Construction News
06/02/2009
HSE Warns Companies To Follow Correct Asbestos Handling Procedures
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned firms to properly assess risks when working with asbestos and ensure, if necessary, only licensed contractors are used.
The call follows the prosecution on 4 February 2009 of Westpoint Schoolcare Ltd for breaching Regulations 5, 8(1) and 11 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006.
The firm from Gorton, Manchester was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £515 after pleading guilty to failing to properly assess whether asbestos was present before starting refurbishment work at a Manchester school. The company also failed to take the necessary steps to prevent its employees being exposed to asbestos dust and undertook licensable work without holding a licence.
The company was appointed to complete refurbishment works at Manley Park Junior School on College Road, Whalley Range, including updating the toilets.
The school provided information from their asbestos register clearly identifying that the ceiling tiles contained 5 to 50% Amosite (Brown Asbestos). However, the company did not properly act on this information and failed to instruct their employees on the presence of asbestos or how to work without disturbing the asbestos ceiling tiles.
The ceiling was removed despite Westpoint Schoolcare Ltd not holding a licence to do such work and without taking any of the necessary precautions as required by the Control of Asbestos Regulations Act 2006.
HSE Inspector Thomas Merry said: "Westpoint were given the necessary information about the presence of asbestos in the area of the school in which they were working. They had ample opportunity to ensure that the ceiling was not disturbed, and arrange for a competent licensed contractor to remove the asbestos in a safe, controlled manner."
(CD/JM)
The call follows the prosecution on 4 February 2009 of Westpoint Schoolcare Ltd for breaching Regulations 5, 8(1) and 11 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006.
The firm from Gorton, Manchester was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £515 after pleading guilty to failing to properly assess whether asbestos was present before starting refurbishment work at a Manchester school. The company also failed to take the necessary steps to prevent its employees being exposed to asbestos dust and undertook licensable work without holding a licence.
The company was appointed to complete refurbishment works at Manley Park Junior School on College Road, Whalley Range, including updating the toilets.
The school provided information from their asbestos register clearly identifying that the ceiling tiles contained 5 to 50% Amosite (Brown Asbestos). However, the company did not properly act on this information and failed to instruct their employees on the presence of asbestos or how to work without disturbing the asbestos ceiling tiles.
The ceiling was removed despite Westpoint Schoolcare Ltd not holding a licence to do such work and without taking any of the necessary precautions as required by the Control of Asbestos Regulations Act 2006.
HSE Inspector Thomas Merry said: "Westpoint were given the necessary information about the presence of asbestos in the area of the school in which they were working. They had ample opportunity to ensure that the ceiling was not disturbed, and arrange for a competent licensed contractor to remove the asbestos in a safe, controlled manner."
(CD/JM)
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