Water Hygiene and Legionella Control Services

Techright Environmental are a leading service provider in the control of legionella and water hygiene across Northern Ireland.

Water Tank Lining & Repair

We provide a water tank lining coating solution to provide the ultimate protection from leaks, osmosis, blistering, cracks & heavily rusted tanks throughout Northern Ireland.

Water Tank Cleaning

We provide professional, reliable and cost-effective water tank cleaning services for everything from large, complex commercial systems to small, domestic tanks throughout Northern Ireland

Water Testing & Analysis

Coverage across Northern Ireland, we offer a comprehensive range of water testing and laboratory analysis

Legionella Risk Assessments

Our Northern Ireland based water specialists carry out the risk assessment in accordance with the Health & Safety Executives ACoP L8 (4th Edition) and Health & Safety Guidance 274

Legionella Remedial Work & plumbing

Our highly experienced Legionella remediation team have extensive knowledge and provide fast, reliable and professional services across Northern Ireland

Legionella Testing & Monitoring

Get Legionella compliant, we will provide you with monitoring plans to prevent legionella risks that suit your needs and exact requirements 

Legionella Training

The Legionella training will raise awareness of the danger associated with legionella and the practical steps that should be taken to reduce the risk.

Water Tank Replacement

As water storage tanks become older, they deteriorate, mainly due to corrosion and chemical attacks. Here at Techright, we can offer a replacement or relining solution to our Northern Ireland customers.

Specialists in Legionella Control


TECHRIGHT ENVIRONMENTAL are a leading service provider in the control of Legionella and water hygiene across Northern Ireland.
We make sure your needs come first and offer a variety of top-quality tailored services and plans in the management of Legionella. Our aim is to ensure safe and clean used or stored water on your premises. Analyse the risk factors and consider the potential of the system to become contaminated with bacteria such as Legionella.

Legionella Risk Assessments

The first step towards compliance is to carry out a legionella risk assessment of the building water services. Our specialist water consultants carry out the risk assessment in accordance with the Health & Safety Executives Approved Code of Practice L8 (4th Edition) and Health & Safety Guidance 274.

The Legionella risk assessment will address all systems where water is used or stored. Analyse the risk factors and consider the potential of the system to become contaminated with Legionella which causes Legionnaires disease. According to the HSE guidelines “Carrying out a legionella risk assessment and ensuring it remains up to date is required under health and safety law and is a key duty when managing the risk of exposure to legionella bacteria” – HSG 274 part 2 page 4

We Also Provide

Water Tank Cleaning

We provide professional, reliable and cost-effective water tank cleaning services. From everything from a large, complex commercial systems to small, domestic tanks throughout Northern Ireland.

Water Tank Lining

We provide water tank lining coating solutions to Steel, GRP & Concrete water retaining structures throughout Northern Ireland. Providing the ultimate protection from leaks, blisters, cracks, chemical attacks & corrosion

Water Testing & Analysis

Coverage across Northern Ireland, we offer a comprehensive range of water testing and laboratory analysis.

Legionella Risk Assessment

Our Northern Ireland based water specialists carry out the risk assessment in accordance with the Health & Safety Executives ACoP L8 (4th Edition) and Health & Safety Guidance 274

Legionella Remedial Work & Plumbing

Our highly experienced Legionella remediation team have extensive knowledge and provide fast, reliable and professional services across Northern Ireland.

Legionella Testing & Monitoring

Get Legionella compliant, we will provide you with monitoring plans to prevent legionella risks that suit your needs and exact requirements 

Legionella Training

The Legionella training will raise awareness of the danger associated with legionella and the practical steps that should be taken to reduce the risk.

Water Tank Replacement

As water storage tanks become older, they deteriorate, mainly due to corrosion and chemical attacks. Here at Techright, we can offer a replacement or relining solution to our Northern Ireland customers.

CASE STUDIES

Water Tank Cleaning & Disinfection

Its summer and your water tank in your loft space and outdoor storage tanks are particularly susceptible to higher temperatures.

