UK
Ireland
Scotland
London
Construction News
08/05/2017
Company Prosecuted For Repeated Asbestos Safety Failings
A company has been prosecuted for repeatedly breaching asbestos safety regulations.
Barroerock Construction Limited, of Langley House Park Road, East Finchley, London, who had pleaded guilty to two offences of breaching Regulation 22 (1) (a) of the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007 at an earlier hearing, has been fined £750,000 with more than £14,874 in costs.
Canterbury Crown Court heard how the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted two investigations into working practices of a building site in 2013 and 2014.
The company was carrying out flat conversion work on a former nine-storey office building in Ashford, Kent. The site was known to contain asbestos.
During a routine inspection on one of HSE's refurbishment campaigns, inspectors found that while a refurbishment and demolition (R&D) survey had been carried out, the company had failed to utilise it, resulting in up to 40 workers being exposed to asbestos during the early demolition phase of the project.
The second investigation came around following complaints about the health and safety practices at the site. Despite engaging a licensed asbestos contractor to remove the remaining asbestos materials, it was found dangerous practices were still ongoing.
The company was also unable to provide documentation to show that asbestos materials identified in the survey had been correctly removed. Around 160 people were working inside the building when work was halted for the second time.
In both investigations, the HSE found these incidents could have been prevented if the contractor had made sure they had effective management controls in place to avoid the risk of exposure to asbestos.
HSE inspector Melvyn Stancliffe said: "The company's failings in this case has put many workers at risk to the exposure of asbestos.
"It was clear there was an endemic failure to effectively manage the construction work on the site in a way which ensured that asbestos materials were not disturbed until removed under appropriate conditions. Failing to prevent the breathing in of asbestos fibres on the site is reckless."
(LM/JP)
Barroerock Construction Limited, of Langley House Park Road, East Finchley, London, who had pleaded guilty to two offences of breaching Regulation 22 (1) (a) of the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007 at an earlier hearing, has been fined £750,000 with more than £14,874 in costs.
Canterbury Crown Court heard how the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted two investigations into working practices of a building site in 2013 and 2014.
The company was carrying out flat conversion work on a former nine-storey office building in Ashford, Kent. The site was known to contain asbestos.
During a routine inspection on one of HSE's refurbishment campaigns, inspectors found that while a refurbishment and demolition (R&D) survey had been carried out, the company had failed to utilise it, resulting in up to 40 workers being exposed to asbestos during the early demolition phase of the project.
-- Advertisement --
The second investigation came around following complaints about the health and safety practices at the site. Despite engaging a licensed asbestos contractor to remove the remaining asbestos materials, it was found dangerous practices were still ongoing.
The company was also unable to provide documentation to show that asbestos materials identified in the survey had been correctly removed. Around 160 people were working inside the building when work was halted for the second time.
In both investigations, the HSE found these incidents could have been prevented if the contractor had made sure they had effective management controls in place to avoid the risk of exposure to asbestos.
HSE inspector Melvyn Stancliffe said: "The company's failings in this case has put many workers at risk to the exposure of asbestos.
"It was clear there was an endemic failure to effectively manage the construction work on the site in a way which ensured that asbestos materials were not disturbed until removed under appropriate conditions. Failing to prevent the breathing in of asbestos fibres on the site is reckless."
(LM/JP)
Latest Construction News
29/01/2025
Caddick Construction has been awarded a £43 million contract to deliver the first phase of Cole Waterhouse's flagship regeneration scheme in Digbeth, Birmingham.
The project, known as Upper Trinity Street, marks a significant step in the area’s transformation.
Spanning 182,986 square feet, the re
29/01/2025
McLaren Construction has been appointed by O&H Properties to deliver the first phase of a £60 million Foster & Partners-designed development at the corner of New Bond Street and Grafton Street in London’s West End.
The seven-storey, 5,400 square metre prime retail and office scheme will feature ret
29/01/2025
GMI Construction Group has been awarded a contract to develop three high-specification warehouse units totalling over 175,000 square feet at Precedent Drive, Milton Keynes.
The £20 million project, commissioned by DV5 Last Mile Developments (UK) Ltd, a joint venture between Coltham and Delancey Re
29/01/2025
Plans for 106 sustainable new homes in Southville, a neighbourhood in South Bristol, have been approved as the city seeks to increase housing delivery to address growing demand.
Top 10 award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group will create a £60 million development on Raleigh Road, on land that was
29/01/2025
Bouygues UK has reached a major milestone in the fourth phase of the Hallsville Quarter regeneration project in Canning Town, London.
The project, part of the £3.7 billion Canning Town and Custom House Regeneration Programme, recently held a topping out ceremony, marking the completion of the 11-s
29/01/2025
Willmott Dixon Interiors is carrying out a significant upgrade to the roof of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, one of London's most iconic cultural landmarks.
As part of the £12 million project, the company is installing over 23,000 square feet of sun-protected glazing above the museum’s
29/01/2025
Equans has been appointed by Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils to carry out crucial decarbonisation work across the councils' housing stock, using funding secured through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF).
The councils used the South East Consortium's Zero Carbon Framework to s
29/01/2025
In the world of construction, the quest for energy efficiency and sustainability is ever-evolving. Among the array of solutions available, EPS (Expanded Polystyrene) insulation stands out as a versatile and effective option for enhancing the thermal performance of buildings, particularly when used f
29/01/2025
BCP Council has completed significant coastal protection works at Hamworthy Park, ensuring its resilience against erosion for the next 20 years.
A 200-metre stretch of sea wall along the eastern promenade has been reinforced using low-carbon concrete, while new steps have been constructed to improv
29/01/2025
Geo-environmental consultancy and remediation contractor, The LK Group, has strengthened its team with a trio of recruits.
The multidisciplinary company's latest raft of hires comprises a new director, associate director and remediation manager.
The geo-environmental specialist, headquartered i
