in court
Construction company fined for employee asbestos exposure
MS Properties (Northern) Ltd have been fined for safety breaches after employees were exposed to asbestos on 22 March 2019 after removing false ceiling tiles during a shop conversion at 309-315 Hessle Road, Hull.
Beverley Magistrates’ Court heard that the company had not commissioned a refurbishment asbestos survey prior to the work commencing. Employees removed over 1000m2 of asbestos insulation board (AIB) ceiling tiles in an uncontrolled manner, exposing them to asbestos.
The HSE’s investigation found that the company’s director, and the casual labourers they employed, spent approximately three to four weeks removing the suspended ceiling, along with the ceiling tiles which contained asbestos, to install new stud walls to divide the shop floor into separate units. The labourers were unskilled and untrained. They were provided with a claw hammer to knock the tiles down. The asbestos-containing tile debris was then shovelled or collected into approximately 62 one tonne bags.
MS Properties (Northern) Limited of Beckside Business, Beckside Road, Bradford, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 5 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. The company has been fined £16,000, ordered to pay £3,011.87 in costs and a victim surcharge of £190.
After the hearing, HSE Inspector Trisha Elvy commented: “If the company had identified any asbestos on the site through a refurbishment asbestos survey, carried out by a competent surveyor, and had it removed by licenced asbestos removal contractors prior to the refurbishment work commencing, then MS Properties (Northern) employees would not have been exposed to asbestos.
“No matter how small or large your company, there is a need to prevent exposing your employees and the public to asbestos by ensuring that it is identified on site prior to any work commencing.”
[vc_row][vc_column width="2/3"][vc_column_text]
What makes us susceptible to burnout?
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.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="70883" img_size="medium" onclick="custom_link" link="https://www.shponline.co.uk/working-at-height-3/barbour-download-guide-to-working-at-height/"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title="Listen now!" color="success" link="url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.shponline.co.uk%2Fpodcasts%2Fwhat-makes-us-susceptible-to-burnout%2F|target:_blank"][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Construction company fined for employee asbestos exposure
A construction firm been fined for safety breaches after employees were exposed to asbestos after removing false ceiling tiles during a shop conversion.
Barbour EHS
SHP - Health and Safety News, Legislation, PPE, CPD and Resources Related Topics
Waste management company fined after worker suffers burns to body and face
Companies fined as worker injured at Pirelli factory
Company fined as worker falls through roof and fractures back
That is a terrible fine, the company would have saved money not doing the job properly and all those poor employees that have been exposed will have to live with that potential risk for the future.
My thoughts entirely. The cost of doing the work correctly is greater than the cost of cutting corners and the fine imposed. Hardly a deterrent.