Company fined over asbestos-related incident
January 28th 17:23 Health and Safety
The importance small businesses should place on health and safety compliance has been highlighted after a Bristol-based company was fined £18,000 over an asbestos-related incident.
Following prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Frank Bruce and Company was handed the fine and ordered to pay £6,679 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching the Control of Asbestos Regulations.
The fine was issued after the firm put its workers at risk of asbestos-related diseases while working on a refurbishment project.
Sue Adsett, an inspector for the HSE, said: "The decision not to have large quantities of asbestos insulation board removed by licensed contractors before the general refurbishment work began, put the workers at risk and contaminated the site.
"The work was stopped and the defendant paid to make the site safe, but this doesn't change the fact that seven construction workers were exposed to asbestos, which we know can cause fatal diseases."
Bristol Magistrates imposed the fine for breaches of Regulation 14 of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and Regulation 4 (10) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations.
