Protect Your Business from Legionnaires’ Disease with Our Expert Online Course

Legionella bacteria lurking in your water system is a serious risk – but it’s one you can manage.

Who should take this course?

• Business owners and managers
• Facility managers
• Anyone responsible for water system safety

Why is it essential?

• Gain a clear understanding of Legionnaires’ disease and its legal implications
• Learn how to identify, assess, and control legionella risks
• Meet your duty of care to employees and customers
• Prevent costly outbreaks and potential legal action

What you’ll learn:

• How legionella bacteria grow and spread
• The health risks associated with Legionnaires’ disease
• The legal requirements for managing legionella in your water systems
• Practical steps to control and prevent legionella contamination

Key Features:

• Developed by experts with over 10 years of experience
• Based on UK HSE guidelines (recognised globally for their rigour)
• Relevant for businesses worldwide, especially in warmer climates
• Provides a solid foundation for managing legionella risks
• Includes a Certificate of Awareness upon successful completion

Course Details:

• Self-paced online learning
• Comprehensive yet concise content
• 20-question multiple-choice assessment (unlimited attempts)
• No technical jargon – clear and easy-to-understand guidance

This short course was developed by Aqua Engineering Solutions Ltd. (2019) to give an overview to business owners, managers and key staff of the potential for legionella bacteria growth in engineered water systems and how to control the risks of anyone contracting Legionnaires’ disease (legionellosis).

On successful completion of the course you will be awarded a Certificate of Awareness which you should print and keep with your Legionella Risk Assessment and Written Scheme of Control as evidence that you have at least gained a basic understanding of the risks and how to control them.  For full educational accreditation there are more detailed and expansive courses available such as City and Guilds (or possibly similar in your own country).

The course has been developed using material from the…

• UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Approved Code of Practice (ACoP L8) Guidance on Regulations ‘Legionnaires’ disease: The control of legionella bacteria in water systems’ – available for download via the resources tab.

• HSE HSG274 Guidance Series Parts 1, 2 and 3 – available free of charge at
  http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg274.htm
• The World Health Organisation ‘Legionellosis – Key Facts’
  https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/legionellosis

Although you do not need to read these documents to complete this course we do strongly recommend that you obtain them, read them and keep them for regular reference within your ‘Legionella Control’ folder as e-copies.

This course is not designed to make you an expert but it will highlight areas that will allow you sufficient knowledge to manage your systems more safely and legally.  A good quality professional Legionella Risk Assessment (required by law in the UK) will provide bespoke guidance on your system(s) and what actions you need to take.

My business is not based in the UK, is this course still relevant?

ABSOLUTELY!  Legionella bacteria act in exactly the same way in engineered water systems wherever you are in the world with risks being potentially greater in warmer climates.  The UK HSE guidelines are probably amongst the most robust and informative anywhere in the world.  You should obtain your own government’s guidelines as the laws regarding legionella may well be different in your country, but the control of risks should be exactly the same, so YES, this course is relevant wherever you live in the world.

The Course.
You will be given all of the information you require to complete the course and should set aside a minimum of one hour to read it.  You may read the material as many times as you like before taking the test and make notes if you feel you need to.  Note that the text is locked so you will not be able to copy and paste it.  We do this as making your own notes is far more likely to embed the knowledge in your mind, plus this is a commercially and legally copyrighted body of work.

The Test.
When you are ready to take the test you will be presented with 20 questions with multiple choice responses.  You must answer each question to be able to move to the next.  The test is timed to expire after 20 minutes which allows you 1 minute per question.  The clock cannot be paused.

The pass mark is 85% so you need to get at least 17 out of 20 questions correct.  When you pass, any questions you got wrong will be highlighted for you with the correct answers.  If you do not pass you will not be told which questions you got right or wrong.  When you are ready, reset the clock and take the test again.  You may take the test as many times as you need to at no additional cost.

The Course was written for Aqua Engineering Solutions Ltd. by Ian Hughes BSc, MSc (Hons) Natural Sciences, C&G Legionella Risk Management, Dips. Water Conservation & Management and Environmental Management.
Aqua Engineering has over 10 years’ experience in conducting Legionella Risk Assessments and working with clients to ensure their water systems are both safe and legal.