Food Processing company prosecuted after two employees catch Legionnaire's disease
29/07/2009
A Wakefield-based butchery processing company Kepak UK Ltd, has been prosecuted after two employees caught the disease at premises in Bamber Bridge, near Preston.
A Wakefield-based butchery processing company Kepak UK Ltd, has been prosecuted after two employees caught the disease at premises in Bamber Bridge, near Preston.
A Wakefield-based butchery processing company Kepak UK Ltd, has been prosecuted after two employees caught the disease at premises in Bamber Bridge, near Preston.
The company was fined £25,000 and ordered to pay £20,000 in costs at Preston Crown Court on Monday 27 July. Kepak pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by failing to protect its employees from the risk of contracting Legionnaires' disease.
The court heard that the first case of Legionnaires disease was diagnosed on 26 September 2006 in Boguslaw Plociennik, who was employed as a boner, and a second on 3 October 2006 in Zbigniew Rauk, who was employed as a packer.
Following notification of the two cases, an outbreak committee was formed made up of HSE, South Ribble Borough Council's Environmental Health Department, Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust, the Health Protection Unit and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals.
Water samples were taken throughout the building and significant levels of legionella were found to be present at three locations: a pressure washer hose point, an apron wash shower point, and a pressure washer header tank. The tank was fed by hot and cold water and supplied water to three pressure washer hose points in and around the process area.
Employees used the pressure washer system to clean away meat and fat debris in the various processing areas as and when required.
While the investigation was taking place, Kepak closed the Bamber Bridge site and the domestic water system was drained, pumped through, chlorinated and disinfected. Kepak has subsequently not reopened the site, which was one of two the company operated in the Preston area.
The company was fined £25,000 and ordered to pay £20,000 in costs at Preston Crown Court on Monday 27 July. Kepak pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by failing to protect its employees from the risk of contracting Legionnaires' disease.
The court heard that the first case of Legionnaires disease was diagnosed on 26 September 2006 in Boguslaw Plociennik, who was employed as a boner, and a second on 3 October 2006 in Zbigniew Rauk, who was employed as a packer.
Following notification of the two cases, an outbreak committee was formed made up of HSE, South Ribble Borough Council's Environmental Health Department, Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust, the Health Protection Unit and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals.
Water samples were taken throughout the building and significant levels of legionella were found to be present at three locations: a pressure washer hose point, an apron wash shower point, and a pressure washer header tank. The tank was fed by hot and cold water and supplied water to three pressure washer hose points in and around the process area.
Employees used the pressure washer system to clean away meat and fat debris in the various processing areas as and when required.
While the investigation was taking place, Kepak closed the Bamber Bridge site and the domestic water system was drained, pumped through, chlorinated and disinfected. Kepak has subsequently not reopened the site, which was one of two the company operated in the Preston area.
Source: www.safetymedia.co.uk