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Pillar guide 2026

LEGIONELLA RISK ASSESSMENT (ITALIAN DVR): 2026 GUIDE

The Legionella Risk Assessment — known in Italy as DVR Legionella (Documento di Valutazione del Rischio) — is the section of the workplace risk assessment that documents biological risk from Legionella spp. under Legislative Decree 81/2008 art. 271 (Italian Consolidated Occupational H&S Act) and the State-Regions Agreement of May 7, 2015 (Accordo Stato-Regioni). It is mandatory for hospitality, healthcare, sports facilities and any plant featuring evaporative cooling towers.

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Mandatory contents

What the Italian Legionella DVR must contain

The 10 sections required by the State-Regions Agreement of May 7, 2015 (Accordo Stato-Regioni 7 maggio 2015) and Legislative Decree 81/2008 to discharge the biological risk-assessment obligation.

  • Section 1

    Facility identification and water-system mapping

    Site profile, layout of plumbing systems, mapping of cooling towers, humidifiers, decorative fountains and any aerosol-generating outlet.

  • Section 2

    Risk source analysis

    Classification of critical points (boilers, storage tanks, low-use outlets, dead legs) with qualitative and quantitative risk scoring.

  • Section 3

    Exposure assessment

    Identification of exposed populations (workers, guests, patients) and activities producing respirable aerosols.

  • Section 4

    Prevention and protection measures

    Engineering controls (temperature management, disinfection, maintenance), organisational controls (procedures, training) and emergency response.

  • Section 5

    Sampling and analysis plan

    Frequencies, sampling points, reference method UNI EN ISO 11731:2017, action thresholds (1,000 and 10,000 CFU/L) and accredited laboratory.

  • Section 6

    Operating and emergency procedures

    Actions in case of positive results, thermal shock, hyperchlorination, notification to local health authorities (ASL).

  • Section 7

    Health surveillance

    Coordination with the Occupational Physician (Medico Competente) for exposed workers under art. 279 of Legislative Decree 81/2008.

  • Section 8

    Training and information

    Training programme for technical and cleaning staff, attendance register, awareness materials.

  • Section 9

    Maintenance log

    Records of maintenance, sampling, remediation, non-conformities and corrective actions.

  • Section 10

    Periodic revision

    Update rules (at least every three years or upon trigger events) signed by Employer, RSPP and Occupational Physician.

Obligation matrix

When the Italian Legionella DVR is mandatory

Sector by sector: who must hold a Legionella DVR and which legal reference applies.

SectorObligationReference
Hospitality (hotels, B&Bs, agriturismo)Mandatory2015 State-Regions Guidelines § 5 + regional regulations
Healthcare and long-term care (hospitals, nursing homes, clinics)Mandatory + Self-Monitoring Plan (Piano di Autocontrollo)2015 Guidelines § 6, Presidential Decree 14/1/1997
Sports facilities with showers/poolsMandatory2015 Guidelines § 7, 2003 Swimming-Pool Agreement
Condominiums with centralised hot-water systemsRecommended; mandatory in some regionsRegional guidelines (Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna)
Industrial sites with cooling towers or humidifiersMandatory (biological risk)Legislative Decree 81/2008 art. 271
Medical offices, gyms, beauty centresRecommended2015 Guidelines (sector annexes)
Roles and signatures

Who drafts and who signs

The DVR is a shared-responsibility document: the Employer is the legally accountable party, but technical drafting involves multiple roles defined under Italian H&S law.

  • Employer (Datore di Lavoro)

    Holder of the legal duty (art. 17 of Legislative Decree 81/2008): signs the DVR, appoints the RSPP and Occupational Physician, ensures resources and implementation.

  • RSPP (Prevention & Protection Service Manager)

    Coordinates the risk assessment, drafts the DVR technically, proposes prevention measures, manages the training plan.

  • Occupational Physician (Medico Competente)

    Contributes to biological risk assessment, defines health surveillance under art. 279, evaluates fitness of exposed workers.

  • RLS (Workers' Safety Representative)

    Consulted in advance, receives a copy of the DVR, attends the periodic meeting under art. 35.

Revisions

Updates and periodic reviews

The DVR is a living document: it must be updated according to the frequencies set by the Guidelines and on the occurrence of trigger events.

  • At least every 3 years (2015 Guidelines § 4)
  • Following significant changes to plumbing or HVAC systems
  • In case of positivity ≥ 10,000 CFU/L or suspected legionellosis cases
  • After new technical or regulatory evidence (e.g. updated regional rules)
  • After extraordinary remediation interventions
  • Upon change of intended use of the facility
Frequently asked questions

Legionella DVR FAQ

The eight questions we receive most often from international Employers, RSPP and property managers operating in Italy.

Is the Legionella DVR a separate document from the general workplace DVR?

Technically it is a section of the general DVR addressing biological risk from Legionella, but in many facilities (hotels, nursing homes, hospitals) it is produced as a stand-alone document for clarity and inspection readiness.

Who signs the Legionella DVR?

The Employer signs as the legally responsible party. The document is drafted with the RSPP and the Occupational Physician, who countersign for their respective competencies.

How often must the Legionella DVR be updated?

The 2015 State-Regions Guidelines require revision at least every three years, unless trigger events (system modifications, high-level positivity, clinical cases) require immediate update.

What penalties apply if there is no Legionella DVR?

Failure to assess biological risk is sanctioned by art. 55 of Legislative Decree 81/2008 with imprisonment from 3 to 6 months or fines from 2,500 to 6,400 euro for the Employer. In case of occupational disease or incident, criminal liability under arts. 589 and 590 of the Italian Penal Code may apply.

Can I use a downloaded Legionella DVR template?

A template is a useful starting point, but the DVR must be tailored to the specific facility: actual layouts, mapped water points, frequencies calibrated to the assessed risk. A generic template alone does not satisfy the legal obligation.

Is the Legionella DVR mandatory for residential condominiums?

For residential condominiums without employees the obligation is softened, but where a centralised water system exists, the 2015 Guidelines strongly recommend a risk assessment, and some regions (Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna) make it mandatory.

How much does drafting a Legionella DVR cost?

Cost depends on facility complexity. A medium-sized hospitality property (20-50 rooms) typically starts at around 800-1,500 euro for documentation only, excluding sampling and laboratory analysis.

Must laboratory reports be attached to the DVR?

Yes. The sampling plan and the UNI EN ISO 11731:2017 reports must be retained as DVR annexes and kept available for inspection by ASL and Labour Inspectorate.

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