Contractor Fined £500,000 Over School Asbestos Exposure
A building contractor has been fined £500,000 for failings during refurbishment works at a London school. Sub contractors used were also fined making the total fines a whopping £1.27m. Certainly not what any company needs. This is why it is so important to follow guidelines and rules. Remember the number one rule is to protect workers and the public from harmful substances such as asbestos.
Asbestos Hiding In Ceiling Tiles
The exposure took place in 2012 during the development of St. Mary’s Primary School in the £3m project. The school was partially occupied at the time but pupils were transferred to another site during the works.
It was heard that a worker removed part of a ceiling in one of the class rooms and noticed asbestos material.
Asbestos was found in numerous areas of the school and an HSE investigation found that even though an asbestos survey was carried out, the document contained disclaimers and it may not have been properly assessed by the team before work began. The investigation found that the measures taken to prevent workers from exposure to asbestos were not good enough.
After the hearing a Health & Safety inspector said: “The main contractor and sub contractors at the school did not review the survey report in detail, and did not take into consideration the multitude of caveats in the asbestos report.
“Therefore the work undertaken did not adopt the high standards of control expected for working where there was the potential to expose workers to asbestos.” You can read the full news report here.
Importance Of Asbestos Report Study
Here at ACE, we carry out extremely detailed asbestos surveys across Northern Ireland. We are a small and independent team of fully qualified asbestos surveyors. We explore all areas fully and detail the findings in a comprehensive but easy to understand report. All samples taken are taken in person to a UKAS accredited lab right here in Northern Ireland.
When we provide the asbestos survey report. You should study all findings and anyone coming onto the site to do any refurbishment / repairs or demolition should be made aware of asbestos location and condition.
Contact Philip on 07702 332 333 to book an asbestos survey. We are always happy to help.
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