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Legionella Prevention in Schools

Whilst we’ve been enjoying the soaring temperatures over the summer holidays, the water systems in your schools may have suffered as warmer temperatures increase the risk of Legionella.

Over the summer holidays, did you carry out regular inspections?

Legionella bacteria multiplies where temperatures are between 20-45°C.

It thrives in warm, stagnant water environments such as hot water cylinders and cold-water storage tanks that are prone to heat gain and the extreme summer temperatures may have created the perfect breeding ground to create Legionella risks in your water systems.

Areas in your school that could be affected are:

• Water storage tanks and water heating systems
• Toilets
• Drinking water taps
• Sink basins
• Air conditioning systems
• Shower rooms
• Kitchens

Regular maintenance and inspections are vitally important

To reduce the Legionella risk and to ensure the safety of all staff, children and visitors, it is the duty holder’s responsibility to appoint a competent person or contractor to carry out regular maintenance checks. All of the checks must be recorded in a suitable logbook and should be available for inspection as required.  If you carry out any maintenance work on your water systems, you are required to review your Legionella risk assessment or carry out a new one if you have made major changes that make the existing assessment invalid.

Annual checks

• Internal inspection or flushing of hot water calorifier drain (if there is no inspection hatch).
• Inspection of cold water storage tank, clean and disinfect if required
• Check stored water temperature (summer). Check more frequently if outlet temperatures are raised.
• Service and maintenance on thermostatic mixer valves (TMVs)

 More frequent checks

• Quarterly shower head and spray head cleaning and disinfection (removing scale if required)
• Checking expansion vessels for air charge and flushing the drain valve (monthly to 6 monthly determined by the risk assessment)
• Checking the temperature of point of use (POU) water heaters (monthly to 6 monthly determined by the risk assessment
• Monthly checking of sentinel hot and cold-water outlets
• Weekly flushing of infrequently used outlets

If you would like to talk to our water hygiene team about how we can assist you with your water systems please contact customersupport@aec.uk.net or call Manchester 0161 872 7111 or London 0203 384 6175