G4S Cash Solutions were fined £1.8 million for failing to protect their workers from the risk of Legionnaires' disease.
Following reports that an employee of G4S had contracted Legionellosis in October 2013, officers from Harlow Council Environmental Health inspected the site.
It could not be proven that the worker had contracted the disease through that particular site, however, searches carried out discovered there was a serious lack of compliance in water system maintenance at the site.
There were found to be inconsistencies in the monitoring and testing of systems, staff were inadequately trained, policies had not been kept up to date and suitable and sufficient risk assessments had not been carried out.
A spokesman on behalf of Harlow Council commented: ''G4S did not take steps required to reduce the risk of Legionnaires' disease from its water systems. This was despite a long-standing duty, extensive guidance, advice from their own consultants and advice from Harlow Council.''
After pleading guilty to two charges under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the company was ordered to pay a £1.8 million fine and £34,000 in costs.
