Description

Get Certified with Our Legionella Awareness Training

Legionella is a type of bacteria that can grow in building water systems and cause legionellosis, including Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever.

People can become infected when they breathe in small droplets of water (aerosols) containing Legionella bacteria. Potential sources of exposure include showers, faucets, cooling towers, hot tubs, decorative fountains, industrial water systems, and other equipment or systems that can generate water aerosols.

Legionnaires’ disease is a serious type of pneumonia that can require hospitalization and may be fatal. Pontiac fever is generally a milder, flu-like illness that usually resolves without specific treatment.

People at increased risk of developing Legionnaires’ disease include adults aged 50 or older, current or former smokers, people with chronic lung disease, and individuals with weakened immune systems or certain underlying medical conditions.

Effective water system management is therefore an important part of protecting employees, contractors, visitors, and other building occupants from potential exposure.

About the Course

Who Should Take This Legionella Awareness Training?

This online Legionella Awareness Training is intended for employees and professionals who may encounter, manage, maintain, inspect, or supervise water systems where Legionella growth could occur.

The training is particularly suitable for:

• Facility managers
• Building maintenance personnel
• HVAC technicians
• Maintenance technicians
• Property and building managers
• Safety and EHS personnel
• Industrial maintenance personnel
• Hotel and hospitality maintenance staff
• Healthcare facility support personnel
• Employees working with cooling towers or industrial water systems
• Supervisors responsible for water system safety

The course provides participants with the knowledge needed to recognize potential Legionella hazards and understand the basic principles used to reduce Legionella growth and exposure.

What Will You Learn?

The course covers:

• Fundamentals of Legionella and legionellosis
• Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever
• How Legionella grows and spreads
• Water aerosols and potential exposure routes
• Water temperatures and conditions that can promote bacterial growth
• High-risk water systems and equipment
• Identifying potential Legionella hazards
• Assessing Legionella-related risks
• Basic control and prevention measures
• Inspection, maintenance, cleaning, and disinfection
• Water Management Programs
• Roles and responsibilities
• Employee protection and safe work practices
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), where applicable
• Response to suspected contamination
• Documentation and monitoring
• U.S. regulatory and industry guidance

U.S. Regulatory Context

There is currently no specific OSHA standard dedicated exclusively to Legionella exposure.

However, employers have responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. OSHA’s General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1) requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.

Depending on the work being performed, other OSHA requirements may also apply, including requirements relating to:

• Personal Protective Equipment – 29 CFR 1910.132
• Respiratory Protection – 29 CFR 1910.134
• Hazard Communication – 29 CFR 1910.1200
• Recordkeeping and Reporting – 29 CFR Part 1904
• Other applicable workplace safety requirements

The course also introduces participants to the role of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Legionella prevention and the importance of effective Water Management Programs (WMPs).

Industry standards and guidance, including ASHRAE Standard 188 – Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems, may also play an important role in establishing effective Legionella risk management practices.

Important: This is an awareness-level training course. Completing this course does not by itself demonstrate compliance with every federal, state, or local requirement applicable to a particular facility or water system.

Water Management Programs

An important part of Legionella prevention in the United States is the implementation of an effective Water Management Program.

A Water Management Program helps an organization understand its building water systems, identify locations where Legionella could grow or spread, establish appropriate control measures, monitor those controls, and determine what actions should be taken when control limits are not maintained.

Participants will learn the basic principles behind Water Management Programs and their role in preventing Legionella growth and exposure.

Course Delivery

Training type: Online e-learning
Language: English – U.S. edition
Level: Awareness
Delivery: 100% online
Final assessment: Included
Passing score: 70%
Course duration: 1 to 2 hours
Certificate: Available immediately after successful completion

The course is self-paced. Participants can pause the training and continue later from their account.

After completing the training material, participants take an online final assessment. A score of 70% or higher is required to successfully complete the course.

After passing the assessment, the participant can immediately download and/or print their Legionella Awareness Training Certificate.

Individual and Group Enrollment

Individual

Select Individual when purchasing the course for yourself.

Group

Select Group when purchasing training for multiple employees or participants.

When purchasing as a group, you can choose whether to enroll yourself or assign all purchased training places to employees.

Through the online dashboard, group administrators can manage participants and monitor training progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Legionella Awareness Training?

Legionella Awareness Training provides employees and professionals with fundamental knowledge about Legionella bacteria, Legionnaires’ disease, Pontiac fever, potential sources of exposure, risk factors, prevention measures, and Water Management Programs.

2. Is Legionella training required by OSHA?

OSHA does not currently have a specific standard requiring a particular Legionella Awareness course.

