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Black Country firm handed court bill of £61k after members of the public infected with Legionnaire’s

A plastics manufacturing company in the Black Country has been fined £50k after it put workers at risk of being infected with a potentially deadly bacteria.

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West Brom firm fined following outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated Riaar Plastics Limited in West Bromwich after members of the public became infected with Legionnaire’s disease in September 2020.

Five people were infected with the potentially deadly lung infection, with one person taken to intensive care and put on a ventilator after being infected.

West Brom firm fined following outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease

Riaar Plastics Limited, of Black Lake, West Midlands, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company was fined £50,000 and ordered to pay £11,000 in costs at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on June 2.

HSE found the water-cooling towers inherited by Riaar Plastics Limited at its site on Black Lake, West Bromwich, were in an extremely poor condition, and this allowed Legionella bacteria to grow in the water-cooling towers and pipes, exposing employees and members of the public to risks of significant ill health.

West Brom firm fined following outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease

People can get Legionnaires' disease when they breathe in small droplets of water in air that contains the Legionella bacteria.

This prosecution was led by HSE principal inspector Jenny Skeldon and HSE senior enforcement lawyer Kiran Cassini.

West Brom firm fined following outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease

HSE principal inspector Jenny Skeldon said: “The condition of the cooling towers at this site was the worst I had ever seen. The Legionella exposure risk to employees, site visitors, neighbouring duty holders and members of the public was extreme in nature.

“Exposure to Legionella can cause death or serious illness where water cooling systems are not been managed effectively. It is really important that proactive management of the risk from Legionella bacteria is taken seriously. There are well publicised and simple precautions for companies to take, and if followed, will ensure that employers manage and control the risk.”

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