Significant failings 'caused Legionella deaths'
The report is highly critical of the council
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Tuesday, 03, Apr 2007 01:40
Significant management failings by Barrow borough council contributed to the deaths of seven people following an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in 2002, a report has found today.
In August 2002 an outbreak of Legionella from a council-owned arts and leisure facility, Forum 28, in the town centre of Barrow-in-Furness led to the deaths of seven people and the ill-health of 180 people.
The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) study into the outbreak outlines six key failures including poor communication, a failure to act on advice, poor management of contractors and inadequate training.
Individuals actions were also identified as contributing to the outbreak.
Barrow council was fined £125,000 for breaching health and safety laws but was cleared of corporate manslaughter.
Gillian Beckingham, the council's design services manager, was cleared of manslaughter following a trial but convicted of health and safety breaches at Preston crown court but
"Significant failings are directly attributable to Barrow borough council as the employer and primary duty holder," the HSE's report states.
"[There were] a catalogue of errors and series of oversights that led to the Legionella outbreak. The number of fateful 'coincidences' involved was scarcely credible. Such basic failings should not have occurred and, sadly, these failures could have been easily prevented."
The HSE has outlined a number of steps that it believes need to be taken to "prevent a comparable tragedy".
HSE regional director David Ashton said: "Barrow has shown again how deadly Legionella can be, but also that well-understood precautions will control the risk.
"This report explains both the technical steps, and the essentials of good health and safety management that can make sure a similar tragedy never happens again."