A college where a teacher died from Covid-19 has become the first educational sector employer in the United Kingdom to be found to have violated health and safety laws during the pandemic.
Burnley College in Lancashire was found in a damning investigation by the Health and Safety Executive to have failed to safeguard worker safety during the viral epidemic (HSE).
The findings followed an HSE inquiry into Donna Coleman’s death in January of last year.
The results revealed that the institution failed to’meet social distance and ventilation criteria’ in Donna’s office, which she shared with two coworkers – even after one of them tested positive.
It also demonstrated that staff at the further education college were encouraged not to report their ‘close contacts’ if they caught Covid-19.
The report further confirmed that a Christmas party ‘for all staff’ was held when there was a strict ban on gatherings – on the same day as the infamous Downing Street bash.
Footage of the party later emerged showing a staff member breaking into a karaoke rendition of ‘It’s Raining Men’ in front of an assembled cheering crowd.
The University and College Union, which supported Donna’s family in bringing the case, said the school had ‘endangered the lives of staff and students’.
General secretary Jo Grady said: ‘The Health and Safety Executive has found numerous instances where Burnley College failed in its duties to protect the safety of its staff and students during the deadly second wave of Covid.
‘Whilst the HSE was not able to find that Burnley’s failings directly caused Donna’s death, it is clear that the college endangered the lives of staff and students.
‘The college should not need a year-long investigation to address basic failings like refusing to allow staff to self-isolate when it was a legal requirement or to realise that it is incredibly reckless to push ahead with a Christmas party during a pandemic.
‘Many workers have lost their lives to Covid and today our thoughts remain firmly with Donna’s family.’
Stephanie Coleman, 39, Donna’s sister said that programme leader Donna had raised concerns about her safety as students returned to the college in September 2020.
She said: ‘She was asked to go back to do some claims, so she did, as there was only her and another person in the office.
‘At that point, she said there was nothing in place, but it was kind of okay as she’d brought her own mask and taken her own hand sanitiser in.
‘But in September, 100 per cent of staff and a 100 per cent of students back.
‘She told me, ‘There’s 15 of us in our staff room, and there’s no social distancing going on.’
Stephanie claimed that at the time there was a culture of denial about covid at the college, with staff often commenting that it didn’t exist within its premises.
She said: ‘The line was ‘Well, Covid doesn’t exist at Burnley college – do you not know?’
‘But Burnley had one of the highest rates in the country.’
Stephanie urged her sister to complain, but Donna said that she was afraid of losing her job.
She said: ‘We spoke daily. We were very, very close, and she said, ‘Steph, I’m frightened for my job, I can’t afford not to be in.’
Stephanie said her sister began to feel unwell during the second week of December, 2020, as more and more cases began to emerge at the college.
She said: ‘On Friday, December, 11, she felt poorly.
‘I was in Lanzarote at the time, and I’d not seen her for two weeks as I didn’t want any contact before going away.
I said: ‘Are you alright, it’s Friday!’ She said, ‘I just don’t feel that great.’ She said, ‘I think I’m just tired, it’s been a busy week.’
‘Two people from her office tested positive over that weekend, so then she went for a test.
Donna tested positive for Covid-19 on December 14, during a week when at least 14 other staff members from the college also went down with the virus.
But despite the outbreak in positive cases, Stephanie, who previously worked at the college, claims that bosses arranged a Christmas party for staff, flouting covid regulations.
She added: ‘I heard about the Christmas party, and I knew it was happening. It was notorious every year.
‘They might have slightly adapted it during the day, but they still provided everybody with a couple of drinks of alcohol each and food separately.