Every business owner has a legal duty to ensure that their premises are a safe environment, for workers and visitors alike. One of the many potential hazards that need to be mitigated is the risk of Legionella.
When present in high enough concentrations, Legionella, a kind of bacteria that can frequently be found in stagnant water sources, can cause an often fatal form of pneumonia called Legionnaires’ disease. Part of mitigating that risk lies in choosing the right Legionella training provider.
Who needs Legionella training?
First of all, who actually needs Legionella training? Legionella training isn’t an explicit legal requirement for anyone.
However, in almost all cases, the training is a practical necessity in order for business owners to fulfil their legal responsibilities when it comes to managing the risk of Legionella. While it’s possible to show that you have the appropriate level of knowledge in order to ensure the safety of your premises, after just conducting self-study, it’s normally necessary to undergo some sort of formal training.
What does the training consist of?
Legionella training covers the basics of the risks inherent to Legionella bacteria, along with regulatory concerns and control strategies.
This is done by inspecting case reports, looking at the factors that encourage Legionella growth, and teaching practical measures that can be taken to ensure those environments conducive to Legionella growth don’t occur. It’s a good idea to compare the content of the different training courses that various providers offer when choosing, to make sure that you choose one with a competitive offering.
What to look for in a Legionella training provider
There are a number of things that people should look for when choosing a Legionella training provider:
Accreditation
It’s important that the provider you choose holds the appropriate accreditations to conduct the training in question.
While Legionella training is often less intensive than other HSE-related compliance training, it still needs to be conducted by an operator with appropriate expertise. If you’re trained in the wrong procedures, you may be unable to illustrate appropriate levels of knowledge when it comes to legal compliance, making the training you received completely redundant.
Testimonials
While your training provider needs to be appropriately accredited, they also need to have practical experience in sharing that knowledge.
A provider that’s excellent at carrying out risk assessments may not be as good at providing training courses – you want an instructor personable as well as technically proficient. The best way to find out about things like this is via testimonials and reviews.
Online options
Some providers also offer online options for Legionella training. Taught via an e-learning platform, these options can be especially suitable for some companies, such as those who might struggle to ensure the availability of all employees for a certain date.
Whichever options you go for, ensure that you’re communicating and working with an accredited and reputable company. This is not the sort of thing to take a chance on, so ensure that you opt for expert guidance for all aspects of training.
