Marc Fitzpatrick

Understanding the Purpose of a Legionella Risk Assessment A Legionella risk assessment is a structured review of the water systems within a building to identify conditions that could support the growth of Legionella bacteria . These bacteria thrive in water that is warm, stagnant or contaminated with scale or biofilm. When droplets from contaminated water become airborne, they can be inhaled and potentially lead to Legionnaires disease. For anyone responsible for a building, understanding how...

Little used outlets are one of the most common sources of water quality problems in commercial buildings. When water sits still inside pipework, it rapidly loses disinfectant residual, drops in temperature and begins to stagnate. This creates ideal conditions for bacteria, including organisms such as Legionella pneumophila , to multiply. It also encourages scale, biofilm and sediment build-up, which can eventually compromise both water safety and system performance. For any facilities...

BS 7592:2022 is aimed at commercial water systems - hot and cold-water distribution loops, tanks, calorifiers, cooling towers, spa pools and others where water can be stored, recirculated or aerosolised. It sets out how to take water, sediment or biofilm samples as part of your microbiological monitoring and how such sampling links into your overall water-safety strategy. Why your sampling plan must have a clear rationale One of the key principles of BS 7592:2022 is that Legionella sampling...