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Legionella risk audits
Legionnaires disease is a form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, which kills about 13% of those infected. The disease is caught by breathing in aerosols (which are formed from fine water droplets) containing the Legionella bacteria.
Wherever these water droplets are formed (showers, jacuzzis, flushing a toilet, cooling towers, fountains, etc.), there is the risk of Legionella infection.
Our risk evaluation and control programs have been developed in accordance with the requirements of the EWGLI (European Working Group for Legionella Infections), who focus on travel-associated Legionnaires disease. The EWGLI surveillance scheme works closely together with tour operators to monitor Legionella outbreaks, and if a hotel is found to have a Legionella outbreak, with no control or monitoring procedures in place (according to the EWGLI guidelines), then that hotel is listed on the EWGLI London website. Tour operators access this site, and will not use hotels which are listed on this site.
Our Legionella program has been established to help you identify and minimise the risks which would allow Legionella to proliferate in your water system, and also to help you in complying with the EWGLI requirements.
Our full FCS Legionella risk evaluation (FLRE) report details all of the findings, and informs the relevant managers what needs to be done to ensure that EWGLI requirements are complied with, and to reduce the risk of Legionella proliferation and infection. Documentation is also provided to assist managers in implementing the necessary controls and keeping effective records. This full evaluation (FLRE) is performed on an annual basis.
The Legionella monitoring audit (LMA) is done on a quarterly basis to inspect the relevant controls that are in place, and to ensure that risks (including those identified in the FLRE), are being monitored.
Since the entire water system is evaluated, we have found that the audit also doubles as a full water systems audit, and additional valuable information regarding the water systems is also determined.
The FCS Legionella program is not only an invaluable tool for reducing the overall risk in an establishment, but also ensures due diligence in terms of the EWGLI standards.
For further information on how FCS can help reduce the risk of Legionella infection, and ensure EWGLI compliance, please contact us.
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