Who should complete a Legionnaires awareness course?

A Legionnaires awareness course should be completed by anyone whose decisions, supervision or practical work could affect the control of legionella in a water system. The level of training should match the person’s responsibilities: general awareness may be appropriate for people who need to recognise risks and follow procedures, while those managing or carrying out technical controls need more specific instruction and demonstrable competence.

There is no single job title that automatically determines who should attend. Employers and other dutyholders should consider the actual tasks performed at each site. Relevant groups may include:

• People with responsibility for premises or water systems, including landlords, property managers, estate teams and client representatives who arrange or oversee legionella control.
• Staff who supervise building services, such as facilities coordinators, engineering supervisors and operational managers who check that planned control measures are being completed.
• Maintenance and operational workers who work on hot and cold water systems, carry out outlet flushing, check temperatures, clean equipment or report conditions that could support bacterial growth.
• Cleaning, catering, housekeeping and care staff where their work involves showers, taps, equipment that uses water, spa facilities or other areas where people could be exposed to contaminated aerosols.
• Employees who investigate faults or changes, such as those responding to low-use outlets, alterations to pipework, changes in occupancy or periods when part of a building has not been used.
• Contractors and subcontractors whose work can introduce changes to a water system or interfere with established control measures. They need to understand the site’s arrangements, reporting routes and the limits of their own responsibilities.

People who do not directly maintain a water system may still benefit from awareness training if they can identify and report relevant conditions. For example, a manager may need to recognise that an infrequently used outlet, a change in water temperature or an alteration to the system should be referred to the person responsible for legionella control. Training can also help staff understand why routine checks must be recorded and why control measures should not be bypassed.

Those who manage outsourced services should not assume that appointing a specialist contractor removes the need for internal awareness. The organisation retaining responsibility needs enough understanding to define the contractor’s scope, provide accurate information about the premises, review records and act on recommendations. An awareness course does not, by itself, make someone competent to undertake a legionella risk assessment, interpret complex water testing results or design remedial works.

Specialist duties require training and experience appropriate to the task. A person carrying out a risk assessment needs suitable competence in assessing water systems and exposure risks. Someone taking samples, servicing equipment or completing remedial work may require task-specific technical training in addition to general awareness. The course should therefore be treated as one part of a wider competence and management arrangement rather than as a replacement for specialist qualifications.

Employers should review who needs training when responsibilities change, new equipment or water systems are introduced, staff join a relevant role, or contractors are appointed. The review should also identify who needs an introductory understanding and who requires more detailed instruction, supervision or evidence of competence. This role-based approach ensures that the people influencing legionella control understand what they are expected to do, what they must report and when specialist advice is needed.