Chlorination of Water System on Vacant Building

A church hall was vacant for 24 months. The remedial team was asked to carry out a full chlorination of the building water systems to ensure safe, clean water before re-opening. 

Water Tank Lining on Outdoor Hotel Roof Top

The hotel was suffering from poor water quality, one of the reasons for which was the poor condition of the two outside water storage tanks on the roof top. 

Waterproofing a Concrete Tank

Tank lining is essential in concrete water tanks as they can be subject to erosion and deterioration causing them to leak. Here at Techright, we can help! 

OUR CLIENTS

What Clients Say?

Simon Nelson, SHEQ Manager ESSENTRA PACKAGING

The professional attitude taken during the recent extensive works on site in relation to not only the job itself but with regards to health & safety was excellent. Aaron led the project from start to finish and was in full attendance for the duration of the works which gave us as a company the confidence to know the job would be executed correctly. Aaron’s team and third party contractor also carried out their duties to a very high standard.

Richard Barnes, Health and safety Manager FINNEBROGUE

I have been using Techright as water treatment specialists for the service, monitoring, and risk assessment of our water systems for several years. Aaron and his team have always provided a first class, cost-effective support service, and maintained a high quality of work. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to any prospective client.

ABOUT LEGIONELLA

What is legionnaires' disease?

Legionellosis is the collective name given to the pneumonia-like illness caused by legionella bacteria. This includes the most serious legionnaires disease, as well as the similar but less serious conditions of Pontiac fever and Lochgoilhead fever. Legionnaires disease is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia and everyone is susceptible to infection. However, some people are at higher risk, including:

 

  • people over 45 years of age;
  • smokers and heavy drinkers;
  • people suffering from chronic respiratory or kidney disease;
  • anyone with an impaired immune system.
Where are legionella bacteria found?

The bacterium Legionella pneumophila and related bacteria are common in natural water sources such as rivers, lakes and reservoirs, but usually in low numbers. Since legionella bacteria are widespread in the environment, they may also contaminate and grow in purpose-built water systems such as cooling towers, evaporative condensers, hot and cold water systems and whirlpool spas.

Are there legionella risks in my workplace?

Any water system that has the right environmental conditions could potentially be a source for legionella bacteria growth. There is a reasonably foreseeable legionella risk in your water system if:

  •  water is stored or re-circulated as part of your system;
  • the water temperature in all or some part of the system is between 20-45 °C;
  • there are sources of nutrients such as rust, sludge, scale and organic matters;
  • the conditions are likely to encourage bacteria to multiply;
  • it is possible for water droplets to be produced and, if so, if they can be dispersed over a wide area, e.g. showers and aerosols from cooling towers; and
  • it is likely that any of your employees, residents, visitors etc are more susceptible to infection due to age, illness, a weakened immune system etc and whether they could be exposed to any contaminated water droplets. (Ref: Health and Safety Executive Legionnaires’ disease: A brief guide for dutyholders Page 2 of 5

The most common places where legionella can be found include purpose-built water systems, cooling towers, evaporative condensers, hot and cold water systems and spa pools. There are also a number of other systems that may pose a risk to exposure to legionella, e.g. humidifiers, air washers, emergency showers, indoor ornamental fountains etc.

What are my duties?

Under general health and safety law, as an employer or person in control of a premises (e.g. a landlord), you have health and safety duties and need to take suitable precautions to prevent or control the risk of exposure to legionella. Details of the specific law that applies can be found in part 1 of Legionnaires’ disease: The control of legionella bacteria in water systems.
Carrying out a risk assessment is your responsibility and will help you to establish any potential risks and implement measures to either eliminate or control risks. You may be competent to carry out the assessment yourself but, if not, you should ask someone with the necessary skills to conduct a risk assessment. This can be done by someone from within your own organisation or from someone outside, e.g. an external consultant.

How do I identify and assess sources of risk?

To identify the risks in your water system you, or a competent person who understands your water systems and any associated equipment, should establish any possible exposure to legionella risks, as listed above, as part of a risk assessment.

