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Legionella bacteria thrive in poorly managed hot and cold water systems, and the people who work with those systems every day are on the front line of preventing it. This nationally recognised, Ofqual-regulated qualification ensures your operatives, technicians and supervisors have the essential legionella awareness training they need to work safely, act correctly and support your organisation's legal compliance.
Delivered by L8 Protection's practising water hygiene specialists, this one-day legionella training course provides a thorough grounding in how legionella bacteria behave in hot and cold water systems, how to identify and control the risks, and how relevant legislation and codes of practice apply to day-to-day duties.
The Highfield Level 2 Award in Legionella Awareness (Hot and Cold Water Systems) (RQF) is an entry-level accredited qualification designed for those who work in environments where legionella growth is a risk. It is specifically focused on Pathway 2, hot and cold water systems, and is the recognised operative-level legionella training course for the water hygiene and facilities management sector.
The qualification is awarded by Highfield Qualifications, one of the UK's most recognised awarding bodies in compliance, and sits on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) regulated by Ofqual. It is also suitable for delivery in Wales, regulated by Qualifications Wales.
This course is distinct from the Level 3 Award in Legionella Control for Responsible Persons. Where the Level 3 is a management qualification covering legislation, written schemes and strategic oversight, the Level 2 equips the people who carry out the physical monitoring, maintenance and operational tasks within a water system with the awareness and understanding they need to do so safely and compliantly.
Awarding Organisation: Highfield Qualifications
Qualification Number: 601/2972/4
Learning Aim Reference: 60129724
Level: 2 (RQF)
Credit Value: 1
Guided Learning Hours (GLH): 8
Total Qualification Time (TQT): 8 hours
Assessment Method: Learner workbook
Duration: 1 day
Entry Requirements: Aged 16 or above, minimum Level 1 English
This legionella awareness training is aimed at individuals who work in environments where legionella bacteria pose a risk, particularly those involved in the day-to-day operation, monitoring and maintenance of hot and cold water systems. You should attend if you are:
A Water System Operative or Technician carrying out routine tasks such as temperature monitoring, flushing of outlets, descaling and system maintenance within a written scheme of control.
A Plumber or Building Services Engineer whose work brings you into contact with domestic hot and cold water systems, tanks, calorifiers or distribution pipework.
A Facilities Operative or Building Maintenance Operative with hands-on responsibility for water systems within a commercial, industrial, healthcare, education or residential building.
A Supervisor or Team Leader overseeing operatives who carry out legionella control tasks and needing a solid grounding in the risks and control methods to manage their team effectively.
A New Starter entering a role in water hygiene, facilities management or building maintenance who requires a formal, accredited introduction to legionella awareness before taking on operational duties.
A Housing Association or Local Authority Maintenance Operative responsible for the upkeep of residential properties and communal water systems.
Anyone working in environments including healthcare, education, hospitality, leisure, housing, commercial offices, manufacturing and public buildings where compliance with ACoP L8 and HSG274 is required will benefit from this qualification.
Legionella bacteria are found naturally in the environment, but hot and cold water systems in buildings provide ideal conditions for them to multiply to dangerous levels, particularly where water temperatures fall in the range of 20°C to 50°C, where water is stored or allowed to stagnate, or where biofilm is allowed to accumulate within pipework or fittings.
When those bacteria are inhaled in contaminated water droplets or aerosols, the result can be Legionnaires' disease, a potentially fatal form of pneumonia. High-profile outbreaks in hospitals, hotels, leisure centres and workplaces have resulted in deaths, criminal prosecutions and significant legal consequences for organisations and individuals at every level.
The Approved Code of Practice L8:2013 and Technical Guidance HSG274 make clear that all operatives working with water systems must receive appropriate legionella awareness training relevant to their role. This is not simply good practice; it is a compliance requirement. An operative who does not understand the risks they are managing, the importance of the control measures they are implementing, or the consequences of failing to act correctly cannot be considered competent under ACoP L8.
