The Plumbing & Heating Contractors Alliance, which comprises of the Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) and the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF) has launched a national Legionella Scheme to ensure compliance with the Health and Safety Executive’s Approved Code of Practice.
The scheme has been developed to ensure that property owners can meet their legal obligations by using a reputable plumbing company who understands the risks associated with legionella and can implement a risk assessment and carry out remedial action where necessary.
The Health and Safety Executive recently revised its Approved Code of Practice for the control of legionella bacteria, generally referred to as L8. The Code applies to all hot and cold water systems within every property that has a commercial or public use. The updated Code is significant for plumbers as it specifies that a risk assessment for legionella should be carried out by a competent person. Anyone involved in the design or installation of water treatment measures or maintaining water systems must be properly trained to an appropriate standard.
This scheme allows property owners and management companies to meet their obligations by enabling them to quickly and confidently identify qualified plumbing professionals.
The scheme covers the inspection and/or undertaking of remedial work in connection with hot and cold water systems in residential accommodation as defined in the Health and Safety Executive Approved Code of Practice; Legionnaires’ disease: The control of Legionella bacteria in water systems (L8). |
