Hotel operator fined after dozens of guests and staff became ill in Legionella outbreak

A HOTEL operator has been fined £54,000 after dozens of guests and staff fell ill when they were exposed to the deadly legionella bacteria by a faulty hot tub at a four-star hotel’s leisure club.

BDL Select Operations Ltd, who operate the then Landmark Hotel, now the Hilton Doubletree, on Dundee’s western outskirts, were fined over the outbreak at Dundee Sheriff Court.

In total 65 people fell ill with 18 confirmed to have contracted Pontiac fever, a non-fatal, flu-like illness caused by the same type of Legionella bug that causes Legionnaire’s disease.

The court heard how safety checks on the spa pool at the hotel’s popular leisure club were not being correctly carried out following the sacking of the club’s manager in January 2011. As a result of that departure the hot tub was not fully drained, cleaned or disinfected for over two months before the outbreak.

Also, a “backwashing” job on its filters, which industry bodies recommend is carried out daily, was only done five times between February 6 and March 17, 2011.

Then, in March 2011, a chlorine injector on the pool failed.

This caused chlorine levels in the pool to fall to dangerous levels and allowed bacteria to breed in it.

Fiscal depute Emma Stewart told the court that after the outbreak was identified Legionella bacteria was found in water samples taken from poolside showers and in showers in the men’s changing rooms.

Defence advocate Barry Smith told the court: “The company acquired the hotel in 2008 and spent £2.75 million in it, including £140,000 on the leisure club.”

He added: “Considerably more money has been spent since this incident – some £1 million.”