Firms warned about unlicensed asbestos removal
Construction
14th April 2009
Construction firms that use unlicensed contractors to remove asbestos will be prosecuted, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has said.
The warning comes after the managing director of a company was penalised for the unlawful removal of asbestos insulation boards at a factory in Telford.
Roger Lee Lavender was given a fine of £6,666 and made to pay costs of more than £11,000 at Shrewsbury Crown Court.
Following the case, HSE inspector Guy Dale said Mr Lavender should have been aware of the dangers posed by asbestos as a result of a survey conducted in 2004.
"That asbestos survey made it clear that any removal of the material was dangerous and must be carried out by licensed specialists," he commented.
Exposure to the substance is the largest single cause of work-related deaths in UK, according to the HSE.
Licensing of companies dealing with asbestos is an addition to the general framework of health and safety legislation.
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