MERCER

OSHA: Reznor investigation isn’t complete

Thomas & Betts Corp. jumped the gun Thursday in saying the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found no evidence of bacterium that causes Legionnaires’ disease at the company’s Reznor plant in Mercer, a spokeswoman for the federal agency said this morning.

On Thursday the Memphis-based company issued a news release saying OSHA agreed with the company that employees are not at risk of contracting Legionnaires’ disease. But OSHA’s investigation still isn’t complete, said Kate Dugan, a spokeswoman for OSHA’s Philadelphia regional office.

"The investigation is still ongoing,’’ Ms. Dugan said this morning. "When we’re ready you’ll find out.’’

All samples taken at the plant have been sent to OSHA’s laboratory in Salt Lake City, she said.

"We’re certainly not putting this on the back burner,’’ Ms. Dugan said. "It’s something we’re aggressively pursuing.’’

Reznor’s representatives referred all questions to its corporate office. A Thomas & Betts spokesman was not immediately available this morning.

OSHA started an investigation in August after Gerry Boles, unit chairman of United Steelworkers Local 5306, said he made a formal complaint to the federal agency. The unit local represents more than 200 production and maintenance workers at the Mercer plant. He said a production worker was diagnosed with the disease.

But Thomas & Betts said at the time it had no record of any Reznor employee who contracted the disease. But as a precautionary measure the company said it started its own investigation at the plant in July and to date has found no evidence of the bacterium -- Legionella pneumophila, -- which causes the disease.

However, in its Thursday news release the company also said water samples taken from a spot welder showed it contained Legionella anisa, a species of Legionalla bacterium commonly found in natural water sources and not generally associated with human infection. The company said it will disinfect the welder which should eliminate bacterium growth.

On average, 150 Legionnaires’ disease cases are reported annually in the state. Those most susceptible are the elderly, cancer and AIDS patients, and those with lung disease or weakened immune systems.