Prosecutions

A Pontypool building firm carried out unlicensed asbestos removal despite being warned that materials they were handling contained the potentially lethal substance. 

During a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecution last week, Caerphilly Magistrates’ Court was told that the firm had been hired to replace a central heating boiler at a private property in Pontypool.

When carpenters from the firm removed a cupboard door clad with asbestos insulation board (AIB) in order to take out the boiler, a supervisor from a licensed contractor working in a nearby property approached them and warned them of the presence of AIB.

The law states that any work involving AIB must be done by licensed contractors but the HSE investigation found that the workers were instructed by a senior manager to seal the walls of the cupboard with plasterboard.

Having pleaded guilty to two charges under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006, the company was fined a total of £2500 and ordered to pay £1250 costs.

A HSE Inspector said: "The company was well aware of its legal duties in terms of asbestos work as, prior to this incident, it carried out removal of the asbestos boiler flue in a safe manner using qualified personnel."

AIB poses less of a risk if not damaged, but this work exposed the edges of the board increasing the risk of releasing asbestos fibres which could be inhaled by the workers and anyone else using the premises.

Asbestos in good condition is safe unless fibres become airborne and are inhaled, which can happen when materials are damaged. It remains the single greatest cause of work-related deaths in the UK.