Legionnaires’ disease can be contracted by breathing in small droplets of water suspended in the air which contain Legionella bacteria. Symptoms include fever, a non-productive cough and pneumonia.
Review water systems to ensure they are safe for employees and customers. This should be undertaken as part of a thorough risk assessment. Consider all water systems, for example:
- taps
- hoses
- showers
- cooling towers
- evaporative condensers
- air conditioning units
- hot tubs
This includes water systems at:
- shops
- hairdressers
- offices
- hotels
- gyms
- sports clubs
- golf clubs
- hotels
- pubs
- clubs
- restaurants
- voluntary-run premises
- caravan sites
- and anywhere that has a water supply that has been out of use
To minimise the risk follow the latest advice from the Health and Safety Executive.