Asbestos Management

Stratford-upon-Avon Magistrates’ Court heard that Solihull-based Greswolde Construction had failed to inform workers of the presence of the deadly material at Rokeby Primary School in Rugby, on which it had been hired to carry out extension work.

The Health and Safety Executive said the company told workers to strip the area containing asbestos despite being in possession of a survey confirming its presence.

None of the employees had been told of the danger, nor had they been given training in handling the dangerous substance, on which they worked without protection.

Greswolde Construction, which pleaded guilty to multiple health and safety violations, was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £2,268 in costs.

HSE inspector Paul Cooper said: “The dangers of asbestos are well known in the building industry so for the managers of Greswolde Construction not to inform their employees of its presence shows a complete disregard for their safety and wellbeing.”

Last week Eastern Regional Shopfitters was fined £4,000 after five workers were exposed to potentially deadly asbestos fibres at the Arndale Centre in Manchester in October 2009.

Two workers spent five days ripping out old shop fittings before they discovered that asbestos had been used in some of the ceiling panels while another three management staff at the Arndale Centre were also potentially exposed to the fibres during routine checks on the work.