The ATAP union has filed a criminal complaint against the City Council for partially maintaining the Les Meravelles police station in use, despite a health and safety report warning of temperatures of 33 degrees, risk of legionella, and structural deficiencies.
The ATAP union has taken the Palma City Council to court for failing to completely seal the Local Police station of Les Meravelles, in Platja de Palma. Union representatives went to court on Wednesday morning to file the complaint, which is based on a report from the City Council's Occupational Risk Prevention Service that identifies serious deficiencies in the facilities.
According to ATAP, although the City Council announced the temporary relocation of officers to cabins installed on Avenida de América, police continue to access and use part of the building. The union believes that the City Council was aware of the risks and did not take the necessary measures to completely prevent the use of the facilities, which could constitute a crime against workers' rights.
The complaint is based on Article 316 of the Penal Code, which punishes with sentences of six months to three years in prison and fines of six to twelve months those who, being legally obliged, fail to comply with occupational risk prevention regulations and do not provide the necessary means for workers to perform their work safely. It will now be up to the court to determine whether there are indications of a crime and, if so, to establish responsibilities.
The municipal report, prepared after an inspection on July 17, is devastating. It records temperatures of up to 33 degrees in the basement, used as a changing room and rest area, with poor ventilation and high humidity levels. This situation was classified as a significant risk. Additionally, the bathrooms, showers, and changing rooms had to be propped up due to structural deficiencies, which prevented their normal use.
To these problems are added a possible risk of legionella proliferation, dampness, unprotected electrical panels, accessible cables, lack of evacuation signage, and deficiencies in fire safety measures. Workers also reported that portable air conditioning units caused water accumulation, and one of the overflows led to a short circuit.
The technical diagnosis contrasts with the initial explanations from the Councillor for Citizen Security, Llorenç Bauzá, who initially downplayed the issue to an incident with the air conditioning. Given the partial use of the building despite warnings, ATAP has decided to take the case to criminal justice.
The union had already demanded the immediate closure and sealing of the premises, especially the basement, and that the ground floor also not be used until the electrical installation and air conditioning were repaired. Now, with the complaint filed, the residents of Platja de Palma and the affected officers hope that definitive measures will be taken to ensure workplace safety.
The Les Meravelles police station serves one of the most important tourist areas in Mallorca, with a high concentration of hotels and entertainment venues. The officers working there have been reporting unsanitary conditions for months, which worsen in summer with rising temperatures. The judicial decision could set a precedent regarding the responsibility of administrations in occupational risk prevention.
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