Department of Health

Cooling tower risk management plans – Section 3

This section has been designed to help landowners, and owners and managers of cooling towers to provide a safe environment for their staff, contractors, customers and the public, and comply with their responsibilities under Victorian law.

This section demonstrates the relationship between the risks associated with a cooling tower system and the development of an appropriate maintenance program for that system. It will help users develop maintenance programs for cooling tower systems and improvements within a Risk Management Plan (RMP) framework.

This section follows a risk management approach (see Figure 2), describing the actions necessary to meet the challenges associated with risks of Legionnaires’ disease from cooling towers. Figure 3 provides further details of the risk management process, including cross-references to the relevant sections of this document.

Figure 2: Risk management approach for cooling tower systems

Several factors lead to a comprehensive risk assessment, which forms a risk classification. This then influences the elements in a risk management plan (RMP). The RMP must then be implemented and reviewed.

Figure 3: Risk management process for cooling tower systems

Diagram showing the elements of a risk management plan, and the corresponding sections in this guide.

The methodology used to develop this guide considers:

  • the context for cooling tower systems and Legionella
  • the potential impact of an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease
  • the legal responsibilities of site owners and those responsible for cooling tower systems
  • identification, analysis, evaluation and treatment of critical risks for cooling tower systems
  • monitoring and review of the RMP
  • the importance of communication in the event of problems with a cooling tower system.

A RMP template (Appendix 1) can be downloaded that can be filled in quickly once the necessary information has been obtained during a comprehensive risk assessment and decisions have been made about necessary improvements to the system.

Figure 1:Cooling tower system: A series of interconnected cooling towers that form part of a cooling tower system.Figure 2: Several factors lead to a comprehensive risk assessment, which forms a risk classification. This then influences the elements in a risk management plan (RMP). The RMP must then be implemented and reviewed.Figure 3: Diagram showing the elements of a risk management plan, and the corresponding sections in this guide.

Cooling tower system: A series of inter-connected cooling towers that form part of a cooling tower system.

Reviewed 19 December 2021

Health.vic

On this site

Consumer information

More information

Contact details

Our phone service is available Monday to Friday, from 9.00am to 1.00pm. Postal address: GPO Box 4057, Melbourne Vic 3001

Legionella team

Phone 1300 767 469
legionella@health.vic.gov.au
Was this page helpful?