Commercial Legionella Risk Assessment, Testing & Certification
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Commercial Legionella Risk Assessment and Testing Experts
Did you know that it’s a legal requirement for all businesses to have their water facilities tested for Legionella bacteria growth? Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and COSHH Regulations 2002, any employer or person in control of non-domestic premises must assess and manage the risk of Legionella in their water systems. That duty applies whether you operate a single site or a managed portfolio of buildings.
At 20 to 45°C, water is at risk of harbouring Legionella and could be dangerous to your customers and staff. At Asbury Heating, we carry out commercial Legionella risk assessment and testing for businesses and landlords across the south of England. We provide both the assessment itself and the written documentation that proves your compliance, so you have a clear record when it’s needed.
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What's Involved in a Commercial Legionella Risk Assessment
A commercial Legionella risk assessment is a structured inspection of your water systems, carried out by a competent assessor, going further than a simple temperature check. The assessor works through the full system to understand how water moves through the building, where it’s stored, where conditions might allow bacteria to develop, and whether existing controls are adequate.
At the end of the assessment, we produce a written report recording all findings, identifying risk points, and setting out a recommended scheme of control.
In practice, a site visit for Legionella testing will typically cover:
Hot and cold water systems, storage tanks, calorifiers, dead legs, and redundant pipework that could allow stagnation.
Measurements at representative outlets, since Legionella grows in water between 20 to 45°C and is suppressed above 60°C.
Showers, cooling towers, humidifiers, spa pools and other systems capable of generating aerosols.
Whether current monitoring and maintenance procedures remain effective.
Where the risk profile warrants it, physical samples are taken for laboratory analysis.
Legionella Certificates and Compliance for Dorset and Hampshire Businesses
One of the most common questions facilities managers and landlords ask us is, ‘what do they receive at the end of an assessment?’. The written report we produce confirms that a competent assessment has been carried out, documents the findings, and outlines the control measures required. Some clients refer to this as a Legionella certificate; others call it a risk assessment report. The terminology can differ, but what it represents is the same: a defensible record that your duty of care has been met.
How often you need to review the assessment depends on the risk profile of your water system. Under the current ACoP L8 guidance, there is no fixed statutory interval. However, most industry practitioners work to a minimum of every two years as a practical benchmark, with more frequent review required if the system changes, occupancy changes, or monitoring indicates that existing controls are no longer working as intended.
For businesses in Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth, Salisbury and across the wider Dorset and Hampshire area, our team can advise on the appropriate review cycle for your specific premises and water system.
At Asbury Heating, we carry out assessments for property types that include:
Who Needs a Legionella Risk Assessment
Under ACoP L8, the duty to manage Legionella risk falls on any employer or person in control of non-domestic premises with a water system. That includes landlords with commercial tenants, facilities managers responsible for multi-occupancy buildings, and operators of any premises where members of the public, staff, or residents could be exposed to water systems.
A Legionella risk assessment for commercial property operation is required across a wide range of sectors. The obligation is particularly significant in settings where occupants are more vulnerable, or where water systems are larger and more complex.
A full range of property types can be found on our industries page. If you operate in an industry we’ve not listed, get in touch as there’s a good chance we can help.
Remember that if you manage any of the above, or you are a duty holder for a commercial property with hot and cold-water systems, you are likely to have a legal obligation to have a risk assessment in place.
Why Choose Asbury for Legionella Risk Assessment
We have been serving commercial and public sector clients across south England since 1962. Our engineers are Gas Safe, OFTEC and F-Gas registered, and we hold SafeContractor accreditation, meaning our working practices and health and safety standards have been independently verified.
When you book a Legionella risk assessment with us, you get engineers who understand the full picture of commercial building compliance, not just water hygiene in isolation. That matters in settings where heating systems, hot water circuits and cooling equipment all interact.
For businesses that need more than a one-off assessment, our CareGuard programme provides ongoing Legionella and water safety management, including regular monitoring, documented controls and a single point of contact.
Get in Touch
We provide the assessment, the documentation, and the ongoing support to keep your records current and your compliance defensible. To book a commercial Legionella risk assessment across Dorset, Hampshire, Surrey, Somerset, East and West Sussex or Wiltshire, call 01202 745189 or submit an enquiry through the contact form above.
Legionella Risk Assessment and Testing FAQs
Legionella is a type of bacteria that can cause Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia, and Pontiac fever, a milder flu-like illness. It is commonly found in water sources and can be transmitted to humans through inhaling contaminated water droplets or aerosols, especially from cooling towers, showers, or hot water systems.
Property landlords, employers, and duty holders, including councils, have a legal responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) to ensure the health and safety of employees, residents and members of the public who use their premises. This includes managing the risk of Legionella.
One of the easiest ways to make sure you are safely managing the risk of Legionella includes frequent Legionella testing. Testing will help make sure that you are adhering to the above guidelines relating to health and safety standards.
Legionella tests should be reviewed at least once every two years. However, the frequency with which you should carry out a Legionella test will depend on several factors, including your property type and whether you have a high risk set up.
