In a recent incident, two companies faced penalties following the exposure of a teenage worker to asbestos. The incident occurred during refurbishment work at a domestic property in Richmond, North Yorkshire, where P Turnbull Joinery and Building Services Ltd was contracted by Alt Berg Holding Limited.
Incident Details
The 16-year-old worker was tasked with removing cement sheets from the property’s roof and placing them in a skip. Unfortunately, these sheets contained asbestos fibres, exposing the worker to potential health risks.
The Investigation
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted an investigation, revealing significant oversights. Alt Berg Holdings Limited had failed to conduct a necessary asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey of the property before work began. Such a survey would have identified the asbestos presence, preventing exposure to the hazardous fibres.
Identified Failures
Chris Tilley, principal inspector at HSE, highlighted the critical lapses: “A proper asbestos survey by the client before work started would have identified the hazard. The contractor should have implemented necessary controls to safely remove asbestos before commencing work.”
Court Proceedings
At Peterlee Magistrates’ Court, P Turnbull Joinery and Building Services Ltd admitted breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act. Consequently, the firm received a fine of £2,000 and was ordered to pay £500 in prosecution costs.
Alt Berg Holdings admitted breaching regulation 4(4) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations. The company was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay £1,950 in prosecution costs.
This case underscores the vital importance of proper safety assessments and adherence to regulations to protect workers, particularly vulnerable young workers like the 16-year-old involved in this incident.
