Norwich Magistrates’ Court was told how the company began a project to refurbish parts of Rose Lane Business Centre in Norwich, including a former kitchen and canteen. Works started in late April 2015 and various phases continued into late October, early November 2015. It was during the later phase when significant exposure to asbestos occurred.
The HSE’s investigation found the labourers employed by the contractor to carry out demolition works were mostly vulnerable non-English speakers with limited understanding of English, little awareness of asbestos on site and no prior asbestos awareness training.
The investigation also found no demolition and refurbishment asbestos survey had been in place before the project started.
When one was carried out following HSE intervention, it discovered licensed asbestos debris on the ground level within the area the size of a football pitch.
Despite these findings and surveyor’s recommendations, the unlicensed contractor proceeded to clean the debris between 1 October and 6 October 2015, dry sweeping and vacuuming the area with a vacuum cleaner.
Y Construction Ltd of Rose Lane, Norwich was found guilty of breaching asbestos regulations and fined £90,000 with full costs of £7,184.04.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Kasia Urbaniak said: “The dangers associated with asbestos, including licensed asbestos, are well-known and a wealth of advice and guidance is freely available from the HSE website.
“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
In this episode of the Safety & Health Podcast, ‘Burnout, stress and being human’, Heather Beach is joined by Stacy Thomson to discuss burnout, perfectionism and how to deal with burnout as an individual, as management and as an organisation.
We provide an insight on how to tackle burnout and why mental health is such a taboo subject, particularly in the workplace.
Utterly ridiculous in this day-and-age. More cowboys who need to be hit with far-harsher penalties for acting with such utter incompetence.
Yes, perhaps they do need to be hit but Y Construction Ltd went into liquidation between the issue arising and the court case so the fine probably won’t be paid and the director(s) will not ‘learn’ from it.
Perhaps robust preventative action is a more effective way of dealing with it – give HSE powers to send in competent contractors at the clients expense – discuss?