Prevent a Legionella outbreak at your vacant property

Posted on April 28, 2020.

During the government lockdown, empty buildings are not being utilised for numerous different reasons, including closed businesses and shelved plans for refurbishment and development. This makes it even more important for managers and owners of vacant properties to prevent potentially fatal Legionella in their empty buildings.

Water systems, including water tanks and dead legs within empty buildings could potentially become a Legionella risk if action, such as regular flushing, is not taken.

Legionella bacteria grows within stagnant tanks and dead legs. There is a very real problem of Legionella outbreaks in vacant properties, when the government lockdown ends, if managers and owners of empty buildings are not regularly flushing the water systems.

Utilising specialist water treatment companies is crucial during the current situation in our country. Risk assessments and control measures can then be implemented to prevent Legionella outbreaks once lockdown ends.

The best way to tackle Legionella in empty buildings is to use Global Guardians’ British Standard BS8584:2015 Protection by Occupation.

Global Guardians can take away the headache for managers and owners of vacant properties who are concerned about Legionella as follows:

1. Global Guardians will review the Legionella risk assessment and written control scheme, particularly with current occupancy and operations in mind
2. Identify low use water outlets and set up a flushing regime by our property guardians and property inspectors
3. Ensure flushing of low or zero use outlets on a regular basis and recording of such activities by our property inspectors
4. Ensure routine water temperature testing records are maintained by our approved contractors
5. Ensure that water systems which have been left stagnant are recommissioned as if new (i.e. sterilising, microbiological testing), by our approved contractors

Contact Global Guardians on 020 3818 9100 and select option 3 to discuss how we can help you with your empty property before lockdown ends.