A company in Poole has been fined for safety breaches after exposing workers to potentially fatal asbestos at a disused tile factory.
Poole Investments plc, a subsidiary of Inland Homes plc, had agreed to sell redundant plant machinery at the factory site to a local trader. Between October 2010 and the following April, the trader unwittingly released asbestos dust and fibres when he demolished part of a disused pottery kiln while removing kiln carts from the site.
On 17 September, Bournemouth Magistrates’ Court heard that Poole Investments commissioned a firm to carry out an asbestos survey in May 2011 but allowed work to take place on site and next to the damaged kiln before the survey was completed in August 2011.
Once the company had received the survey report — which clearly stated asbestos debris was present and that the area should be made out-of-bounds — they allowed work to continue at the premises.
Following an investigation by the HSE, Poole Investments plc, of Anglo Office Park, White Lion Road, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay a further £19,090 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching regulation 5, regulation 11 and regulation 16 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector James Powell, said: “Poole Investments plc committed safety failings that led to workers being needlessly exposed to dangerous asbestos dust and fibres.
“They failed to identify that asbestos-containing material was present on the site before the work started, resulting in a failure to properly manage the work or provide appropriate protection for workers.
“Worse still, they allowed this work to continue even after they were in possession of a report showing asbestos was present and advising that the area should be made out of bounds.
“Asbestos-related diseases kill more people than any other single work-related cause. All types of asbestos can be dangerous if disturbed. The danger arises when asbestos fibres become airborne. They form a very fine dust. Breathing asbestos dust can cause serious damage to the lungs and cause cancer.”
Poole Investments plc cooperated with the HSE investigation, entered a timely guilty plea and admitted responsibility promptly. Steps were taken to remedy the problem by isolating the contaminated area around the kiln on 17 August 2011 and later instructing the removal of asbestos containing material.
They had a good previous safety record and accepted that they should have acted sooner.
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