Plumbing, Cold Water & Hygiene
Legionella Control
Managing legionella risk in commercial water systems is a continuous legal obligation, not a one-off exercise. ACOP L8 requires dutyholders to assess, control, monitor, and document throughout.
Robinsons Facilities Services supports commercial buildings across Yorkshire, the Humber, and beyond. We offer the full range of legionella control services, from initial risk assessment through to regular testing, responsible person training, and system disinfection.
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Legionella control in commercial water systems is a legal obligation under ACOP L8 and HSG274. A written control scheme must be in place, with regular monitoring, temperature checks, and documented remedial actions. Cold water must be stored and distributed below 20°C; hot water stored at 60°C or above and distributed at 55°C or above. The Responsible Person is legally accountable for ensuring the control programme is implemented and recorded.
What L8 compliance actually requires
Under ACOP L8 and the supporting technical guidance in HSG274, dutyholders (typically building owners and employers) have legal obligations to manage legionella risk in water systems under their control.
These obligations arise under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH).
Compliance requires more than a risk assessment. L8 requires that:
- risks are assessed and a written scheme of control is produced and implemented
- a responsible person is appointed with sufficient knowledge, authority, and competence to oversee the programme
- control measures are monitored and maintained on an ongoing basis
- records are kept throughout, providing a documented trail of compliance
For most commercial buildings, this means regular temperature checks on hot and cold water systems, periodic water sampling, maintenance of tanks, calorifiers, and other system components, and documented evidence that the programme is being followed. Where a risk assessment identifies elevated risk, more intensive intervention is required.
Failure to meet these obligations can result in HSE enforcement action. Where a failure causes serious harm, prosecution is possible.
What a legionella control programme covers
A complete Legionella control programme for a commercial building has four elements. Each is a separate service, and where a building needs more than one, Robinsons Facilities Services can deliver them all.
1. Legionella risk assessment
The risk assessment surveys your water systems, establishes the building’s risk profile, and defines the control measures required.
It sets out the written scheme of control and identifies what monitoring and maintenance activities need to take place.
It should be reviewed following significant changes to water systems or building use, and at regular intervals even without changes.
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2. Legionella testing
Regular water sampling and temperature monitoring verify that control measures are working.
Temperature checks at sentinel points are typically required monthly under HSG274.
Water sampling frequency is determined by the written scheme of control, based on the risk profile of the system.
Testing produces the documented evidence required for audit, insurance, and HSE compliance purposes.
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3. Legionella training
ACOP L8 requires the responsible person for a premises to have sufficient knowledge and competence to oversee the control programme.
Training establishes and documents that competence and is relevant for facilities managers, estates teams, and anyone carrying day-to-day responsibility for building water systems.
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4. Water chlorination
Chlorination disinfects water systems, typically following installation, after maintenance that disturbs the system, or in response to a positive test result.
A water chlorination certificate provides documented evidence of the process and may be required by insurers or as part of a remedial action following a risk assessment.
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One supplier for your full legionella compliance programme
Most buildings need more than one of the above services. Managing them across multiple suppliers creates gaps in communication, in documentation, and in accountability.
Robinsons Facilities Services delivers the full range of legionella control services from a single point of contact, with qualified, experienced engineers.
We cover commercial buildings across Yorkshire, the Humber, and beyond, including Leeds, Sheffield, Hull, Harrogate, York, Bradford, and across North, South, East, and West Yorkshire.
For customers with a PPM and compliance contract, legionella monitoring and testing tasks can be built into the maintenance schedule. Records are held in the customer portal and available for audit at any time.
For buildings not on a contract, we can deliver risk assessments, testing, training, and water chlorination on demand, or quote for larger remedial works where required.
How we can support you
Whether you need a first risk assessment, ongoing monitoring under an existing written scheme, or a complete legionella management programme built from scratch, we can help.
Our PPM and compliance contract is the most cost-effective route for buildings that need legionella monitoring built into a planned maintenance schedule.
On-demand services suit businesses with a specific one-off requirement.
Where remedial work is identified (system modifications, component replacements, or disinfection following a test result), this is managed through our Quoted works process.
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Legionella Control FAQs
Yes. ACOP L8 places legal obligations on dutyholders (building owners and employers) to manage the risk of Legionella bacteria in water systems under their control. It operates under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH). Failure to comply can result in HSE enforcement action or, where serious harm results, prosecution.
A legionella risk assessment identifies the hazards in your water systems and defines the control measures required; it is the starting point for your compliance programme.
Legionella control is the ongoing programme that follows: implementing those measures, monitoring the systems, documenting the results, and reviewing the programme over time. A risk assessment alone does not satisfy your L8 obligations.
A written scheme of control is a documented plan required under ACOP L8. It sets out the control measures for each water system in a building, including monitoring frequencies, responsible persons, and the actions to take if results fall outside acceptable parameters. It must be kept up to date and reviewed whenever significant changes are made to the water system or building.
Monitoring frequency depends on the system type and its risk profile, as defined in the written scheme of control. For most hot and cold water systems, HSG274 recommends monthly temperature checks at sentinel points, with water sampling on a frequency determined by the risk assessment. Higher-risk systems (those with cooling towers or spa pools, for example) require more frequent monitoring.
The dutyholder must appoint a responsible person with sufficient knowledge, authority, and competence to oversee the legionella control programme. In smaller organisations this is often a facilities manager or senior manager. The responsible person does not need to carry out the technical work personally but must understand what is required and ensure it is being done correctly. Training supports this.
A positive result triggers a defined response procedure. This typically includes a review of the control programme, increased monitoring, and disinfection of the affected system, usually by chlorination. The specific response and timescales should be set out in the written scheme of control. Robinsons Facilities Services can manage the investigation and remediation process.
Yes, in most cases. ACOP L8 requires the risk assessment to be reviewed following any significant change to a water system or its use. This includes modifications arising from building works, a change of tenancy, or a period of low or no occupancy. The responsible person should assess whether a review is needed whenever the system changes.
Yes. For customers with a Robinsons Facilities Services PPM and compliance contract, legionella monitoring, testing, and other water hygiene tasks can be incorporated into the planned maintenance schedule. This is often the most practical approach for multi-system buildings, as it keeps all compliance documentation in one place and reduces the risk of tasks being missed.
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