304 - BOHS P901 – Legionella: Management and Control of Building Hot and Cold-Water Services

Benefits for Employers

• Ensures compliance with UK legislation and recognised guidance for managing Legionella risks in domestic hot and cold-water systems.

• Helps establish reliable procedures, reducing the likelihood of costly system shutdowns or emergency remedial works.

• Effective control measures reduce the risk of Legionnaires’ disease, supporting a safe and healthy working environment.

Benefits for Learners

• Gain a respected BOHS qualification relevant to careers in facilities management, health and safety, building management and occupational hygiene.

• Build confidence in assessing and managing workplace Legionella risk, helping protect yourself and colleagues.

• Learn what causes Legionella growth, how it spreads, and how to prevent its proliferation.

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Student Support

We provide industry‑leading learner support, including:

• A thriving student community

• Direct access to qualified tutors

• High‑quality learning materials

With Phoenix, you are guided every step of the way.

The Phoenix Pass Pledge

Every Phoenix BOHS course includes our Pass Pledge: if you do not pass the exam, you may continue studying free of charge. With above‑average pass rates, most learners succeed on their first attempt.

The BOHS P901 – Legionella: Management and Control of Building Hot and Cold-Water Services course is ideal for anyone responsible for domestic hot and cold-water systems in the workplace, including:

• Water system technicians and operatives

• Managers and supervisors

• Maintenance Staff

• Legionella consultants

• Occupational hygienists and health and safety managers

Entry Requirements: 

Candidates should have: 

• Prior knowledge of controlling legionella risk in domestic hot and cold-water systems. Completing the P900 Foundation course would also fulfil this requirement. 

• A basic understanding of the following HSE guidance documents: 

  • L8 (latest version), Legionnaires’ disease: The control of legionella bacteria in water systems 

  • HSG274 (latest version), Legionnaires’ disease Part 2: The control of legionella bacteria in hot and cold-water systems 

The duration of the IOSH Managing Safely®️ course depends on the study method: 

• When studied through in-house learning, the course is 3 days long.

• When studied through e-learning, we recommend spending between 20 and 25 hours on the course.  Students have access to the e-Learning course for 12 months from date of purchase.

Our classroom course timings are 09:00-17:00 Monday - Friday.

The learning objectives for this course on divided based on course section. Upon completion of this course, the candidate will have a strong grasp of the following key areas:

1. Introduction and history of the organism 

• The occurrence of legionella, sources and primary cause of growth in man-made water systems.  

• Types and significance of the bacteria.  

• The infection chain, susceptibility to infection, symptoms, treatment and prognosis.  

• Health effects on exposed people.  

• Review of data gathered by Public Health England (PHE) and others. 

2. Legislation and guidance 

• Acts of Parliament.  

• Approved codes of practice, regulations, HSE guidance notes, British Standards. Other industry accepted good practice sources of information. 

3. Risk assessment of systems 

• Role of the named duty holder and responsible person(s).  

• Definition of competent responsible person.  

• Key components of the management and control systems.  

• Design and operation of domestic type hot and cold water systems.  

• Importance of schematic diagrams and sentinel outlets.  

• Sentinel points on hot water systems with a circulation.  

• Significance of dead legs, blind ends and inaccessible parts of the water system.  

• Examples of other miscellaneous systems (e.g. emergency showers). 

4. Operational control 

• Duties and responsibilities of responsible person(s).  

• The role, risks and responsibilities when subcontracting part of the task of the control strategy. 

• The written scheme of precautions, including routine temperature checks and routine condition inspection.  

• Other control strategies: ionisation, ClO2, etc. 

• The role of general bacteriological testing as part of the control strategy.  

• Corrective or remedial actions.  

• Record keeping, the details required for effective management control and retention of monitoring data. 

5. Outbreak investigation procedures 

• The appointment and role of a Proper Officer and Incident Control Team.  

• Definition of an outbreak.  

• The roles of the investigating organisations (HSE, PHE, local authority).  

• Control and Investigation phases.  

• Interpreting the patterns of cases to trace the source; interpreting the microbiology to trace the source and the role of sequence-based typing (SBT). 

6. Record keeping 

• Regulatory requirements for record keeping. 

7. Case studies 

• Causes of recent Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks and the suspected water system sources. 7.0.2 Prosecutions. 

The syllabus for BOHS P901 is divided into 7 sections:

1. Introduction and history of the organism

2. Legislation and guidance

3. Risk assessment of systems

4. Operational control

5. Outbreak investigation procedures

6. Record keeping

7. Case studies

The BOHS P901 - Legionella: Management and Control of Building Hot and Cold Water Services is assessed through a written exam:

• 20 short answer questions

• 1 hour exam duration

• 0–4 marks available per question

• No marks deducted for incorrect answers

• Pass mark: 50%

Many who study the IOSH Managing Safely consider studying the NEBOSH International General Certificate. Being the industry standard for health and safety specialists, the qualification is also ideal for those looking to begin a career in health and safety.