Two companies have been prosecuted after exposing workers to potentially-fatal asbestos.
Pilkington Plumbing and Heating Ltd allowed two of its employees to conduct the removal of a back boiler and drill a wall panel at a house in Ilfracombe, despite it not receiving an asbestos survey from North Devon Homes.
An investigation was carried out into the incident, which happened in September 2012, by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and North Devon Homes was prosecuted for safety failings.
Barnstaple Magistrates Court heard how Pilkington had initially requested asbestos survey information for the properties but went ahead with no sufficient assessment of the work likely to disturb asbestos. The contractors instead relied on information provided by the North Devon Homes’ website, which was not specific to each of the properties being worked on and therefore misleading.
Consequently, asbestos insulation board (AIB) was disturbed, and workers were exposed to asbestos when moving fillets of a fire surround, moving an AIB panel and drilling another AIB panel.
North Devon Homes Ltd, of Barnstaple, pleaded guilty to breaching the Construction (Design Management) Regulations and fined £1,000 with prosecution costs of £650. Pilkington Plumbing and Heating Ltd, also of Barnstaple admitted to two breaches of the Control of Asbestos Regulations at an earlier hearing on 8th October before the same court. The firm was fined £1,500 alongside costs of £642.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Barry Trudgian said: “As a result of North Devon Homes’ failure to provide the required information and Pilkington not waiting for the asbestos details before starting work, two workers have been needlessly exposed to asbestos.
“The risks associated with asbestos in housing stock are well-known and the regulations governing its removal are long-standing. This incident could have been avoided if Pilkington had carried out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the work liable to disturb asbestos.”