73Procedure for responding to detection of Legionella

73 Procedure for responding to detection of Legionella

(1) This regulation applies if a responsible person is notified by an initial laboratory report or the Secretary that Legionella has been detected in a sample of recirculating water taken from a cooling tower system.

(2) Within 24 hours of receiving a notification, the responsible person must ensure that—

(a) the recirculating water is disinfected; and

(b) the water treatment program, tower operation and maintenance program of the cooling tower system are reviewed; and

(c) any faults are corrected; and

(d) any changes necessary to prevent a re-occurrence of those faults are implemented.

(3) Between 2 and 7 days after receiving a notification, the responsible person must ensure that a further sample of the recirculating water is taken and provided to a laboratory to test for Legionella.

(4) Within 24 hours of receiving a report from a laboratory that Legionella has been detected in a sample taken in accordance with subregulation (3), the responsible person must ensure that the recirculating water is disinfected, the interior of each cooling tower in the cooling tower system is cleaned and the recirculating water is re-disinfected.

(5) Between 2 and 7 days after the disinfection required by subregulation (4) has been completed, the responsible person must ensure that a further sample of the recirculating water is taken and provided to a laboratory to test for Legionella.

(6) If a laboratory has tested a further sample of recirculating water in accordance with subregulation (5) and reports that Legionella has still been detected, the responsible person must—

(a) ensure that the disinfection and testing procedures set out in subregulations (4) and (5) are repeated until Legionella is not detected in 2 consecutive recirculating water samples taken approximately one week apart; or