Course and certificate
Legionella Awareness
For anyone in the UK who works in or looks after a building with water systems, from facilities and maintenance staff to cleaners, care and hotel workers, teachers and landlords. Eight short lessons in plain English explain what legionella is and how it grows, the law and who is responsible, the risk assessment and written scheme, hot and cold water temperatures, little-used outlets, showers and flushing, cooling towers and spa pools, and your own role, followed by a 25-question test.
- Jurisdiction
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Languages
- English, Български, Español, Italiano, Polski, Português, Română, Українська
- Lessons
- 8
- Time needed
- About 45 minutes for the lessons and the test
- Assessment
- 25 questions, pass mark 80%
- Refresher
- Recommended after 2 years
- Content updated
- 28 October 2026
- Certificate fee
- £12.00, payable after passing
01Who this course is for
- Facilities, maintenance and caretaking staff
- Cleaners, janitors and housekeeping staff
- Care home, hospital and nursery workers
- Hotel, leisure centre, gym and campsite staff
- Landlords, letting agents and managing agents
- Anyone starting a job in a UK building with showers, tanks or cooling plant
02Syllabus
- 01Legionella and the diseases it causes
- 02Where and how legionella grows
- 03The law and who is responsible
- 04Risk assessment, the responsible person and the written scheme
- 05Hot and cold water: the temperatures that matter
- 06Little-used outlets, showers and flushing
- 07Cooling towers, spa pools and other systems
- 08Your role, reporting problems and what your employer must still do
03Assessment
25 multiple-choice questions drawn from the whole course. The pass mark is 80%. The test is free and can be retaken as often as needed; wrong answers point to the lesson to read again.
04The certificate
- With your name, your score and the date you passed.
- A unique number, recorded in our register.
- Your employer or an inspector scans it to see that it is genuine.
- Download it, print it or show it on your phone.
05Sources
The course follows the published guidance below. We are not affiliated with the bodies that publish it.
- HSE — HSG274 Part 2
- HSE — L8 ACOP
- HSE — Legionnaires' disease
- HSE — HSG274 Part 1
- RIDDOR 2013
- RIDDOR 2013, regulation 9
06Questions
Is legionella training a legal requirement?
The law requires employers and those in control of premises to assess and control the risk from legionella, and to make sure the people involved are competent, informed, instructed and trained. HSE's Approved Code of Practice L8 explains this. The law does not name a particular course or certificate.
Is this certificate accredited?
No. It is a certificate of completion: it shows you finished this general legionella awareness course and passed its test. It is not a regulated or accredited qualification, and your employer decides whether this training meets their needs.
Does this course make me the responsible person?
No. It is an awareness course. It does not train you to take temperature readings, disinfect a system, sample water or work on cooling towers. The duty holder must appoint and train a competent responsible person, and must still carry out the risk assessment, write the scheme and keep the records for the actual premises.
Does this course replace the training my employer must give me?
No. It teaches the general rules that apply in any UK workplace. Your employer must still tell you how the water systems at your workplace are managed, train you in any task you carry out, such as flushing or cleaning showerheads, and explain how to report a problem.
How long does it take?
Most people finish the lessons and the 25-question test in about an hour. You can stop and come back at any time on the same device.
What if I fail the test?
Nothing is charged. You see which lessons to read again and can retake the test as often as you need.
When do I pay, and how much?
Only after you pass: £12 for the certificate. The course and the test are free.
How does my employer check the certificate?
Every certificate has a number and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the number on our check page, shows your name, the course and the date you passed.
How long is the certificate valid?
The law sets no expiry date for awareness training. The certificate shows a renewal date two years after you pass, as a reminder to refresh your knowledge. Your employer decides how often you need a refresher.
The certificate confirms that you completed this course and passed its test. It is not a regulated or accredited qualification; your employer decides whether this training meets their requirements.