Business premises safety

Legionella

Home working and business temporary closures create an elevated risk of Legionella due to water stagnating in water systems.

As a general principle, outlets on hot and cold water systems should be used at least once a week to maintain a degree of water flow and to minimise the chances of stagnation.

To manage the risks during non-occupancy, consideration should be given to implementing a suitable flushing regime or other measures such as draining the system if it is to remain vacant for long periods.

Guidance for landlords

This guidance also applies to workplaces which become less occupied (such as out-patient wards).

In addition, consideration is required of other water systems that are no longer in use, such as leisure, sports and swimming and spa pool facilities. We suggest that for these facilities, you should follow the procedures described in the Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group Code of Practice and this can be found at:

Pool Water Treatment Code of Practice

Guidance has also been produced by the European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious disease on managing Legionella in building water systems during the COVID-19 pandemic:

Guidance on managing Legionella in building water systems