Cleaners weren’t trained properly before outbreak

Mar 6 2008 by Claire Rees, Rhymney Valley Express

TOILET cleaners at Caerphilly borough schools were not trained in “appropriate cleaning techniques” during the E.coli outbreak which killed a child, it was revealed this week.

The public inquiry into the 2005 outbreak has also heard control of the infection may have been hampered by an installation to save water.

On Monday, it emerged at Crickhowell House in Cardiff there were no specific hygiene policies in place at Caerphilly schools at the time of the outbreak.

Inspections of toilets, which began in October 2005, found 51 schools had heating and plumbing problems including broken and defective water heaters.

More than 100 caretakers had to be retrained in techniques and it was also found water-saving devices resulted in children not being able to wash their hands properly.

One of the symptoms of E.coli poisoning is severe diarrhoea.

During the outbreak when five-year-old Deri Primary School pupil Mason Jones died, several children were sent home from school unwell.

Asked why Caerphilly Council had not carried out an audit of school toilets before 2005, senior officer for health and safety in the education department Donna Jones said: “When I came into the post in 2004 the priority was slightly different – we were looking at asbestos and glazing safety.

“Since the outbreak we have prioritised the work of hygiene and toilets.”