EpiHealth Associates -- Experience

EpiHealth Associates can be of assistance in assessing risks or placing responsibility in the following areas:

Product liability in food service facilities (restaurants)
Product liability in food processing, manufacturing and warehousing
Foodborne and waterborne disease outbreaks
Builder or landlord liability for private water supplies, sewage/septic systems, and lead poisoning
Pest control liability
Assessment of damage (fire/flood) and reconditionability of food or cosmetics
Assessment of risk in environmental areas.
Breaches of health and safety in: Institutions, Industrial Companies, Recreation Facilties, and Youth Camps
Hospital infection control

Case Examples
Infected food in a cafeteria serving an office building with 5,000 employees was implicated by our investigation to be the cause of 65 cases of Hepatitis A. The temporary closing of the cafeteria, voluntary testing of 3900 individuals, and innoculation of greater than 2500 people with Immune Serum Globulin was instrumental in containing a potentially devestating outbreak, with no secondary cases. The presence of Legionella bacteria (the cause of Legionaires disease) was identified in an office building's hot water supply. Thorough investigation, testing and the initiation of control strategies were key to the prevention of disease from this potentially dangerous condition. A food service contract management firm at a youth camp was exonerated of responsibility for an outbreak of Viral Gastroenteritis when it was proven by EpiHEalth Associates to be a waterborne outbreak rather than a foodborne disease outbreak as reported by the State Department of Health. The water was from a well that had been declared safe by local authorities. In over 50 cases of AIDS transmitted by blood, blood products or blood derivatives, breaches of donor screening, laboratory testing and/or appropriate disclosure of alternatives to the recipient were identified. These same issues have also been raised with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Cytomeglovirus (CMV). An outbreak of Campylobacter at a university was shown to be the result of an impregnation of ceiling tiles, (caused by defective plumbing), with the bacteria over a food preparation area. This finding shifted liability from the food service contractor to the university. A restaurant was charged with liability for over 100 cases of Salmonella "food poisoning" resulting in three deaths. One death was proven by us to be partially attributable to other causes -- medical malpractice.

Case Examples

Infected food in a cafeteria serving an office building with 5,000 employees was implicated by our investigation to be the cause of 65 cases of Hepatitis A. The temporary closing of the cafeteria, voluntary testing of 3900 individuals, and innoculation of greater than 2500 people with Immune Serum Globulin was instrumental in containing a potentially devestating outbreak, with no secondary cases.

The presence of Legionella bacteria (the cause of Legionaires disease) was identified in an office building's hot water supply. Thorough investigation, testing and the initiation of control strategies were key to the prevention of disease from this potentially dangerous condition.

A food service contract management firm at a youth camp was exonerated of responsibility for an outbreak of Viral Gastroenteritis when it was proven by EpiHEalth Associates to be a waterborne outbreak rather than a foodborne disease outbreak as reported by the State Department of Health. The water was from a well that had been declared safe by local authorities.

In over 50 cases of AIDS transmitted by blood, blood products or blood derivatives, breaches of donor screening, laboratory testing and/or appropriate disclosure of alternatives to the recipient were identified. These same issues have also been raised with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and Cytomeglovirus (CMV).

An outbreak of Campylobacter at a university was shown to be the result of an impregnation of ceiling tiles, (caused by defective plumbing), with the bacteria over a food preparation area. This finding shifted liability from the food service contractor to the university.

A restaurant was charged with liability for over 100 cases of Salmonella "food poisoning" resulting in three deaths. One death was proven by us to be partially attributable to other causes -- medical malpractice.

(800) 969-1441

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