Prosecutions

The packaging company (company A) pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(3) of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 at Trafford Magistrates' Court on Tuesday 27 October. It was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,000.

The building services company (company B) and its Managing Director pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and Regulation 3(1) of the Asbestos Licensing Regulations 1983. They were each fined £2,000.

The court heard that company B’s employees came into contact with asbestos while demolishing part of company A’s recycling plant in early 2006.

Company A hired company B to carry out the work after the plant had suffered fire damage. No site assessment was conducted, which meant that large amounts of asbestos had not been noticed. Company B was also not licensed to remove asbestos.

HSE decided to prosecute after an Inspector visited the site. He said: "We took immediate action to stop the demolition, and were shocked that workers had been allowed to remove asbestos without the proper precautions being taken.

"Company A did not carry out any assessment to find out whether asbestos was, or was likely to be, present in its premises. If the company had, it would have found asbestos in large sections of insulation boards and some in coating sprayed on the building's steelwork.

“Company B and it’s Managing Director should have made sure that the premises were free from asbestos before starting work. But they allowed workers to break up materials using hammers, crowbars and power tools, without wearing suitable protective equipment and without a licence.

“The demolition workers were exposed to unacceptable levels of asbestos fibres, and have been put at risk of becoming seriously ill in the future."