Healthcare and Care homes
Legionnaires’ disease is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia and everyone is susceptible to infection, but there are a number of factors that increase susceptibility, including increasing age (particularly those over 50 years); those with existing respiratory diseases or certain illnesses and conditions such as cancer, diabetes, kidney disease; alcoholics; smokers; and those with an impaired immune system.
Special consideration should be given to patients or occupants within healthcare premises, residential or care homes
where they are exposed to water systems and a range of potential sources of waterborne infection.
The HSE guidance HSG 274 part 2 page 48; 2.153, The control of legionella bacteria in hot and cold water systems and the Department of Health (England) Health Technical Memorandum 04–01:
advises the formation of
Water Safety Groups (WSG)
who develop the
Water Safety Plan (WSP)
.
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Do you have these in place, do you need assistance in forming them?
Building water risk assessments are a living document that should be regularly reviewed and consideration to both the water systems and those who occupy the building;
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When was your water risk assessment last reviewed?
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Is it up to date for the water services and the risk to those who inhabit the building?
Thermostatic mixer valve (TMV) reduce the temperature of the hot water to prevent scalding to those who are vulnerable; however, this increases the risk of Legionella and other waterborne pathogens to colonise the water system therefore, a building should have a scalding risk carried out to make sure TMV’s are installed where there is a risk of scalding to vulnerable patients only, including the very young, elderly people, and people with disabilities or those with sensory loss who may not be able to recognise high temperatures and respond quickly,
but should not be installed when there is no risk to these vulnerable patients
.
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Do you have regular fail-safe tests and annual servicing?
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Do you have a comprehensive TMV asset list?
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Do you have flexible hoses installed on the domestic hot & cold water system, and especially after TMV’s?
If you have the potential for flexible hoses installed, they need be identified and risk assessed for the possibility of contamination with harmful microorganisms, an asset register and service register are required
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Do you have a flexi hose risk assessment?
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Do you have an asset and service register?
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Augmented care units need Legionella and pseudomonas sampling regimes.
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Do you require this service?
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Do you need help in producing a sampling regime?
Managing the risk: Management responsibilities, training and competence
HSE ACoP L8, COSHH, regulations 8 and 12; Management Regulations, regulations 5, 7, 10 and 13; HSW Act, sections 2, 3 and 4, all stipulate that to manage the risk training and competence is paramount.
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Do you require training and competence assessments?
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info@totalwater.co.uk 
info@totalwater.co.uk