CalmComplianceRisk Assessment template
Legionella water-system risk assessment
- Version
- v1
- Updated
- 1 October 2026
- Audience
- Primary and secondary maintained and academy schools in England, including persons responsible for premises, health and safety, estates, facilities, water systems, and the protection of employees, pupils, visitors, contractors and other persons who may be affected.
- Jurisdiction
- england
Activity assessed
Identification and assessment of legionella sources, exposure routes and affected persons associated with the school's water systems, including recording existing controls, identifying proposed controls, assigning responsibilities, recording supporting evidence, and identifying review triggers. Applicability remains conditional on the school being an employer, controlling premises, or having health and safety responsibilities for others.
Assess each hazard and its controls against your site before use. Template ratings require local review.
Hazards and controls
Potential presence or growth of legionella bacteria in water systems, including systems, equipment, outlets or conditions that may provide a source of risk.
- Existing controls
- Record the water systems, equipment, outlets, operating conditions and other controls currently in place, together with the evidence reviewed and any limitations or unknowns. Do not mark controls as present unless supported by site or documentary evidence.
- Proposed controls
- Identify and assess the sources of legionella risk associated with the school's water systems. Record a proportionate scheme of precautions to prevent or control the identified risks, including the responsible person, required evidence and implementation status.
Local assessment and additional controls
Relevant parts of the school's water systems may be omitted from the assessment, leaving unidentified sources of legionella risk.
- Existing controls
- Record the systems, buildings, areas, plant, outlets and equipment included in the current assessment, and identify any exclusions, inaccessible areas or information gaps.
- Proposed controls
- Define and document the scope of the water-system assessment before evaluating risk. Include relevant systems and locations under the school's control or responsibility, and record arrangements for resolving exclusions and information gaps.
Local assessment and additional controls
Employees, pupils, visitors, contractors or other persons may be exposed to legionella risks associated with the school's water systems.
- Existing controls
- Record the groups of persons who may be affected, the activities or locations through which exposure may occur, and any existing arrangements intended to protect them. Record evidence rather than assuming that a group is protected.
- Proposed controls
- Assess risks to employees and to persons who are not employees of the school, including pupils where relevant. Document affected-person groups, potential exposure circumstances and control measures for each relevant water-system risk.
Local assessment and additional controls
Unclear ownership or management of legionella precautions may result in risks not being controlled, monitored or escalated.
- Existing controls
- Record the person or role currently responsible for managing legionella-related arrangements, the scope of their responsibility, available competence or support, and any documented management arrangements.
- Proposed controls
- Appoint or identify a manager responsible for relevant legionella precautions and document responsibilities for implementation, management, monitoring, records and escalation. Confirm any required competence, advice or specialist support without assuming it is already available.
Local assessment and additional controls
Controls identified in the assessment may not be implemented, managed or monitored consistently.
- Existing controls
- Record current precautions, inspection or monitoring arrangements, responsible persons, records available, missed actions and unresolved deficiencies. Leave fields unresolved where evidence is unavailable.
- Proposed controls
- Prepare and document a scheme to prevent or control the identified risks, then specify how precautions will be implemented, managed and monitored. Record actions, owners, due dates, evidence requirements and escalation arrangements.
Local assessment and additional controls
Insufficient records may prevent the school from demonstrating what precautions are in place or identifying whether controls remain effective.
- Existing controls
- Record existing records and evidence relating to the assessment, water systems, controls, monitoring, maintenance, incidents, actions and reviews. Note missing, incomplete or conflicting information.
- Proposed controls
- Keep records of precautions and associated assessment information in a form that can be reviewed by responsible persons. Link each proposed action to an owner, status, target date and evidence requirement where applicable.
Local assessment and additional controls
The assessment may become invalid after changes to water systems, premises, activities, occupancy, responsibilities or other related matters.
- Existing controls
- Record the current assessment date, known changes since the previous assessment, outstanding review actions and any reasons to question whether the assessment remains valid.
- Proposed controls
- Review the assessment when there is reason to suspect that it is no longer valid or when there has been a significant change in related matters. Update the assessment and controls where necessary, and record the trigger, decision, action and completion evidence.
Local assessment and additional controls
Unknown, incomplete or disputed information may prevent reliable identification and control of legionella risks.
- Existing controls
- Record all information gaps, assumptions, unavailable documents, inaccessible areas, unverified controls and unresolved questions. Do not assign a risk conclusion where the evidence is insufficient.
- Proposed controls
- Assign actions to obtain missing information, verify relevant controls and reassess affected persons and sources of risk. Escalate unresolved issues to the responsible person and review the assessment when new information or significant changes arise.
Local assessment and additional controls