The Childrens Hospital Charity - Kids scanner appeal in Sheffield has written to Hydro-X to thank them for the £1000.00 donation towards the state of the art CT Scanner for the Childrens Hospital. The Charity aims to raise £500,000 for the scanner. If you would like more information about how you can help raise money for the appeal you can find information on www.kidsscannerappeal.org.uk and www.bbc.co.uk/sheffield.

August 10, 2009
A Berkshire-based water treatment company has been convicted for carrying out inadequate and misleading surveys at nursing homes in Blaenau Gwent and Powys. As a result, vulnerable residents at the homes would have been at a heightened risk of contracting legionnaires disease, a potentially fatal form of pneumonia.

At Abertillery Magistrates Court on Thursday 6th August 2009, DEBA UK Ltd of Wokingham, pleaded guilty to three charges under Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. They were fined £24,000 and ordered to pay costs of £17,276.

During 2007, the company were commissioned to carry out legionella risk assessments at Nursing Homes operated by Craegmoor Healthcare in Tredegar and Llangattock, and rated the risk as low.

A subsequent routine check of these nursing homes revealed there to be inadequate controls for legionella at these premises, and the focus moved on to the work carried out by DEBA UK Ltd.
This information was sourced from http://www.safetymedia.co.uk/news/court_cases/company_ fined_for_inadequate_legionella_assessments/428764

Published Date: 27 July 2009
A meat processing firm has been fined £25,000 for an outbreak of a potentially deadly bug which left two workers in hospital.
Two Polish employees contracted Legionnaires' disease while working at Kepak UK Ltd in Walton Summit, near Preston, in September 2006.

The firm, which supplied meat to major supermarkets including Tesco, must also pay £20,000 costs after it pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the health and safety of employees by failing to protect them from contracting Legionnaire's from a domestic water system.
If you would like more information please follow this link.
http://www.lep.co.uk/news/Firm-fined-in-deadly-bug.5497174.jp

This is an abstract from the atricle and the link to the full article is added at the bottom of the abstract.
Abstract
During rain, transient puddles form on roads, and this water is splashed into the air by moving vehicles. To determine whether this water contains Legionella pneumophila, we collected samples from roads. We found that L. pneumophila are abundant in these puddles, especially during warm weather.
http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/15/8/1295.htm

A school caretaker in Sheffield has contracted legionnaires disease after clearing up flood water in a Sheffeild school. Sheffield City Council is now conducting a full investigation. More details can be found following this link http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Caretaker-in-alert-over-.5416151.jp

15th of August 2009 is the Matlock Beer festival at the Matlock Rugby Club. This event could not operaste a profit without the sponsorship of Hydro-X which generates revenue for the Rugby Club which provides a great facility for the local community.

HEALTH experts and council bosses have launched an investigation to track down the source of a killer bug after four elderly pensioners were struck down by the lethal Legionnaires' disease.
Bolsover District Council and the Health Protection Agency are desperate to find the source to prevent further cases after four men from Carr Vale were rushed to Chesterfield Royal Hospital where they have been undergoing life-saving treatment.
For more information please follow this link
http://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/chesterfield/Killer-bug-alert.4922675.jp

A 95-year-old woman died in Springfield Hospital after contracting legionnaires’ disease, it has been revealed.

Tests carried out on the Tooting ward where the woman was staying later revealed “significant” levels of legionella – the bacteria which causes the deadly disease.

All remaining ward patients have since been moved from Springfield Hospital to Tolworth Hospital. No other patients were affected.

The death only came to light after the Wandsworth Guardian investigated complaints from relatives of patients at Tolworth Hospital, who were to be moved to make way for patients from Springfield.
If you would like more information please follow this link
http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/ 4081074.Springfield_Hospital_patient_dies_of_legionnaires_/

A MIDLAND postman has won a five-figure payout from a travel giant after a last-minute holiday left him fighting for his life with deadly Legionnaires’ disease.

Father-of-two David Higgs, from Smethwick, was hoping to recharge his batteries in Tenerife when it turned into a holiday from hell.

