Legislation and Guidance documentation relating to water hygiene and treatment:
Approved Code of Practice (ACoP L8)
Legionnaires’ disease. The control of legionella bacteria in water systems
This book is for dutyholders—employers, premises controllers, and those with health and safety responsibilities—to help them meet legal obligations regarding legionella. It covers risk assessment, prevention and control schemes, precaution management and monitoring, record-keeping, and appointing a responsible manager.
Health and Safety Guidance 274:2014 (HSG274:2014&2024)
Part 1: The control of legionella bacteria in evaporative cooling systems
Part 2: The control of legionella bacteria in hot and cold-water systems
Part 3: The control of legionella bacteria in other risk systems
This guidance is for dutyholders—employers, premises controllers, and health and safety managers—to help them meet legal duties in controlling legionella risks.
Health and Technical Memorandum 04:01 (HTM04-01): Safe water in healthcare premises
This Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) provides guidance on legal requirements, design, maintenance, and operation of hot and cold water systems in healthcare premises.
Health and Safety Guidance (HSG282): Control of legionella and other infectious agents in spa-pool systems
Spa-pool systems can spread infections like Legionnaires’ disease. This updated guidance helps operators, managers, and suppliers manage risks, covering design, maintenance, water quality testing, and inspections for both commercial and business-use spa pools.
Health and Safety Guidance 220 (HSG220): Health and safety in care homes
This guidance helps care home providers and managers understand and manage risks to workers and residents. Updated with new topics, it highlights key messages for social care settings. Since April 2015, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England investigates incidents of harm to residents due to unsafe or poor-quality care, while HSE oversees worker safety and specific types of care homes.
Approved Document G: Sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency
This document provides comprehensive guidance on sanitation, hot water safety, and water efficiency. It includes key requirements, technical advice, and performance standards for water systems, sanitary facilities, and food preparation areas in buildings. The document also addresses compliance responsibilities, historic buildings, material changes of use, and interaction with other legislation. Appendices offer tools like a water efficiency calculator and references to relevant standards and legislation. Designed for professionals, it provides practical steps for safe, efficient, and compliant building designs.
Risk assessments for Legionella control. Code of practice.
BS 8580-01:2019
The British Standard for Legionella risk assessments, BS 8580-1:2019, has been updated to align with the HSE’s Code of Practice (ACoP L8) and related guidance. This standard applies to risk assessments for premises, plant, and systems with implemented control measures. As Legionella risk assessment is a legal requirement, the standard is essential for those managing water systems in healthcare, hospitals, leisure centres, and schools.
Relevant Books to purchase
BS 8558:2015
Guide to the design, installation, testing and maintenance of services supplying water for domestic use within buildings and their curtilages. Complementary guidance to BS EN 806
BS 7592
Sampling for Legionella bacteria in water systems. Code of practice
BS 8580-02:2022
Water quality – Risk assessments for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other waterborne pathogens. Code of practice
BS8680:2020
Water quality. Water safety plans. Code of practice
Relevant links
- Approved Code of Practice
- Health and Safety Guidance: The control of Legionella
- Safe Water in Healthcare Premises
- Contol of Legionella and Other Infectious Agents in Spa Pool Systems
- Health and Safety in Care Homes
- Hot Water Safety and Water Efficiency
- Risk assessments for Legionella control. Code of practice.
- Purchasable Documents
