Exposing workers to asbestos has landed up a shop fitting company in trouble. HSE prosecuted Eastern Regional Shopfitters Ltd, Cambridgeshire, for disregarding its report, which had already warned about presence of asbestos in the premises where work was going on.

In October ‘09, the company sent two workers to rip out old shop fittings in the premises of Arndale Centre in Manchester. However, after five days they found out that the ceiling panels had asbestos. The three management officials were exposed to the asbestos fibres while conducting a regular assessment of work.

Shopfitters was responsible for violating the Regulations 5, 8 and 11 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006, which makes it mandatory for all companies to conduct a safety examination of the workplace to check the presence of asbestos. Moreover, it debars them from removing asbestos without having a legal licence to do it and putting workers to risk without informing them about the danger. It had also breached the Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for not protecting the workers.

Last week, Trafford Magistrates’ Court ordered the company to pay a fine of £4,000 and additional sum of £3,215 to cover the costs of proceedings.

Asbestos is mainly used in the construction sector. It poses serious health risks. In most cases, the deaths at work place happen due to contact with asbestos. Around 4,000 people die every year because of it. It is the responsibility of employers to take safety measures to prevent such incidents.

IOSH training can help organisations to cut the health and safety risks that apply in any workplace; take advantage of the IOSH Managing Safely Course; designed to give managers all they need to know to help handle health and safety in their teams, and to help identify and implement appropriate workplace precautions for specific risks or seek advice on workplace precautions.