What Diseases Can Legionella Bacteria Cause in Humans?

Legionella bacteria may cause a number of different diseases, all of which come under the umbrella term Legionellosis. There are two main types of disease that the bacteria frequently causes in the UK, one of which is non-pneumonic and one of which is pneumonic:

• Pontiac Disease – This is the main non-pneumonic form in the UK: a flu-like virus that normally lasts for 2-5 days and is not known to be fatal.
• Legionnaires’ Disease – This is the main pneumonic form in the UK, the one that makes all the headlines whenever there is an outbreak. It can cause a range of symptoms, from nothing more than a mild cough, to severe pneumonia symptoms and death.

There are other diseases it may potentially cause but they are not commonly encountered in this country.

Why Do You Have to Perform Legionella Risk Assessments?

Low levels of Legionella bacteria can be found in virtually all bodies of water around the world, including lakes, rivers and streams. Due to the open nature of these environments, the bacteria does not normally pose a serious health risk. However, in a closed environment such as a commercial air conditioning system, the bacteria can quickly multiply until it reached dangerous levels of concentration.

How Often Should a Legionella Risk Assessment Be Carried Out?

The Approved Code of Practice published by the HSE in the UK recommends regular reviews of risk assessment procedures for all public buildings and commercial premises. It goes on to specify 2-year intervals in between assessments for buildings with a low risk factor. However, if any substantial changes are made to a building, this should precipitate an immediate reassessment.

If you would like to discuss your Legionella risk assessment procedures with one of our experienced specialists, please do not hesitate to call or message us now.

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However, there’s no need to panic as this post will run through all the steps you need to take to ensure your workplace is safe for a return, and everything that your Covid-19 risk assessment needs to cover. This advice is applicable to all types of commercial and educational workplaces, and will cover all aspects of deep cleaning.

Hand Washing and Using Hand Sanitiser

Although you’re probably bored sick of being told to sanitise your hands regularly, it is vitally important to help stop the spread of viruses including Covid-19. Guidance from Health and Safety Executive recommends installing hand sanitiser locations in addition to those in washrooms, as well as providing sanitiser for those getting in and out of vehicles and handling deliveries.

It is important for employers to think about additional hand sanitising facilities in their risk assessments, these should include entry/exits points for employees as well as in kitchens and other communal facilities.

Cleaning The Workplace

As Covid-19 is a highly transmissible virus, you will need to increase how often and how thoroughly you clean your workplace. This can be a highly stressful ordeal without external help, that’s why Clean Air offer a professional commercial deep cleaning service which can be tailored for your specific requirements. Moreover, Clean Air offer both one-off and regularly scheduled deep cleaning services, perfect for re-opening and sustainable cleaning through the year.

At Clean Air, we recommend taking steps to identify frequently touched surfaces in your workplace, as these will need more regular and thorough cleaning. These include: work surfaces, door handles, vehicle handles, computer keyboards and kitchen equipment. It’s vitally important to set up a proper cleaning regime for frequently touched areas as viruses can live on these surfaces for long periods of time: Think about how many employees touch the door handles in your workplace daily! Without frequent and thorough cleaning, you are putting not only yourself but the others around you at risk.

There are some strategies which could be put in place to reduce the need for cleaning such as closing off spare workstations and putting away items you don’t need, as well as propping open doors to reduce handle use. However, these should not be used in place of a strict cleaning regime.

Bathrooms, Toilets, and Sinks

For most people, basic toilet hygiene is common knowledge, although we’re sure that there will be some people who haven’t quite mastered the art yet… This may sound like simple advice, but as an employer it’s your responsibility to ensure that your workplace has provisions to allow employees and visitors to wash their hands frequently. This not involves providing adequate soap and drying facilities, but also making sure that bins are emptied regularly.

Vehicles

Many workplaces operate with vehicles and multiple drivers, and it is essential to ensure that vehicles are cleaned properly after use. We recommend cleaning commonly used areas such as handles, steering wheel, handbrake, and gear stick between each use as these are potential areas where germs can live for long periods of time. Ensuring that people practice good hygiene before entering the vehicle will also reduce the risk of potential infections.

Encouraging All Employees to Take Part

Lastly, as with all strategies, your workplace’s deep cleaning strategy will only work if everyone plays their part. It’s vital that all employees receive a copy of the Covid-19 risk assessment and understand what they need to do in order to minimise the risk of infections.  This will help reassure employees that returning to the workplace is safe, and provide a safer working environment for all involved.

We hope you’ve found this blog post informative and are now well-equipped to return to the workplace when the time comes. If you have any queries about commercial deep cleaning services please visit https://cleanairuk.co.uk/commercial-deep-cleaning/ or get in touch via E-Mail info@cleanairuk.com. For more information on Covid-19 risk assessments for workplaces, see the guidance on https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/working-safely/risk-assessment.htm.

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