UK local authority offer Legionella training

More than 100 people at care homes in the Tendring local authority area in the UK have now been given specialist advice on how to protect their residents, staff and visitors against the threat of legionella.

Tendring District Council (TDC) staged its second course on the subject at its Weeley offices today due to popular demand.

Over 60 people packed out the first session in February and a further 40 attended the second event – put on for those who had missed out.

The aim of the initiative is to give the care homes a better understanding of the disease and their legal duties.

Nick Turner, TDC’s Cabinet Member for the Environment, said that the initial session was oversubscribed and therefore it was necessary to stage a second.

“The threat of legionella is a very important issue and I am delighted that we have been able to help more than 100 people gain a better understanding about the disease,” he said.

“They will return to their businesses with a better knowledge of how to protect their residents, staff and visitors.

“These courses are all part of my department’s on-going efforts to provide our community with affordable excellence. We aim to ask and offer – not dictate.”

Legionella is naturally found in water courses and given the right conditions can multiply within the domestic hot and cold water systems.

The disease dies at temperatures above 60 degrees centigrade and remains inactive below 20 degrees.

Care homes are more at risk as they tend to set their water temperature at 43 degrees to prevent scalding.

The law requires commercial premises to assess the risk of legionella in their environment and implement suitable controls.

Care home owners, and managers were given advice on how they could undertake their own risk assessments and save money that could be spent more effectively elsewhere in their businesses.