Returning businesses urged to consider Legionnaire's risk
Businesses warned to check their water supply before reopening to the public
Businesses reopening following the coronavirus lockdown are being urged to assess the potential risk of Legionella bacteria in their water systems.
It is important that businesses maintain public safety by ensuring premises are safe to operate from and Public Health England (PHE) is reminding business owners that buildings should have a risk assessment in place, together with a Water Safety Plan. Leaving water systems dormant can result in bacterial growth and can cause Legionnaires' disease which can be fatal.
Some of the businesses that will need to take action are;
- Dental practices
- Hair dressers
- Hotels
- Gyms
- Sport clubs
- Office buildings (especially those with showers
- Any organisation that has a water supply and is currently shut down
Regular flushing of the premises water system throughout the shutdown period could reduce the risk, however all aspects of the water management system need to be reviewed before the business reopens.
Advice and guidance for businesses reopening can be found in a useful toolkit here.
More advice and support can be found in our Returning to Work Safely article or via the following links;
Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
NHS (medical advice if you think you may have legionnaires disease)
Or call 111
Public Health England (PHE)
Eastleigh Borough Council Environmental Health Team