High risk set ups include:
- Complex Water Systems
- Large Water Storage Tanks
- High Water Temperatures
- Aerosol-Generating Equipment (e.g., Cooling Towers)
- Systems in Properties That Service Vulnerable People (e.g., care homes and schools)
High risk systems may need to be tested every three to six months, or even more frequently.
The industry precedent is for testing every two years. However, in certain situations an assessment is required more frequently. This includes:
- When the people at the site are considered ‘high risk’ e.g., the elderly or those with an impaired immune system.
- When it seems that the current control scheme monitoring no longer seem to be effective.
- When there is suspected Legionella outbreak, or positive samples are recorded.
The symptoms of Legionnaires’ can vary in severity but often include:
- High Fever
- Cough (which may be dry or produce mucus)
- Shortness of Breath or Difficulty Breathing
- Chest Pain
- Muscle Aches and Pain
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Loss of Appetite
- Confusion or Mental Changes
The symptoms typically develop 2 to 10 days after exposure to the Legionella bacteria.
Anyone can contract the disease, but certain people are more vulnerable:
- Elderly individuals (especially those over 50 years old)
- Smokers and former smokers
- People with chronic lung diseases
- Individuals with weakened immune systems
- Those with underlying health conditions like diabetes or kidney failure
- Recent hospital patients
- Residents of care homes or long-term care facilities
Flushing taps/water systems may reduce the risk of Legionella by removing stagnant water. However, it doesn’t eliminate the bacteria entirely. Proper maintenance and regular testing are essential for Legionella control.
Yes, Legionella can be prevented in facilities like schools. Schools should conduct a risk assessment of water systems, regularly monitor water temperatures, encourage flushing of infrequently used outlets, clean and disinfect fixtures and maintain water heaters properly.
Cooling towers, if present, should be well-maintained and treated. Staff training on Legionella awareness is crucial, and compliance with local Dorset guidelines is essential. Seeking professional advice for risk assessment and control measures ensures effective prevention and provides a safe environment for students and staff.
In the UK specific legal liabilities may include:
- Compliance with Health and Safety Regulations: Property management companies are obligated to comply with health and safety regulations, which often include requirements for Legionella risk control.
- Duty of Care: Property management companies have a duty of care to take reasonable steps to prevent harm or illness due to Legionella exposure on their properties.
- Negligence Claims: If someone becomes ill with Legionnaires’ disease or suffers harm due to Legionella exposure on a managed property, there could be negligence claims if it is proven that the property management company failed to meet its duty of care.
- Contractual Obligations: Property management companies may have contractual agreements with property owners or tenants that include responsibilities for Legionella prevention and testing.
At the end of your assessment, we provide a full written report documenting the findings, the risk points identified, and the recommended scheme of control. This is sometimes referred to as a Legionella certificate, though the term varies between assessors.
What matters is the content: a clear, documented record that a competent assessment has been carried out and that appropriate control measures have been identified. This report is what your insurer, local authority, or regulator may ask to see as evidence of compliance.
The cost of a commercial Legionella risk assessment depends on the size of the premises, the complexity of the water system, and the number of outlets and risk points that need to be assessed. A straightforward single-site assessment will cost less than a multi-system survey across a large facility with cooling towers, storage tanks and multiple risk points.
The most accurate way to get a figure is to contact us with your site details, and we will provide a clear quote without obligation. Call 01202 745189 or use our contact form to get in touch.
A Legionella risk assessment is a structured inspection of your water systems designed to identify where conditions might allow Legionella bacteria to grow, evaluate existing controls, and produce a written scheme of control. Legionella testing, by contrast, involves taking physical water samples from the system for laboratory analysis to detect the actual presence of Legionella bacteria.
The two are related but distinct. A risk assessment tells you where the risk exists and what controls are needed; testing tells you whether the bacteria are currently present. Many duty holders require both, and in higher-risk settings such as care homes and leisure centres, regular Legionella testing is typically recommended alongside the formal risk assessment.
Yes. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and ACoP L8, anyone in control of non-domestic premises with a water system has a duty to assess and manage the risk of Legionella. For commercial landlords, that duty applies regardless of whether you occupy the building yourself or let it to tenants.
The obligation is to ensure that a suitable and sufficient Legionella risk assessment for commercial property is in place, and that appropriate control measures are implemented and reviewed. If you are uncertain whether an assessment is required for a property you manage, we are happy to advise.
We aim to respond to all enquiries within 48 hours and can typically schedule an assessment within a timeframe that works around your building’s operations to minimise disruption. We cover Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth, Salisbury and the wider Dorset and Hampshire area, so travel times are short and availability is generally good. If you have a compliance deadline or insurance renewal date driving your timeline, let us know when you get in touch and we will do our best to accommodate it.
Latest Blogs on Legionella Testing
How Often Should a Legionella Risk Assessment Be Carried Out?
So how often should a legionella risk assessment be carried out? At least every two years as a general rule, though many buildings need reviews far sooner.
What Happens During a Legionella Risk Assessment?
A legionella risk assessment is a structured check of your water systems, covering the site survey, temperature checks, tank inspection and a full report.
Legionella Risks in Offices Every Manager Should Know
The duty holder for Legionella risk in offices must appoint a competent person to assess, control and document the risk, as required under COSHH UK law.