HSE Changing The ACOP (L8)

The HSE are conducting a consultation - it has been called to bring about changes to the ACOP (L8), to make a clearer, more definite set of guidelines.

We found the article on the FM World website; the report reads:

The legionella Consultative Document (CD258) sets out proposals from the HSE to publish an updated Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) on Legionnaire’s disease. 

The consultation provides an opportunity to comment on whether the draft ACOP text provides legal clarification and proportionate advice in low-risk scenarios. 

Accompanying guidance provides advice on achieving compliance, information of a general nature, including explanation of the requirements of the law, specific technical information or references to further sources of information. 

The revised ACOP gives practical advice on the legal requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH). It also applies to the risk from exposure to legionella bacteria and includes information of a general nature including explanation of the requirements of law. 

Interested parties can e-mail for more information: legionella.ACOPconsultation@hse.gsi.gov.uk 
Documents and comment forms can be downloaded here. 

The other two consultations concern the Control of Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 and the amended Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.
Industry and interested parties have until 23 August to respond.

We found the article here : http://www.fm-world.co.uk/news/fm-industry-news/hse-opens-legionella-consultation/?

Legislation Update February 2013 - Changes to the ACOP (L8)

In the wake of the Legionella outbreaks earlier this year, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released important information for users and suppliers of water treatment systems.

From 1 February 2013 it will be illegal to sell or use water treatment systems that use elemental copper in order to add copper ions to water as a biocide. It will also be illegal to supply the copper needed for their use. Action has been taken at an EU level under the Biocidal Products Directive, because no manufacturer supported the use of elemental copper for use as biocides in these systems during a review period that ended in September 2011.

Along with this information, HSE have also produced a simple FAQ document which aims to answer any questions installers have about Legionella, the control of Legionella and monitoring systems.

APHC PR and marketing manager Charlotte Murray said: “We would like to direct all installers who use water treatment systems to this new information from the HSE. We have received queries from concerned members about Legionella control and monitoring systems so this information is a welcome development.

British Establishments to be checked on Legionella Control

British Establishments are going to be checked up and down the country by the HSE. Currently, the gaze has been turned to Scotland, but its only a matter of time before the rest of the UK gets involved, especially following the recent outbreaks in England. The full article reads:

Businesses are organisations in the West of Scotland with cooling towers are facing checks to ensure they are managing legionella risks appropriately. 

Currently, Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities are visiting cooling towers and evaporative condensers in Glasgow, North Ayrshire, Inverclyde and Renfrewshire; however checks are expected to be carried out across similar sites in Britain. 

These inspections follow the publication of a safety notice in July warning of the legionella risks posed by cooling towers and evaporative condensers, and are also part of a wider initiative to promote better control of legionella.   

“Our research has confirmed that cooling towers pose the biggest legionella risk. If we, or local authority inspectors, find that the appropriate controls are not in place, we will take enforcement action. 

A review of legionella outbreaks by the HSE in 2011 highlighted cooling towers and evaporative condensers as being responsible for the majority of the most significant outbreaks in Britain in the past ten years. 

Commenting on the visits that the HSE are currently embarking on, David Snowball, Director for Scotland and Northern England, said: 

“We are doing these visits to focus businesses' attention on ensuring they are doing what is required both to protect their workers and the wider public.

"Inspections are a valuable part of our regulatory action. They are however no substitute for companies meeting their legal duties on a daily basis, given that legionella levels can increase to high levels in a matter of days or weeks."

UPDATED! | Hospital Wards Close Due To Legionella Scare | Hornchurch, London

------ UPDATED BELOW ------

Orig Post |

Hospital wards close as patients fall ill with suspected cases of Legionnaires Disease, reported today, 22nd October 2012.

The wards closed last Friday (19th) in St George’s Hospital in Hornchurch when the disease was suspected to be affecting patients - They moved the patients when they received a high counts of legionella in the water systems back from laboratory tests, indicating that the patients my have contracted the disease, however, no confirmed cases have been announced.

The patients at the surrounding hospitals have been closely watched over this weekend to ensure the confirmation of the diagnosis. When such details become available, we'll post an update as soon as possible.

As this is a potential legionella outbreak in the County's Capital, we are sure to see a further rise in the HSE's interest in the ACOP (L8), as previously has been seen with the latest few legionella scares. Dare we say more spot checks and closer monitoring procedures are on the horizon.


------- UPDATES 23/10/2012 -------
Out-patients are now not being admitted to the hospital due to the high legionella counts found in the

The HSE Drop Standards When Monitoring Legionella

Seem's the old HSE needs to up their game in monitoring the leginella control scene- it has come to light, since the Edinburgh outbreak, that the frequency in which they check that duty holders are taking their responsibilities seriously has declined in recent years. The following report reads:

An investigation launched in the wake of the Edinburgh outbreak of the illness has exposed reductions in the number of Legionella inspections carried out by the Health and Safety Executive.

 

The probe by the publication Environmental Health News found the number of pro-active HSE inspections across the UK fell from 833 in 2009 to 464 in 2011.

The number of Legionella inspections at cooling towers dropped from 237 in 2010 to 134 in 2011. Around 2900 cooling towers are subject to inspections from the HSE.
 

The source of the Edinburgh outbreak is yet to be determined but attention has centred on cooling towers in the city.
 

Professor Hugh Pennington, emminent microbiologist and chair of the public inquiry into Scotland's fatal Wishaw Ecoli outbreak, said: "It is clearly time for a rapid root and branch reform of the regulatory system for Legionella."
 

Lawyers representing victims of the Edinburgh outbreak, in which more than 100 people fell ill and three people died, expressed serious concerns about the findings.
 Clive Garner, of Irwin Mitchell, said there were fears that towers which could pose a serious public risk will not be inspected until it is too late.