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Posted By Eliot Clarke
Good afternoon.
Wondered whether anyone could answer a query regarding the extent a small residential home would have to go to in respect of meeting the requirements of L8 - the control of legionella bacteria in water systems.
I have read the majority of the ACOP, however these are very small homes typically 5 bedrooms containing a normal domestic water system.
Whilst there are some residents that are more susceptible, is the requirement to get in qualified consultants and undertake all of the monitoring/testing mentioned in the ACOP a step too far or can this be toned down?
Wondered whether anyone had any advice/guidance in this area?
Thanks
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Posted By mark linton
Hi Eliot
I used to work in a residential care setting - we dealt with legionella reasonably simply. Our monitoring consisted of taking temperature readings at hot and cold sentinel taps (I think the frequency was either weekly or monthly) and regular inspection of water storage tanks for debris, build up of limescale - done by our maintenance manager. We then had procedures in place if a none compliance was identified (i.e. cold over 20 degrees C or hot water under 60 degrees C, flush / clean the tanks).
This was complicated a little where mixing valves were on the hot taps, but we got round it by putting heat sensitive labels, which changed colour at different temperatures, on the hot water pipe before it got into the mixing valve.
If you look at temperature control almost anyone can use an electronic temperature gauge correctly and no need to get consultants.
We did use consultants to identify dead legs and we had to alternate the pumps for the water system, but we had 40 bed care homes so I don't think that will be as big an issue for yourself.
We didn't do any testing as we felt it was unnecessary if our temperature checks were adequately carried out and recorded.
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Posted By Jeff Manion
If it is a large house type environment, you need to keep a check on the areas of potential risk.
Cold water storage - what conditions (dirty, rusting, stagnated etc.
Hot water storage - what conditions, if domestic cylinder very little in way of inspections.
Hot and cold outlets - what conditions.
If the conditions are dirty, unclean, scale, not hot enough etc as per ACOP. Do something then monitor.
Send an e-mail and will send something that will assist.
JM
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Posted By J Knight
While I agree with the two previous posts, I have to point out that what you do may be more influenced by CSCI (if you are in England) than by common-sense. One of my colleagues has just moved here (a number of 40+ bed rambling premises) from a small group home environment. His previous employer manages domestic houses, with domestic scale water systems. By and large the service user group are not especially vulnerable to Legionella. However, he was compelled, despite constant challenges, to treat his small premises as though they were full-scale residential homes for Legionella purposes, despite the obvious absurdities this entailed,
John
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