Investing in legionella awareness training for your operational team is one of the most direct and cost-effective steps an organisation can take towards demonstrating legal compliance, protecting the health of building occupants and visitors, and reducing the risk of a serious incident.
The Highfield Level 2 Award in Legionella Awareness (Hot and Cold Water Systems) is made up of two mandatory units, each of which maps directly to the Highfield qualification specification and the requirements of ACoP L8 and HSG274.
This unit provides the foundational knowledge that every operative working with water systems must have, regardless of the type of system they work with.
Topics covered include a historical context to Legionella and Legionnaires' disease, and the chain of events that lead from bacterial growth to human infection. Delegates will examine how Legionella bacteria multiply and interact with other microbiological species, including the role of biofilm in protecting and harbouring bacteria within pipework and storage vessels.
The unit covers temperature as a primary legionella control method, the effectiveness of chemical and non-chemical treatments against legionella and biofilm, and how construction materials and pipework installations influence risk. Delegates will also gain a working understanding of how legislation and codes of practice, including ACoP L8:2013 and HSG274, apply to their role, the key responsibilities that sit with the Duty Holder, the Responsible Person and operatives respectively, and the consequences of failing to comply with those obligations.
This unit builds on the principles established in Unit 1 and applies them specifically to hot and cold water systems. It is this pathway-specific unit that distinguishes the Hot and Cold Water Systems qualification from the Cooling Towers and Evaporative Condensers pathway.
Delegates will examine how hot and cold water systems operate, including cold water storage tanks, calorifiers, water heaters, distribution pipework and terminal fittings, and the specific factors within those systems that contribute to legionella risk. They will understand the design, operation, monitoring and maintenance requirements necessary to keep risk under control, including the importance of maintaining hot water above 60°C at the calorifier and delivering it at 50°C or above at outlets, and maintaining cold water below 20°C.
The unit covers the requirements for legionella sampling and analysis, the procedures for routine monitoring and physical checks, and the requirements for cleaning and disinfection of hot and cold water systems. Practical understanding of how to identify and manage risk within the systems delegates work with is a central focus throughout.
The following topics are covered across both units of this qualification:
A historical context to Legionnaires' disease and its impact. The chain of events leading from water system deficiencies to human infection. Growth requirements of Legionella bacteria and interactions with other microbiological species. Factors affecting the accumulation of biofilm within water systems. Effectiveness of chemical and non-chemical treatment methods against Legionella and biofilm. Temperature is a primary Legionella control method for hot and cold water systems. Materials of construction and pipework installations and their influence on risk. Health effects of Legionnaires' disease, including symptoms, susceptibility and at-risk groups. How legislation and codes of practice, including ACoP L8:2013 and HSG274, apply to daily duties. Key roles and responsibilities: Duty Holder, Responsible Person and operative-level obligations. Consequences of non-compliance with legislation and codes of practice. Design, operation, monitoring and maintenance of hot and cold water systems. Factors contributing to Legionella risks within hot and cold water systems, specifically. Requirements for Legionella sampling and microbiological analysis. Requirements for cleaning and disinfection of hot and cold water systems.
This qualification is assessed by a learner workbook. Delegates are required to provide short written responses to prescribed questions set by Highfield Qualifications, demonstrating knowledge and understanding across the breadth of the qualification syllabus.
The open-book format of the assessment is appropriate for operative-level learners, focusing on applied understanding of the risks and control measures relevant to their day-to-day work rather than theoretical recall. Delegates should be prepared to engage with the questions thoughtfully, drawing on what they have learned throughout the training day.
On successful completion, delegates receive a Highfield Qualifications certificate at Level 2 (RQF), verifiable at any time via Highfield's Checkcert platform at highfieldqualifications.com/checkcert. This provides your organisation with independent, verifiable evidence that your operatives have received the legionella awareness training required to support compliance with ACoP L8.
L8 Protection offers flexible delivery options to suit the operational requirements of your organisation, whether you are training a single individual or an entire maintenance team.
