Legionella is a type of bacteria. It occurs naturally in water, and in small numbers it’s rarely a problem. The trouble starts when conditions let it multiply, warm stagnant water, sediment, biofilm building up in pipework that doesn’t see regular use. Get those conditions right (or wrong, depending on how you look at it) and Legionella can spread quickly through a building’s water system.
Breathe in contaminated water droplets, and you’re at risk of Legionnaires’ disease. It’s a serious, sometimes fatal form of pneumonia, and it’s exactly why the law takes this so seriously. Cooling towers, showers, taps, water storage tanks. Any part of your system that produces a fine mist or holds water for any length of time is a potential risk point.
Almost certainly, yes. If you employ staff, let property, or control a premises, the law applies to you. The Health and Safety at Work Act, COSHH, and ACoP L8 all require you to assess the risk of Legionella in your water systems.
Assessments should be reviewed every two years. Sooner if your system changes, occupancy shifts, or a case is linked to your site.
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Every property is different. Pricing reflects your building’s size, the number and type of water systems you’re running, and how thorough the assessment needs to be. Get in touch with a few basic details about your Oxford premises to get a clear and honest quote.
Yes. No grey area here. The legal basis sits in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the COSHH Regulations 2002, backed by specific guidance in the HSE’s ACoP L8. If you’re a duty holder, an employer, or a landlord, you’re required to assess and manage Legionella risk. A written assessment isn’t optional. It’s the standard you’re expected to meet, in Oxford or anywhere else in the UK.
Picture it as a full health check for your building’s water systems. A qualified assessor surveys everything, looking for the conditions that let Legionella bacteria grow or spread. You get a written report back: clear findings, risk ratings, and a prioritised action plan. Whether you’re running an Oxford office, a school, a care home, or a hotel, the assessment adapts to your building.
There’s no single answer. It comes down to your property type and how complex your systems are. As a general rule, aim for a full review every one to two years. But certain moments should trigger an earlier look, new equipment going in, building alterations, or a change in occupancy. Your assessor will tell you exactly what fits your Oxford site.
It starts small, invisibly small. Legionnaires’ disease develops when someone breathes in contaminated water vapour or aerosol droplets. The bacteria thrive in water sitting between 20 and 45°C, especially where there’s stagnation, or biofilm and sediment building up unnoticed. Cooling towers, shower heads, water storage tanks. These are the usual suspects, and it doesn’t matter if your building is a sleek new Oxford development or a beautiful old listed property with tricky old pipework. The risk factors are the same.
Work through the actions in priority order, tackling the highest risks first. Then look further ahead. You’ll need an ongoing management plan, one that covers temperature monitoring, regular water sampling, flushing those low-use outlets, and keeping your records straight. TWC can manage the whole programme for you, or just the parts you’d rather hand off.
