Legionella

Owner must pay £220k for multiple safety breaches

Private care provider Bupa has won an appeal against a £3m fine over the death of a pensioner at a nursing home.

It’s a familiar scene: shelves, bookcases, cabinets crammed with paper in Facilities and Estates departments across the country. This is how most hospitals organise their water hygiene, and, while it’s a comprehensive record, it can quickly become ineffective.

Car parts manufacturer Faltec Europe, which was fined £1.6m over an explosion and an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease that left five people seriously ill, has had its fine reduced on appeal.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which launched an investigation into the incident at Walton Lifestyles in Walton-on-the-Naze in November 2016, identified a failure in the council's system for managing the risk of legionella. Colchester Magistrates' Court was told that the regular user of the centre's facilities, fell seriously ill and was taken to hospital where he remained for 18 days. He was diagnosed with Legionnaires' Disease, sepsis, pneumonia and chronic kidney failure.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched an investigation in November 2016 after the visitor to the Walton-on-the-Naze Lifestyles centre fell ill and was hospitalised. Tests showed the showers and fitness room at the council-owned complex contained legionella bacteria, the BBC reported at the time. Ian Davidson, chief executive of Tendring District Council, confirmed that the local authority is to be prosecuted, but said its systems for managing the risk of legionella have been upgraded since the incident.

Bremwell, which operates the Rose and Crown Hotel had previously admitted five safety and health offences.Environmental health officers from Colchester Borough Council originally visited the Rose and Crown on 30 January 2017 after a guest received an electric shock from a damaged iron cable. During the investigation they found 43 other safety and health issues that needed attention.

Bupa Care Homes failed to implement measures to control and monitor the hot and cold water systems at the Hutton Village Nursing Home in Brentwood during refurbishment works, Ipswich Crown Court was told.