Open Classroom Training - Join a scheduled open course at one of our training venues. Ideal for individuals or small teams who benefit from training alongside delegates from other organisations and sectors. Check our upcoming course dates and secure your place online.
On-Site Training at Your Premises - We come to you and deliver the training at your site. This is our most requested option for facilities teams, maintenance departments and housing providers training multiple operatives at once. On-site delivery allows the course to be contextualised to your specific systems, site conditions and written scheme of control, making the learning immediately relevant and directly applicable to your team's work. Pricing is per session, making it highly cost-effective for groups. A session can accommodate up to 12 delegates.
Online Training via Microsoft Teams - Fully interactive, tutor-led remote delivery for those unable to attend in person. All workbook assessment materials are provided digitally. Suitable for geographically dispersed teams, multi-site organisations, or where a member of staff requires training at short notice.
Combined Pathway Training - If your team work with both hot and cold water systems and cooling towers or evaporative condensers, we can arrange combined delivery covering both Pathway 1 and Pathway 2 content, typically delivered over one and a half days. Contact us to discuss the most suitable format for your needs.
Delivered by Operational Water Hygiene Specialists
Every tutor at L8 Protection is a practising water hygiene professional, not a generalist health and safety trainer. Our tutors carry out legionella risk assessments, develop written schemes and manage compliance programmes for organisations across the UK. That operational knowledge runs through every aspect of how this course is taught, making the content immediately relevant to the real environments your team work in.
Approved Highfield Qualifications Centre.
L8 Protection is an approved Highfield Qualifications centre. All certificates are issued directly by Highfield and are independently verifiable through the Checkcert platform. Your delegates receive a qualification that is recognised across the water hygiene, facilities management, construction and healthcare sectors.
UK Wide Training Delivery
We deliver legionella awareness training across England, Scotland and Wales, at your premises, at an external venue, or via Teams. No matter where your team is based, we can provide the training they need.
Part of a Complete Compliance Service
L8 Protection is more than a training provider. If your organisation also requires a legionella risk assessment, a written scheme of control, water sampling and microbiological testing, or ongoing compliance monitoring, we provide all of these services under one roof. Training and compliance support delivered by the same specialist team.
This is one of the most common questions we are asked, and the distinction is important.
The Highfield Level 2 Award in Legionella Awareness (Hot and Cold Water Systems) (RQF) is an operative-level qualification. It is designed for the people who carry out the physical monitoring, maintenance and operational tasks within a written scheme of control, temperature checks, outlet flushing, descaling, visual inspections and routine record keeping. It gives them the Legionella awareness they need to carry out those tasks safely and understand why they matter.
The Highfield Level 3 Award in Legionella Control for Responsible Persons (RQF) is a management-level qualification. It is designed for those with authority over the entire legionella control programme, the Responsible Person, the Facilities Manager, the Health and Safety Manager or the Duty Holder's appointed representative. It covers legislation, written scheme development, competence management, record-keeping obligations and the full framework of legal responsibilities.
Many organisations need both. Operatives should hold the Level 2. The person responsible for overseeing them and the control programme should hold the Level 3. L8 Protection delivers both qualifications and can advise on the most appropriate training programme for your team structure.
On successful completion of the Level 2 Award in Legionella Awareness, delegates who wish to develop further may progress to:
The Highfield Level 3 Award in Legionella Control for Responsible Persons (RQF), the management-level qualification for those taking on a Responsible Person role. The Highfield Level 3 Award in Health and Safety within the Workplace (RQF). The Highfield Level 3 Award in Risk Assessment (RQF).
L8 Protection delivers all of these qualifications and can help you build a structured training pathway that develops your team's competence from operative level through to management responsibility.
Find Out More About the Level 3 Course
Give your operational team the legionella awareness training they need to work safely, act correctly and support your organisation's compliance with ACoP L8. Contact us today to book your Highfield Level 2 Award in Legionella Awareness training today.
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