MP calls for action to prevent Legionnaires' Disease
AN MP has urged the Health and Safety Executive to do more to prevent outbreaks of Legionnaires' Disease after two people died in Stoke-on-Trent this summer.
City North Labour politician Joan Walley made her call during a Parliamentary debate on the infection, which killed two people and put a further 19 in hospital. The probable source of the bug was a hot tub which has now been shut down at the JTF Mega Discount Warehouse, in Fenton.
She was assured by Work and Pensions Minister Mark Hoban that a new strategy was being drawn up to cut the risk from the disease. Ms Walley said: "Research shows that in 40 per cent of cases, local authorities were not carrying out proactive inspections.
"Given that local authorities and the HSE have shared responsibility for preventing Legionnaires' Disease, we need a clear statement about the role that the HSE will take to prevent outbreaks such as those that we had in Stoke-on-Trent."
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Mr Hoban replied: "The HSE is taking a proactive stance and issuing guidance ensuring a risk-based approach to inspections, focusing on installations likely to cause the highest risk of legionella."
Comments
by GilbertL
Monday, September 17 2012, 10:30AM
“Focus386, I wrote to Joan Whalley to ask for her support over the proposed new civic centre, after 3 attempts to get her to respond I ended up contacting Ed Milliband to get her to respond, and Joan's response when it finally came - "this a matter for the local council and you must take this up directly with them". The people from Stoke-on-Trent just get pushed from pillar to post, none of the elected councillors or MPs are accountable for anything.”
by Safety_Rep
Monday, September 17 2012, 10:10AM
“I am not surprised that the inspections aren't taking place, since the local authorities and the HSE have had their budget cut by 33% and no longer inspect pro-actively any so called 'Low-Risk" industries, since instructed by the coalition. "there are now only three occupational physicians left in HSE and 18 occupational health inspectors, down from 60 of each in the early 1990s." http://tinyurl.com/8cntgdw
'Low risk' in the coalitions eyes are places like shops, offices, printers, light engineering, dock workers even agriculture. None of these places receive pro-active inspections now. So it is unlikely that the situation regarding 'legionnaires' will get better. http://tinyurl.com/9qt22na”
by putmefootinit
Sunday, September 16 2012, 11:22AM
“Can we have the health and safety exec to take action to protect us from MPs ?”
by Focus386
Saturday, September 15 2012, 2:48PM
“It's funny how it takes the death of someone to draw these MP's from under their stones. Where are the local MP's when the city is going to hell. Sotcc city council want to spen £59m of which they only have a small fraction the rest as to be borrowed. What is the esteemed ladies thoughts on that?
Sotcc are shutting and cutting all over the city, I'm guessing it doesn't make good press to ask such question when in parliament.”