A refurbishment project at a former department store that was found to have asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) during the demolition in October 2017 has seen two former company Directors sentenced and fined.
Due to the age of the building and the previous work it had done, there were vast amounts of ACMs, which were broken up using sledgehammers and other means of brute force during the several months of demolition and refurbishment work.
As a result, asbestos fibres spread across five floors of the building and outside of the property.
The ACMs were discovered during a health and safety report at the site, and by then there were 1,315 square metres of contaminated waste found across the shop floors and in the stairwell.
The former Directors (Alan Barraclough, of Hutton Lane, Guisboroug and James Keegan, of Larkspur Road, Middlesbrough) were subsequently handed out the following fines and sentences:
- Found guilty of breaching two counts of Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 etc.
- Received a 14-month sentence
- Suspended for 2 years
- Ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid community work within 12 months
- Suspended as a director for 10 years
- Ordered to pay costs of £44,774.21
Jeremy Sirrell, a Director at Palmers and a Health and Safety advisor, said: “Before starting projects, construction and engineering companies must ensure they have Health and Safety procedures in place to avoid any casualties.
“If you are concerned about your business’ safety obligations, then it is important that you seek specialist advice at the earliest convenience.”
For help and guidance on all aspects of Health and Safety Law, including putting in place strategies to protect your workforce, please contact our expert team today.