Do You Need a Legionella Risk Assessment For Your Property?
We provide Legionella Risk Assessments for all types of properties across the UK
As a fully independent and impartial company, you can be confident that the results and recommendations you receive from Acorn will always be in your best interests!
Get Your Quote Now
Get a Fast, No-Obligation Quote Today!
Get a fast and free quote from one of our expert consultants.
All you need to do is click the button below, fill in a simple form and get your quote emailed to you.
Legionella Risk Assessments
Do I need a Legionella Risk Assessment?
It is a legal duty to carry out an assessment to identify and assess whether there is a risk posed by exposure to legionella. As an employer or the duty holder for a building or premises, you must undertake suitable and sufficient precautions to prevent or control the risk of exposure to legionella.
A suitable and sufficient assessment for legionella must be carried out to identify and assess the risk of exposure to legionella bacteria from work activities and water systems on your premises and any precautionary measures needed.
Undertaking a legionella risk assessment is your responsibility and will assist you to identify any potential legionella bacteria risks. Your legionella risk assessments will help you carry out appropriate controls to prevent or minimise the risk of exposure.
What is a Legionella Risk Assessment?
It is a legal duty to carry out a legionella risk assessment on hot and cold water systems or any work associated with them. The legionella risk assessment should include all aspects of the hot and cold water systems including their operational functions.
Legionella risk assessments are designed to provide a documented and pragmatic approach to:
- Identify, quantify and assess the potential sources of risk of exposure to the Legionella bacteria
- Assessing the existing control measures already in places such as service records, cleaning and monitoring regimes
- Assessing the level of training, awareness and competence in regard to the management of Legionella bacteria
- Provide guidance on any remedial actions to reduce any potential exposure to legionella bacteria
For all legionella risk assessments that are carried out by one of our qualified legionella risk assessors, we will undertake a complete comprehensive inspection of your premises.
The survey will look for any non-Water Regulations Approval Scheme approved fittings, poor cold water tank or hot water cylinder conditions, temperature profiling and accessibility to all areas that require monitoring and maintenance by law.
The results of this inspection will be used to make recommendations to you on how they improve their prevention and control measures.
Simply following our advice will ensure you meet your legal responsibilities and comply with all safety legislation and health regulations.
Legionella risks are covered under the Health and Safety at Work Act which was introduced in 1974. the purpose of this legislation was to make sure risks in the workplace are identified, controlled and managed.
Fast, Free And Fixed Price Quote Service
We’ll quote you within 1 working day, and the quote you receive will be the price you are charged.
City and Guilds Qualified Consultants
To deliver the highest levels of service of our legionella consultants hold HTM04-01, WS8 and WS14 City and Guilds qualifications.
Multiple Sector Experienced Legionella Consultants
All of our Legionella Consultants are experienced in working across various sectors which gives you the assurance that they can meet all of your requirements.
Free Client Portal And Project Data Storage
All legionella risk assessments come with free access to your own live, secure and encrypted, client portal. Provide 24/7 access to your legionella risk assessment data and reports whenever you want to whoever you want, you’re in control.
Up To Date Advice Of Safe Systems Of Work
The experience and skills of our Legionella Consultants come from the time spent on sites realising the problems and issues you face. This experience enables us to develop and review risk assessments and SSoW and formulate site-specific documentation and procedures which will work for you.
24/7 Access To Our Legionella Consultants
You’ll have access to our Legionella Consultants when you need it, wherever you need it!
Free Legionella Remediation Consultation & Advice
Where remediation works are required, we can assist you with free, independent and impartial assistance following your survey.
How much does a Legionella Risk Assessment cost?
If you’re looking to find out how much your legionella risk assessments will cost, all you need to do is fill in our simple quote request form.
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 cover all substances found in the workplace that may cause harm to health including legionella bacteria that can be found in water sources.


Legionella Risk Assessment – Frequently Asked Questions
Below we’ve outlined some commonly asked questions about Legionella Risk Assessments. Still got a question, contact us and request a call back from one of our Legionella Consultants.
What is Legionella Bacteria?
Legionella bacteria is a naturally occurring microscopic single-celled organism. Legionella bacteria are widespread and found in natural water systems such as streams, rivers, reservoirs, lakes and ponds however they are usually in low numbers. Since legionella can be found within the natural environment it may contaminate and multiple in purpose-built water systems. These bacteria thrive in warm temperatures and low oxygen levels. It is this legionella bacteria found in the water which is the cause of Legionnaires disease.
Where is there a risk from Legionella?
There is a potential risk of legionella within any water system that has the right conditions which could be a source of legionella growth. There is a potential legionella risk in a water system when:
- Water is stored or re-circulated
- Water temperature is between 20–45 °C
- Rust, sludge, scale and organic matters are present
- Conditions are right to encourage bacteria to multiply
- Water droplets can be produced and dispersed (e.g showers, areosols etc)
- Employees, residents, visitors etc are more susceptible to infection due to age, illness, a weakened immune system who could be exposed to any contaminated water droplets.
