Two companies have been fined after a teenage worker was exposed to asbestos.
The 16-year-old had been working for a joinery and building company on an outbuilding of a domestic property after the firm had been hired by a second company to refurbish the property in Richmond, North Yorkshire.
He had been breaking up cement sheets taken from the roof of the property and putting them into a skip on 7 June 2021. Asbestos was later found to be in the cement sheets, exposing the worker to asbestos fibres.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that the second company had failed to carry out an asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey of the property, which would have identified the asbestos. The first company had not properly assessed the work and failed to prevent the worker being exposed to asbestos.
The first company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £500 in costs at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on 20 June 2024.
The second company pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(4) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The company was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay £1,950 in costs at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on 20 June 2024.
HSE Principal Inspector Chris Tilley commented: “A suitable and sufficient asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey of the building undertaken by the client and provided to the contractor before work started would have identified the presence of asbestos in the roofing materials. The contractor could have ensured that suitable controls were put in place and the asbestos removed safely before further work was undertaken.
“This incident could so easily have been avoided by the provision of suitable and sufficient pre-construction information, effective communication between the parties and the use of correct control measures and safe working practices.”
This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Chloe Ward and supported by HSE paralegal officer Rebecca Withell.
Source: HSE
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