The report should identify:
- Which systems were examined, their use and what could not be inspected.
- Where exposure could occur and who may be affected.
- Controls already used and evidence that they work.
- Who manages the installation and carries out checks.
- Missing information, recommended work and how the assessment is reviewed.
Read identifying and assessing sources of risk for the assessment principles. Choose someone competent for your installation’s complexity rather than assuming knowledge of a simpler system is sufficient.
Does it include cooling towers?
Agree exactly which water systems are included. Hot and cold supplies, evaporative towers and other equipment require knowledge appropriate to their different operating conditions.
Where a cooling tower is present, include the associated evaporative system and water management. A mechanical report on its fans or pumps is not the risk assessment. Nor does a building with a chiller necessarily have a tower; establish how its heat is rejected.
HSE's cooling tower guidance explains controls relevant to those evaporative installations.
What should you prepare and do afterwards?
Gather current drawings, earlier assessments, operating details, monitoring and service records, and information about changes. Arrange access and clarify who controls each system, particularly between landlord and occupier.
Give findings a person to arrange action, a priority and completion evidence. Connect any required control scheme to the assessment and those implementing it. Keep the records together so a new manager or contractor can understand why controls exist.
Review regularly and when changes suggest the assessment may no longer be valid, such as new pipework, changed occupancy, long disuse or concerns about controls. HSE's review guidance explains reviewing the system, responsibilities and monitoring arrangements together.
Frequently asked questions
Is a water test the same as a risk assessment?
No. Testing describes the sample at its collection time and location; assessment reviews the wider risk-management arrangements. The control plan should establish sampling and the response to results, as explained in HSE's testing and monitoring guidance.
Must every assessment be replaced annually?
There is no single annual replacement rule for every installation. Review according to its risks and act earlier after relevant changes, checking what remains suitable and what needs updating.
Does appointing a contractor transfer responsibility?
Appointing help does not remove the dutyholder’s responsibility. Agree the contractor’s scope, access and reporting, and identify who approves and follows up recommended work.
Related services
See Legionella Risk Assessments, Water Hygiene and Legionella and Chillers and Cooling Towers. Browse maintenance or the Knowledge Centre, or discuss your building's requirements with the records you hold.
Other routes include all services, maintenance, projects, sectors, locations and the knowledge centre.