How much does a legionella risk assessment cost?
This depends on a number of factors. When determining how much a legionella risk assessment costs, some factors such as the type of building, the use of the building and the size of the building (square metre/square foot) need to be considered.
To get your fast, no-obligation quote click here.
How often should you have a legionella risk assessment?
Depending on the systems you use and the conclusions you make about the risk assessment. Typically, a routine test of open systems should occur at least quarterly. In certain instances, however, it may be necessary to perform sampling regularly.
What is Legionnaires disease
Legionellosis is a kind of pneumonia that has a possible deadly outcome. The most vulnerable are the elderly and young, the ill and the smoker.
Legionella can cause many lesser-known diseases including Pontiac & Lochgoilhead Virus that can affect any person. Legionnaires disease can be transmitted through contaminated air by inhaling air containing bacteria.
The disease cannot travel anywhere but is most prevalent through water supply systems in residential homes, evaporative cooling towers and spa pools.
How long does a risk assessment take?
This time really varies depending on the size of your property, the complexity and the number of water units you have present.
Do Acorn Safety Services service my area?
Yes, we provide nationwide coverage. From our offices in Northampton, Wolverhampton and London we are ideally located to provide legionella risk assessments, legionella testing and legionella treatment remediation work to the whole of the UK. Contact us today or get a fast turnaround quote here.
Legionella Health and Safety Regulations
Legionella risks are covered under the Health and Safety at Work Act which was introduced in 1974. the purpose of this legislation was to make sure risks in the workplace are identified, controlled and managed.
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 cover all substances found in the workplace that may cause harm to health including legionella bacteria that can be found in water sources.
Who is responsible for a legionella risk assessment?
The Health and Safety Executive approved code of practice (ACOP) Legionnaires’ disease
The control of legionella bacteria in water systems states that the “dutyholder” is responsible for ensuring a legionella risk assessment is carried out. You are the dutyholder if you are either of the following:
(A) You are the Employer, where the risk from their undertaking is to their employees or others; or
(b) You are a self-employed person, where there is a risk from their undertaking to themselves or others; or
(c) You are the person who is in control of the premises or systems in connection with work, where there is a risk from systems in the building, eg where a building is let to tenants, but the landlord keeps responsibility for its maintenance.
All employers, landlords or premises managers have a duty to understand and manage Legionella risk within their workplace. They need to ensure that they conduct a regular water system risk assessment.
What types of systems are included in legionella risk assessments?
A legionella risk assessment should inspect locations where water is used or stored; and where there is a means of creating and transmitting water droplets (aerosols) which may be inhaled, causing a reasonably foreseeable risk of exposure to legionella.
The following locations should be included where present:
- Cooling systems with cooling towers
- Evaporative condensers
- Dry/wet cooling systems
- Hot and cold water systems
- Spa pools
- Other plant and systems containing water that can create and increase the risk from legionella during operation or when being maintained
Who can do a legionella risk assessment?
To undertake a legionella risk assessment, you must have the competence (knowledge and skills) to fulfil your health and safety duties, eg take responsibility for managing the control scheme, then you should make reasonable enquiries to satisfy yourself of their competence in the area of work before entering into any contracts for the treatment, monitoring, and cleaning of the system, and any other aspects of water treatment and control. An illustration of levels of service to expect from water treatment companies can be found here Legionella Control Association.
Can a plumber do a legionella risk assessment?
A plumber could undertake legionella risk assessments, however you would require to assess that they are competent to undertake these assessments. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) describe competency being made up of the correct qualifications, experience and training for the task to be completed. The law provides that this is done by someone competent for the task.
Where can Legionella bacteria grow?
Legionella bacterial resides within water bodies including lakes, water sources, and rivers. Alternatively, the substances are found within natural water systems, such as heat pumps and cooler towers and spas.
Given the correct combinations of environmental factors, a water supply can be a breeding ground for Legionella growth. Legionella bacteria may cause significant health problems if stored and recirculated water and breathable water droplets can spread to the surface of the aerosol.
What happens after I receive the report?
Your legionella risk assessment report will provide a detailed plan of action. This report will list all identified hazards with photos, temperature data and asset register.
Recommendations for implementing effective legionella control measures will be provided as well as any required remediation works.
How long will it take for me to receive my legionella report?
Your reports will be quality checked and e-mailed in PDF format.
We guarantee you that we’ll issue your report within 5 days when no samples are collected.
Where water samples are collected reporting times will be increased subject to laboratory analysis times.

Free Online Portal with Every Legionella Risk Assessment Service
We have worked with our database provider to produce an easy-to-navigate online system that can be accessed via any web browser. There is no downloading software or apps and best of all its FREE.
Host your legionella risk assessment data and reports securely, accessible anytime from anywhere
This is available for anyone who uses our services.






