The facilities management contractor Interserve, hired by Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Weybridge has been sentenced for failing to appropriately maintain emergency power systems at a high containment laboratory facility.
In September 2014 mains power was lost at a site which handles hazardous pathogens that pose a serious risk to human health and the environment. Interserve facilities management were contracted to maintain mechanical and electrical systems required for the containment of highly hazardous biological agents in microbiological laboratories.
During the power cut, two of the 12 standby generators failed to operate, while two started but subsequently failed and one caught fire. Because of these failures, power was lost to some of the high-containment facilities for several hours, affecting the site's safety systems. Failure of these systems triggered the emergency escalation system and resulted in attention of fire and rescue system to secure the power supply before it was fully restored.
The investigation carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Interserve failed to properly maintain emergency power supply, ultimately exposing employees to a risk from biological agents.
The facilities management company pleaded guilty for breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £93,600 and ordered to pay £32,056 costs.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Intervention Programme Manager and lead investigator in the case, Dr Keith Stephenson said: "Interserve Facilities Management failed to effectively maintain standby generators that were a key emergency control needed to work safely.
"Fortunately, the consequences of the multiple generator failures were significantly reduced by the timing of the incident, both in terms of the day of the week and the laboratory studies being undertaken at that time.
"Had the incident happened on a different day or when different studies were being undertaken, staff and the nearby environment could have been exposed to high hazard biological agents with serious consequences."