Just one day into the seven-day getaway, booked with First Choice, to the Orlando Club Resort, in Playa de las Americas, David and his daughter Leah fell violently ill after they both used the shower in their apartment.

Postie David suffered hallucinations, vomiting, a fever and diarrhoea, but was told it was a gastric illness by Spanish medics.

Wife Jayne, aged 46, who also works with her 47-year-old husband David at the Royal Mail delivery office in West Bromwich, said that when the family returned home, David’s condition worsened with respiratory difficulties.

“I took him to Sandwell Hospital and within hours he was diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease and in intensive care,” added Jayne. “Doctors said if we hadn’t brought David into hospital that day, he could have been dead within 12 hours. It was devastating.”
For more details please follow this link. http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2009/01/26/holiday-hell-cash-payout-97319-22780681/

Rutland County Council have emailed in to thank all the staff at Hydro-X. Our contact said "Can you also pass on my appreciation to your staff for all their work done for RCC last year." We look forward to another year of providing an unrivalled service to all our customers.

The bacteria, which can lead to Legionnaires Disease, was found at Holbrook Recreation Centre in Gosport as part of the daily checks carried out by the Arena Group, which runs the centre on behalf of Gosport Borough Council.

The shower area and swimming pool were closed immediately.

Environmental health officers from the council were sent to the site while experts removed the danger.

Leader of Gosport Borough Council, Councillor Dave Smith, said: 'Potentially this situation could have been very serious.

'Thankfully the Arena Group have a detector and so caught it early.

'It was in the showers. It wasn't anywhere near the swimming pool but because people couldn't shower after a swim, the pool was shut too.

'Environmental health went there and confirmed it was being dealt with during the day and was under control quickly.'
More information can be found at http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/Legionella-bacteria-find-sparks-pool.4768003.jp

Hydro-Safe the new Chlorine Dioxide treatment from Hydro-X has been launched to great critical acclaim within the industry. One Northern Council contacted Hydro-X with a problem and the pump and equipement were installed that afternoon. Councils, Schools and Hospitals have been especially interested in the product. If you have an interest in Hydro-Safe please contact the office on 01909 565133 and your local representative would be happy to answer your questions. The system is provided maintained and serviced for one annual fee.

Being an environmentally responsible company Hydro-X is working towards becoming Carbon Neutral by 2010. We have introduced large recycling facilities at the office site where we recycle chemical drums, plastics, glass and paper. We have also introduce e-log books to reduce paperwork and can supply risk assessments in CD format rather than a paper document. We have also sent out 850 native British tree saplings to various clients throughout the UK to plant in order to reduce our carbon footprint. For more information about our campaign please contact our office.

Barrow in Furness Council have announced planes to create a Memorial Garden to pay tribute to thouse who lost their lives in the 2002. Seven people were killed and 172 people were infected with the deadly virus. There will be two benches set in a public area with seven rose bushes planted to remember each victim. For More information please follow this link http://www.nwemail.co.uk/se/1.228313

Hydro-X supported the local community in Matlock by sponsoring the Rugby Club Beer Festival. They helped raise over £500 for the local Rugby Team of Matlock Town. The night consisted of Live Music, dancing a BBQ and many types of Beer to taste.

Hydro-X are helping some volunteers from Matlock as they are trying to reinstate a dentistry program in South America. In providing £1200 the volunteers from CENIT are hoping tooffer free dental care, tooth brushes and toothpaste to at risk children and adolescents in South America. CENIT also provides day care, tutoring and out reach services to children. If you would like to find out more about the work of CENIT please look at their website at www.cenitecuador.org.

Cider maker HP Bulmer and its water treatment contractor Nalco have each been fined £300,000 over a fatal outbreak of Legionnaires' disease. For more details please follow the link.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/7483569.stm

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has renewed its warning to companies to ensure that water storage and cooling systems are adequately treated to prevent the growth of the legionella bacteria – which affects around 300 people in the UK each year.

Warning comes after HP Bulmer Limited and Nalco Limited, who had previously pleaded guilty to contraventions of the Health and Safety at Work etc act 1974, following an outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease in Hereford that occurred in 2003, were fined at Hereford Crown Court on 1st July, 2008.

