Experts from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are investigating two confirmed and one probable case of Legionnaires’ disease at a factory in South Tyneside.
The two confirmed cases occurred several months apart, the first in October 2014 and the second in April 2015. Both people required hospital treatment but have since recovered. The third person with the suspected case is currently in hospital.
Experts from HSE, Public Health England (PHE) North East, and South Tyneside Council are investigating the cases at Faltec Ltd, which makes components for the automotive industry.
Dr Tricia Cresswell of the North East PHE Centre said: “We are working closely with South Tyneside Council and the HSE to investigate potential sources of infection and the company is co-operating fully with the investigation.
“On the advice of the Health and Safety Executive, a range of actions have already been taken by the company to treat and disinfect possible sources of the infection, including cooling towers and open water systems. Additional actions are being carried out this weekend.”
|As a precaution staff are being advised to contact their GP if they develop a chest infection or other respiratory symptoms.
“Legionnaires’ disease is an uncommon form of pneumonia caused when a person breathes in air that contains legionella bacteria in droplets of water.
“These bacteria live naturally in environmental water sources but if they get into water systems in buildings they can cause a risk to humans through air conditioning systems, showers and spa pools.
“Legionnaires’ disease does not spread from person to person and can only be contracted from the source of the contaminated water.”
In this episode of the Safety & Health Podcast, ‘Burnout, stress and being human’, Heather Beach is joined by Stacy Thomson to discuss burnout, perfectionism and how to deal with burnout as an individual, as management and as an organisation.
We provide an insight on how to tackle burnout and why mental health is such a taboo subject, particularly in the workplace.