However, employers are responsible for protecting workers from recognized serious workplace hazards under the OSH Act’s General Duty Clause. Depending on the work performed, other OSHA requirements, including PPE, respiratory protection, and Hazard Communication requirements, may also apply.

Organizations should evaluate their specific operations and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.

3. Is this an OSHA-approved course?

No. OSHA does not approve or certify commercial Legionella Awareness courses.

This course has been developed as awareness-level training based on U.S. workplace safety principles and recognized Legionella prevention guidance.

4. What is Legionella?

Legionella is a type of bacteria that occurs naturally in freshwater environments but can become a health concern when it grows in human-made water systems.

Under favorable conditions, Legionella can multiply in building water systems and potentially spread through aerosolized water droplets.

5. What is Legionnaires’ disease?

Legionnaires’ disease is a serious type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria.

People can develop the disease after inhaling small droplets of water containing the bacteria. The disease can be severe and may require hospitalization.

6. What is Pontiac fever?

Pontiac fever is a milder illness caused by exposure to Legionella bacteria. It generally causes flu-like symptoms and typically resolves without specific treatment.

7. How are people exposed to Legionella?

Exposure commonly occurs when people inhale small droplets of water containing Legionella.

Potential sources can include:

• Showers and faucets
• Cooling towers
• Hot tubs
• Decorative fountains
• Large or complex plumbing systems
• Industrial water systems
• Certain HVAC-related water systems
• Other equipment capable of generating water aerosols

8. Who is at increased risk?

People at increased risk of Legionnaires’ disease include:

• People aged 50 or older
• Current or former smokers
• People with chronic lung disease
• People with weakened immune systems
• People with certain underlying medical conditions

9. Who should take this course?

The course is particularly relevant for facility managers, maintenance workers, HVAC technicians, EHS personnel, property managers, industrial maintenance employees, hospitality personnel, and others whose work involves building or industrial water systems.

10. What topics are covered?

Topics include Legionella fundamentals, health effects, exposure routes, risk factors, hazardous water systems, risk assessment, prevention and control measures, Water Management Programs, maintenance, PPE, monitoring, documentation, and relevant U.S. workplace safety guidance.

11. What is a Water Management Program?

A Water Management Program is a systematic approach for reducing the risk of Legionella growth and spread in building water systems.

It typically includes identifying water system components and potential hazards, establishing control measures and limits, monitoring those controls, implementing corrective actions, and documenting activities.

12. Does the course cover CDC guidance?

Yes. The course addresses important Legionella prevention principles used in the United States and introduces participants to CDC guidance concerning Water Management Programs.

13. Does the course address ASHRAE Standard 188?

Yes. Participants are introduced to the role of ASHRAE Standard 188 in Legionella risk management for building water systems.

The awareness course does not replace the standard itself or a facility-specific engineering assessment.

14. How is the course delivered?

The course is delivered entirely online. Participants can complete the training at their own pace and pause and resume the course when necessary.

15. Is there an exam?

Yes. Participants complete an online final assessment after completing the training material.

A minimum score of 70% is required to pass.

16. What happens if I do not pass?

Participants who do not achieve the required score can retake the assessment.

17. Will I receive a certificate?

Yes. After successfully completing the course and final assessment, participants can immediately download and print their Legionella Awareness Training Certificate.

18. Is the certificate nationally recognized?

The certificate documents successful completion of Legionella awareness-level training.

There is no single federal OSHA certification or nationally mandated Legionella Awareness certificate applicable to all U.S. workplaces. Employers should determine whether additional training, qualifications, or state/local requirements apply to the employee’s specific duties.

19. Does this course make someone qualified to develop or approve a Water Management Program?

No. This is an awareness-level course.

The training provides an understanding of Legionella hazards and Water Management Program principles but does not automatically qualify a participant as an engineer, industrial hygienist, water treatment professional, or other technical specialist.

20. Can companies enroll multiple employees?

Yes. Companies can purchase multiple training places and assign courses to employees through the online training platform. Administrators can monitor participant progress through their dashboard.

21. Can I take the course on a smartphone or tablet?

Yes. The e-learning course can be accessed using common internet-connected computers, tablets, and smartphones.

22. Are state or local Legionella requirements also covered?

The course focuses primarily on general U.S. federal guidance and recognized industry practices.

Some states, cities, healthcare authorities, or other jurisdictions may impose additional requirements for cooling towers, healthcare facilities, building water systems, testing, reporting, or Water Management Programs. Organizations remain responsible for identifying requirements applicable to their location and operations.

Certificate

After successful completion, participants receive a:

Certificate of Completion – Legionella Awareness Training

The certificate demonstrates that the participant has successfully completed awareness-level training covering Legionella hazards, exposure routes, prevention and control principles, and Water Management Programs.