Two companies must pay more than £250,000 in fines and costs for exposing workers and members of the public to legionella bacteria.
The HSE visited automotive-parts manufacturer Eaton Ltd’s factory in Tamworth, Staffordshire, after being notified by the Health Protection Agency that a worker at the site had contracted Legionnaires’ disease. The victim later died from the illness.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that Eaton Ltd did not have a comprehensive risk assessment in place to ensure that the system was properly cleaned and maintained. The water towers on the system needed to be taken apart every six months to clear out sludge and sediment, but this had not been done for more than two years prior to the HSE’s visit.
Related Course: Introduction to Managing Workplace Health, Safety & Welfare
