March 2013 Accidents at Work

Unsafe work leads to fine and ban for director

The director of a Nottingham building firm has been fined after unsafe work on an asbestos cement roof.

Russell Lloyd's company had been contracted to replace the roof of a factory in Notttingham in order for solar panels to be installed.

Nottingham magistrates were told that the Health and Safety Executive received two complaints about the work from concerned members of the public.

When an inspector visited the factory unsafe work was observed near numerous unprotected fragile rooflights. There was poorly-erected and incomplete edge protection and workers were not using safe work platforms or harnesses to prevent falls.

Two Prohibition Notices were served by HSE, halting work immediately.

Several weeks later the inspector uncovered evidence that a worker had fallen through one of the skylights on the morning of her visit. The court heard that Mr Lloyd denied it had happened and failed to provide any information about the injured person or any workers who may have witnessed the incident.

Nottingham Magistrates' Court fined him £2,400 and ordered him to pay costs of £1,585. He was also disqualified as a director for two years.

Council in court for ignoring asbestos threat in school

Thurrock Council has been fined after admitting to failures in how it managed asbestos across its schools.

Basildon Crown Court heard that despite being made aware of asbestos concerns in a boiler room at Stifford Clays Junior School, no action was taken.

A specialist contractor tasked with carrying out an asbestos survey by the council in 2004 said that dust and debris found in the boiler room containing asbestos fibres should be removed immediately under licensed conditions.

However, an HSE inspection in April 2010, as part of a national initiative to ensure that local authorities understand their duties in managing asbestos across their school estate, found that nothing had been done.

This was despite school staff and contractors alike regularly entering the boiler room in the intervening six year period.

HSE served a Prohibition Notice on 24 April 2010 barring entry to the boiler house until it was made safe.

Thurrock Council was also served with two Improvement Notices regarding the management of asbestos in its schools elsewhere in the county.

Thurrock Council was fined a total of £35,000 and ordered to pay £15,326 in costs.

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