficult . Respondents suggested that an index and an electronic copy of the document would be useful and would assist the ease of use of the document.

7 Also, over a third of respondents would like clarification of the HSE contact point for queries relating to the document and its use. Many respondents did not consider that key terms such as duty holders and responsible persons were well defined, and 55% of respondents considered that competence required further guidance. The removal of the 300 litre limit of application of L8 for hot and cold water systems was not completely appreciated; 26% of respondents were not aware of this change to L8 (2000). iii 30% of the Employers group found the requirement to maintain records for five years created additional burden on business.

8 The majority of Employers (over 70%) were confident that their suppliers would provide technical information on any deficiencies in their systems and/or maintenance requirements. The majority of cooling tower operators (85%) were satisfied with the level of guidance, however, slightly less of the consultants (70%) were satisfied. Specific guidance on wooden slats in drift eliminators was thought to be clear by 88% of those whose work was concerned with cooling towers. However, 19% of cooling tower operators reported that they had not replaced wooden slats in cooling towers under their control .

9 Regarding the guidance on hot and cold water systems, the majority (89%) of respondents reported that they were satisfied with the guidance given in L8; Employers were generally more satisfied than other groups. A small number (8%) reported that the guidance did not represent best practice. In terms of the forms of control of legionella in hot and cold water systems given in L8, the most commonly used were: thermal (59%) biocide (45%) ultraviolet (9%) These figures include some respondents who used a combination of control methods. However, 15% of respondents indicated that the level of prominence of control methods was not balanced, although there was no clear indication of which method of control should receive more prominence.

10 There was a different response from the various groups responding to the question whether additional guidance was required on commissioning/recommissioning of hot and cold water systems, with the Employers and Enforcers being most satisfied, with approximately only 6% requiring changes to the current guidance whereas 39% of the group Designers, Installers and Manufacturers requested changes. In general, Suppliers and Consultants were least satisfied with the guidance on little used outlets with some respondents requesting better definition. 90% of respondents reported that guidance on how to carry out routine checks was clear.


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