Amey FM firm fined after legionella kills prisoner

Grant Prior 4 months ago
Share

Amey Community Limited has been fined £600,000 after it failed to manage the risk of legionella bacteria in the hot and cold water systems at HMP Lincoln.

Graham Butterworth died on 5 December 2017 after contracting Legionnaires’ disease while serving a prison sentence at HMP Lincoln.

Water samples from Butterworth’s cell and nearby shower blocks tested positive for legionella days after the 71-year-old died.

An HSE investigation found Amey Community Limited, which provided facilities management services at HMP Lincoln, failed to act on a risk assessment carried out in 2016, failed to put in place a written scheme for preventing and controlling legionella risks, failed to ensure that appropriate water temperatures were maintained and failed to monitor water temperatures in the water system in October and November 2017. This allowed legionella bacteria to multiply rapidly.

Amey Community Limited, of London, pleaded guilty to safety breaches and was fined £600,000 and ordered to pay £15,186.85 in costs at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court this week.

HSE inspector Stacey Gamwell said: “There is a legal duty to keep workers and inmates safe in prisons. The occupants of HMP Lincoln had been put at risk of legionella bacteria and developing Legionnaires’ disease because of Amey Community Limited’s failures.

“Companies such as Amey Community Limited need to ensure they have identified any risk of legionella and have suitable and sufficient arrangements in place for managing the risk and control measures they have implemented.

Latest news

Deck falls off huge scissor lift at Winvic site

Two men seriously injured as platform plunges to the ground
16 hours ago

Bouygues seals deal for £119m Cardiff college campus

Construction to start in June on two new buildings
18 hours ago

Bid race starts for £15bn schools framework refresh

DfE throws framework open to more contractors
24 hours ago

Berkeley’s £600m Borough Triangle project approved

Controversial scheme features two towers of 38 and 44-storeys
2 days ago

London Mayor calls in blocked 600-bed student scheme

Refused 20-storey London PBSA block may still be built
23 hours ago

HG to build 500-bed London Stratford student scheme

Work will start later this year subject to gateway 2 safety approval
2 days ago

Arrest after pedestrian death on construction site

Tragedy during site preparation works for new Wigan car park
24 hours ago

British Steel threatens closure of Scunthorpe blast furnaces

Chinese owners say sectional steel and rail supplies will be maintained
2 days ago

Planning green light for Sheffield warehouse site

Existing factories to be demolished in new scheme for Rula Developments
1 day ago

New rail property company to unlock land for 40,000 homes

First four sites released in Newcastle, Cambridge, Manchester, and Nottingham
2 days ago

Drainage specialist Subscan files administration notice

Specialist employing 131 people files court notice
2 days ago

Four win Network Rail £300m engineering design deal

Eastern region deal will include design for Northern Powerhouse Rail
2 days ago

Funding go-ahead for Banwell bypass after fresh cost hike

Galliford Try contract rises £14m to £64m after final design change
2 days ago

Graham wins Southport £75m Marine Lakes Centre

Firm replaces Kier which parted ways with backer Sefton Council
2 days ago

Chancellor unveils extra £2bn capital spend a year

Construction promised a defence dividend in military base and homes upgrade work
3 days ago

McLaren confirms subcontractor team on £135m warehouse job

Work starts on TN2 Gateway site in Kent.
3 days ago

Vistry profits slump after site costs reporting debacle

House builder launches internal whistle-blowing service in business culture review
3 days ago

Severfield chief to step down

Alan Dunsmore to leave structural steel group by end of June
3 days ago

Funding hurdle remains as Lower Thames Crossing gains consent

Government claims £9bn project may start in 2026 as private finance options explored
4 days ago

Mace wins £600m Euston Tower overhaul

1970s tower's foundations and core to be retained as floor plates extended
4 days ago

Summer start for main works on London green tower

Axa sanctions start at 50 Fenchurch Street 36-storey office block
3 days ago

Japan’s leading flats builder JVs with L&G for UK push

Partners plan to build over 1,000 rental homes in London
3 days ago

Wates submits plan for 1,000 homes Harrow council scheme

Former civic centre Poets' Corner site kicks off housing partnership
3 days ago

Morgan Sindall upgrades forecast for next 12 months

Overbury fit-out arm gets off to a flying start in 2025
4 days ago

Restructure underway at Henry Boot Construction

New management team restructures business after drop in turnover
4 days ago

Government pledges £2bn stop-gap funding for 18,000 homes

Funding avoids cliff-edge in social housing delivery before new grant programme agreed
4 days ago

Just two major new roads schemes to start this year

National Highways sets out one-year interim spending plan after RIS3 delay
4 days ago

Plans go in for £400m GRAHAM Manchester site

Demolition and enabling works underway with main construction set to start next year
4 days ago

Building safety levy rate set at up to £10,000 a home in London

Levy introduction pushed back a year to Autumn 2026 - list of new rates
5 days ago

BAM wins £100m revamp of Broadgate Tower in London

Front of tower 3-storey extension to use cross laminate time and re-used steel
5 days ago

Contractor services