Your risk assessment should include:

  • management responsibilities, including the name of the competent person and a description of your system;
  •  any potential risk sources;
  •  any controls currently in place to control risks;
  •  monitoring, inspection and maintenance procedures;
  •  records of the monitoring results, inspection and checks carried out; and
  •  a review date.

If you decide that the risks are insignificant and are being properly managed to comply with the law, your assessment is complete. You will not need to take any further action, but it is important to review your assessment periodically in case anything changes in your system.

How do I manage the risk?

As an employer or person in control of premises, you must appoint someone competent to help you comply with your health and safety duties, e.g. take responsibility for managing the risks. A competent person is someone with the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to manage health and safety, including the control measures. You could appoint one, or a combination of:

  • yourself;
  • one or more workers; and/or
  • someone from outside your business.

(Ref: Health and Safety Executive Legionnaires’ disease: A brief guide for dutyholders Page 3 of 5).

If there are several people responsible for managing your risks, e.g. because of shift-work patterns, you need to make sure that everyone knows what they are responsible for and how they fit into the overall risk management programme.

If you decide to employ contractors to carry out water treatment or other work, it is still the responsibility of the competent person to ensure that the treatment is carried out to the required standards. Remember, before you employ a contractor, you should be satisfied that they can do the work you want to the standard that you require. There are a number of external schemes to help you with this, for example: ‘The control of legionellosis: A recommended code of conduct for service providers.2’

How do I prevent or control the risk?

You should consider whether you can prevent the risk of legionella in the first place by considering the type of water system you need, e.g. consider whether it is possible to replace a wet cooling tower with a dry air-cooled system. The key point is to design, maintain and operate your water services under conditions that prevent or adequately control the growth of legionella bacteria.

You should, as appropriate:

  •  ensure that the release of water spray is properly controlled;
  • avoid water temperatures and conditions that favour the growth of legionella and other micro-organisms;
  • ensure water cannot stagnate anywhere in the system by keeping pipe lengths as short as possible or by removing redundant pipework;
  • avoid materials that encourage the growth of legionella. The Water Fittings and Materials Directory3 references fittings, materials, and appliances approved for use on the UK Water Supply System by the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme);
  • keep the system and the water in it clean; and
  • treat water to either kill legionella (and other microorganisms) or limit their ability to grow.

If you identify a risk that you are unable to prevent, you must introduce appropriate controls. You should introduce a course of action that will help you to control any risks from legionella by identifying:

  •  your system, e.g. developing a written schematic;
  • who is responsible for carrying out the assessment and managing its implementation;
  • the safe and correct operation of your system;
  • what control methods and other precautions you will be using; and
  • what checks will be carried out to ensure risks are being managed and how often.
What records do I need to keep?

If you have five or more employees, you have to record any significant findings, including any groups of employees identified by it as being particularly at risk and the steps taken to prevent or control risks.

If you have less than five employees, you do not need to write anything down, although it is useful to keep a written record of what you have done. (Ref: Health and Safety Executive Legionnaires’ disease: A brief guide for dutyholders Page 4 of 5).

Records should include details about:

  • the person or people responsible for conducting the risk assessment, managing, and implementing the written scheme;
  • any significant findings of the risk assessment;
  • the written control scheme and its implementation; and
  • the results of any inspection, test or check carried out, and the dates.

This should include details about the state of operation of the system, ie in use/not in use.

These records should be retained throughout the period for which they remain current and for at least two years after that period. Records kept in accordance with the last bullet point above should be retained for at least five years.

Do I have any other duties?

Under the Notification of Cooling Towers and Evaporative Condensers Regulations 1992, you must notify your local authority, in writing, if you have a cooling tower or evaporative condenser on site and include details about where it is located. You must also tell them if/when such devices are no longer in use. Notification forms are available from your local environmental health department.

If you have a case of legionellosis in an employee who has worked on cooling towers or hot water systems that are likely to be contaminated with legionella, you must report this under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR).