Legionella control in health and aged care facilities
Legionella control in health and aged care facilities
The design and function of the water distribution system within a health or an aged care facility can affect the potential health risks posed by Legionella within the facility.
The Department of Health has endorsed the National enhealth Guidelines for Legionella Control in the operation and maintenance of drinking water distribution systems in health and aged care facilities (2016) (external site) These requirements are specific to health and aged care facilities.
The guidelines are designed to assist facility managers to assess and manage the risk from Legionella in health and aged care facilities and require the development of a risk management plan for a water distribution system.
Refer to the Australian Department of Health website for further information:
Risk management plan
The guideline is supported by the National risk management plan template for legionella control in the operation of water systems (Word 500KB).
A risk management plan is a document used to effectively manage water safety in the water distribution system within a facility. Steps in a risk management plan help to:
- describe a facility’s water distribution system
- identify the hazards, hazard sources and hazardous eventsrelevant to the water in a facility’s water distribution system
- assess the risksassociated with the identified hazards, hazard sources and hazardous events
- state the control measuresto be implemented for the identified risks
- state how the control measures and effectiveness of the risk management plan will be monitored (operational monitoringand verification monitoring), including the corrective actionsto be undertaken in response to obtaining a monitoring result outside a critical limit
- state the record keepingmethods to be implemented for the risk management plan and
- state the frequency at which reviews of the risk managementwill occur.
Building Guidelines Western Australia Health Facility Guidelines for Engineering Services
The Western Australia Health Facility Guidelines for Engineering Services (PDF 537KB) are the engineering design and operation guidelines for health facilities in WA. The Guidelines apply to facilities built by the sector and hospitals and day procedure facilities. Compliance with the Guidelines is mandatory when designing and operating public and private health facilities in WA.
Last reviewed: 30-11-2022