Posted By Stuart Burton I have received a letter following a recent inspection of one of my employers shop premises by an Environmental Health Officer. Four males and no females work at the store. The letter states the inspectors concerns regarding the lack of written control measures for the risk of legionella. The inspector recommends that the water systems serving the sink and the toilet bowl in the unused ladies toilet be flushed out and completely drained at least once a week. This is routinely done. The problem is that the inspector has criticised the lack of a written policy and procedures for staff to follow. At our 170 stores throughout the UK we do not have any systems incorporating cooling towers, evaporative condensers, humidifiers and air washers or hot water systems containing more than 300 litres. Nor do we have any shower heads. Have any of you got such a policy and procedures that I could have a look at for some ideas. Best wishes Stu Burton

Posted By Stuart Burton Hi Dave I totally agree but from experience with EHO's this will be raised again in the future. Hence my response is to have a brief policy and brief procedures to prove that we have looked at the subject of legionella. You see our problem is we seem to have everything covered and have a good record so far as health and safety is concerned at our stores. We have a good relationship with all our EHO's. Nevertheless, we keep getting EHO's who will not leave a store until they have found something wrong. As with one of the EHO's who visited one of our stores in London last year. He said to my store manager "your health and safety standards are at an excellent level but I cannot leave until I find something". In the end he picked up on the fact that an empty top floor room that was not used at all needed a fire extinguisher fitting to the wall next to the door. I visited the store the next day and picked up on something that he missed. A light fitting in the staircase ceiling had been removed due to having been damaged and was within easy reach. When I contacted the EHO's boss he told me that because there was a shortage of EHO's employed by his council he was using staff from a staffing agency. When I asked if the guy was qualified he answered "I suppose so". Best wishes .. Stu

Posted By Stuart Burton Sorry! Dave. I didn't know. What I failed to mention was that the removed light fitting exposed live conductors. So any help from anyone out there would be greatly appreciated. Stu ...

Posted By Stuart Burton I am aware of this. That is why, during our training courses, I instill into managers that EHO's have a job to do just like us and if they find any problems refer them to me and I'll deal direct with them.

Posted By Stephen D. Clarke I think the new approach to Legionella is completely OTT but I expect very lucrative for the companies involved in water treatment. Currently a water treatment contractor employed by the council I work for measures the hot water temperature delivered to every sink in every property owned by the council, including all libraries, museums, countryside units, highways depots etc etc. Very few, I can think of only one, of these properties has a shower so the creation of an aerosol of water droplets in the breathing zone must be highly unlikely. Is there any epidemiological evidence to support/require this type of control when any risk would appear to be immeasurably small from simply turning on the tap. Legionella occurs naturally so if there is a significant risk from chlorinated tap water there must be a much greater risk from splashing in streams/puddles. To my mind this apparent madness only adds credence to the damning editorial comment in today's Daily Telegraph.

Posted By Frank Hallett So Colin, It appears that you are saying that the lack of fundamental undestanding by the clients/controller of the premises of what is actually required allows contractors to do more than is necessary? No suprise there then. Perhaps we should refer this to the Telegraph to refute their non-article of today that it's the HSE & EU at fault! Frank Hallett

Posted By Frank Hallett Colin - thanks for doc - clear & concise. Frank Hallett