[in-enaction] Legionnaire's outbreak: Architect fined (and cleared) for her role [ conclusion ]

| cont'd from: self-monitoring: Legionnaires' Disease deaths ...
| http://mail.architexturez.net/+/In-Enaction/archive/msg01910.shtml

Architect fined for her role in Legionnaire's outbreak
JACK DOYLE

AN ARCHITECT was yesterday cleared of manslaughter but fined £15,000 for 
her role in Britain's worst outbreak of Legionnaire's disease.

Gillian Beckingham, 48, a senior official with Barrow Borough Council, 
was convicted by Preston Crown Court of breaking health and safety 
regulations. The local authority was fined £125,000 for similar charges.

At least five people died and more than 170 others were infected after a 
faulty air-conditioning system sprayed bacteria into the air from the 
Forum 28 Arts Centre in Barrow, Cumbria, in summer, 2002.

Ms Beckingham, of Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, was cleared of 
manslaughter after an eight-week retrial. The council pleaded guilty at 
the first trial in February 2005.

The prosecution alleged that she cancelled a contract that ensured 
necessary tests were carried out on the air-conditioning unit. Ms 
Beckingham was in charge of design services for the local authority but 
had received no health and safety training.

The temperature in water cooling tanks was not controlled and thick 
brown sludge was allowed to build up inside - a perfect breeding ground 
for the legionella bug.

cont'd....
http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1113072006

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She was in charge of design services for the local authority, but had 
received no health and safety training from her employer, Barrow Borough 
Council. A court heard she was on holiday when a second contract to 
maintain the air conditioning system was agreed with a sub-contractor.

Beckingham told the court her job as senior architect at the council 
mainly concerned the design of local housing projects. The court also 
heard of failings in health and safety procedures throughout the council.

cont'd....
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-5984856,00.html

======================================

In imposing the fines, the judge Mr Justice Burnton said to Beckingham: 
"Your failings were repeated and serious which led to multiple deaths 
and very serious suffering. If you were a lady of wealth, I would impose 
a greater penalty than I do."

With regard to Barrow Borough Council, he said its failings were grave 
"in the extreme", and if it had been a commercial organisation, with a 
multi-million pound turnover, he would have had no hesitation in 
imposing a fine in excess of a million pounds.

But he was aware that Barrow is one of the most deprived communities in 
the country and was also aware that council tax-payers would have to 
foot the bill.

In a statement Barrow Borough Council said: "The council is considering 
the implications of this verdict with its legal advisers and will issue 
a statement in due course.

cont'd....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/cumbria/5232086.stm