MORE than 500,000 customers were exposed to the risk of Legionnaires' disease at a DIY store, a council said yesterday.
B&Q was fined £20,000 by magistrates in South Gloucestershire after they heard its Longwell Green store had a working spa pool on display which contained water contaminated with the potentially lethal bacteria.
Health inspectors from South Glouces
tershire Council investigating an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in the district tested the pool and discovered the form of pneumonia in the water.
The Hampshire-based company admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act by exposing staff and customers to the risk of Legionella pneumophila.
North Avon magistrates fined the DIY giant the maximum amount they could for breaching the regulations and ordered them to pay the council's costs of £8,405.20.
Juliet Gill, prosecuting for South Gloucestershire Council, said approximately 510,000 people could have been subjected to Legionnaires' disease during the time the spa pool was in operation.
But she said there have been only two cases of Legionnaires' disease in the district since 2005.
Speaking after the hearing, Les Pursglove, head of environmental services at the council, said: "Legionnaires' disease is a serious condition that potentially can prove fatal. The role of environmental health officers is to protect public health and on discovering a possible risk to health, officers took immediate action to make sure people were protected.
"The court, recognising the seriousness of the incident, imposed the maximum fine."
The Department of Health described Legionnaires' disease as "a potentially fatal form of pneumonia which can affect anybody, but which principally affects those who are susceptible because of age, illness, immunosuppression and smoking."
A B&Q spokeswoman said: "B&Q pleaded guilty yesterday at North Avon Magistrates' Court to a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act. As a result of the breach at its Longwell Green store, in April 2005, the company has been fined £20,000.
"The breach occurred when the Longwell Green store failed to follow company process by filling a display hot tub with water. This contravenes company policy. When B&Q was made aware of the situation all stores were re-issued with a mandatory notice banning the display of working hot tubs.
"We are not aware of any sickness reported by customers or employees as a result of this breach."
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