At inquests the Coroners’ court had directly related the deaths of two people to the outbreak and the Health Protection Agency had originally attributed 28 cases of legionnaire’s disease, although this figure was later revised to 26.

HP Bulmer Limited (of Ashby House, 1 Bridge Street, Staines, Middlesex) was fined £300,000 with costs of £50,000 after pleading guilty to a breach of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

Nalco Ltd, of Winnington Avenue, Northwick, Cheshire, was simultaneously also fined £300,000 with costs of £50,000 after also pleading guilty to a breach of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

Speaking after the case, HSE investigating inspector Tony Woodward said:

“There was a failure to institute and maintain an effective cleansing treatment and disinfectant regime for two seasonably used cooling towers, at Bulmer’s site in the Cider Mills, Plough Lane, Hereford. Inadequate management, by neglecting such an obvious duty of care, that can result in the health and lives of the public or employees being endangered, cannot go unpunished. The fines will also help to deter any repetition although this does not help the members of the public who were adversely affected and to whom our sympathies are extended. The fact that building users engage a specialist contractor does not mean that they have complied with the law; they must work with the contractor and ensure they are receiving the service required. Equally specialist contractors and sub-contractors must provide their clients with the expertise which they have been engaged for.”

Notes to editors
Section 3(1) of the HSW Act states: it shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety.
HP Bulmer Ltd had employed Nalco Ltd, trading at the time as Ondeo Nalco Ltd, a water treatment company, as part of the strategy to manage risk from legionella bacteria that could occur as a result of the use of evaporative cooling towers.
Further information on controlling the risks associated with legionnaires disease can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/index.htm
This information has been taken from the HSE Press release Website.

Hydro-X has matched the funding raised by students at the Rotherham College of Arts and Technology in support of Bluebell Wood Hospice and the Tickled Pink Charity.
Richard Sanderson and Patrick Loveday at Hydro-X like to support both local colleges and local charities.

Marketing assistant required for our rapidly expanding company.With similar experience or recent business graduate for office based role. Team player, able to work on their own initiative to provide support to the marketing and sales teams. The position requires good admin skills, excellent communication and presentation skills and ideas generation. We offer good fun environment, training, career opportunity and great package. Contact chris.baker@hydro-x.co.uk
Please respond by the end of May.

More water samples have been taken from an Angus leisure complex where the deadly Legionella bug was found.

One former resident of Piperdam near Dundee has died, and doctors have spent the day trying to contact others who stayed there.

Experts stress there is a very low chance of further infections.

Much of the Piperdam resort near Dundee has been shut down while investigators hunt for the Legionalla bacteria.

That includes guest lodges where a 60-year-old man is thought to have contracted the bug. He died later in hospital in Norfolk.

Parts of Piperdam have been closed
http://www.stv.tv/news/newArticle9888456 Please follow this link for more details. This article is taken from the link above.

People who stayed at this resort in the last fortnight can expect calls from doctors making sure no one else is at risk.

They are not giving interviews, but the owners have issued a statement. It says their thoughts and sympathies are with the man who died. They added that health and safety is of "paramount importance" to Piperdam, and they are co-operating fully with the investigation.

Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease include high fever, chest pains, dizziness and coughing. It can usually be fought with common antibiotics, but sometimes it can kill.

Legionella has been found in a shower head and hot-tub at one of Piperdam's lodges. More water samples were taken this morning to be analysed.

Doctors are urging anyone with concerns to contact their GP, but they are stressing the risk of infection is very low.

Hydro-X has recently undertaken a series of three national seminars in Leeds Cambridge and Birmingham. With a total of over 300 delegates in attendance the seminars have been a complete success. Ken Ashley delivered two informative and entertaining talks at each seminar which the audience found extremely useful in understanding their responsibilities under the Acop L8 agreement and what went wrong in Barrow in Furness.

Feedback from the delegates can be found in the feedback section on the site. The next seminar is planned for the 13th of May at the Birmingham Motorcycle Museum. If you would like more details or would like to book a place for the seminar please contact us.