Legal News

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has successfully prosecuted a firm of builders, after its workers were exposed to asbestos dust.

Building contractor Geoff Thomas and Son Ltd of Bath failed to check whether asbestos was present before it workers demolished a ceiling at a residential property at New King Street in Bath in January 2013.

Even after the company realised that the ceiling contained asbestos, the two employees were sent to other properties to work without first decontaminating the clothes they were wearing to demolish the ceiling or the tools used in the job.

Curo Places Ltd (formerly the Somer Community Housing Trust) contracted Geoff Thomas and Son Ltd to replace the residential ceiling made from asbestos insulation board. The two contractors given the job used hand tools as well as their hands to remove part of the ceiling.

However, the contractor failed to make any assessment to ascertain whether the ceiling contained asbestos before the work started. The company also failed to prevent the hazardous material from spreading once it realised asbestos was present in the insulation board.

Furthermore, the company was not licensed to handle asbestos – and also failed to notify HSE of the work in advance, as required to do by law.

On Wednesday (19/03/14) at Bath Magistrates’ Court, Geoff Thomas and Son Ltd of Braysdown, Peasedown St John in Bath pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.

The company was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £637 in costs.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Paul Newton said:

“The long-term effect of exposure to asbestos materials is the single greatest cause of work-related deaths in the UK – and the exposure of these two workers to this dangerous substance was entirely preventable.

“It was clear the work would disturb the fabric of the building, creating a risk of exposing asbestos – so a full survey of the area should have been carried out before work started and suitable plans put in place to deal with it.

“Geoff Thomas and Son then compounded the problem by failing to decontaminate the workers, their clothes and equipment once the asbestos had been identified.

“Instead they were allowed to go to other jobs and return home – potentially spreading the asbestos to their workmates and families.

“The removal of high-risk, asbestos-containing materials should only be done by a licensed contractor,” Mr Newton added.

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors for Asbestos & Mesothelioma Claims

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of personal injury solicitors and can advise employees who come into contact with hazardous materials like asbestos and go on to develop asbestos-related disease how to make a no win no fee claim for asbestos compensation.

Families of loved ones who have died as a result of asbestos exposure in their work may also be able to make a claim.

For expert legal advice on how to make a no win no fee claims for illness resulting from asbestos exposure – including mesothelioma – contact Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors on 020 7923 4020.