Two companies pay over £35,000 after workers exposed to Asbestos at Blackpool night spot
Companies are today warned by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to ensure that proper measures are taken to prevent exposure of employees to asbestos. The warning comes after two Lancashire companies were today fined a total of £25,000 and ordered to pay total costs of £11,788 after pleading guilty at Blackpool Magistrates Court to criminal charges brought by the HSE after employees were exposed to asbestos during refurbishment work.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Companies are today warned by the Health and Safety Executive ( HSE ) to ensure that proper measures are taken to prevent exposure of employees to asbestos.
The warning comes after two Lancashire companies were today fined a total of £25,000 and ordered to pay total costs of £11,788 after pleading guilty at Blackpool Magistrates Court to criminal charges brought by the HSE after employees were exposed to asbestos during refurbishment work.
In The Pink Leisure Ltd of 44 Queen St, Blackpool were fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £4,753 costs after pleading guilty to a breach of Section 3( 1 ) of the Health and Safety at Work Act which requires them to protect the safety of persons not in their employment.
Their contactor Eclipse Developments Ltd of Chapel St, Poulton le Fylde were fined £15,000 and ordered to pay £6,535 costs after pleading guilty of a breach of Section 2( 1 ) of the same act which requires them to protect the safety of their own employees.
The cases arose from an HSE visit - made in April 2005 following a complaint - to the site of a new night club in the upstairs of the former Odeon Cinema in Dickson Road, Blackpool above the existing Funny Girls Nightclub, operated by In The Pink Leisure Ltd.
HSE lead construction inspector for Lancashire Mark Cottriall says: "A substantial amount of asbestos insulating board and flock asbestos was disturbed while the refurbishment was being carried out in the upper circle, leading to the construction site being closed for a number of weeks while a licensed asbestos contractor was called in to carry out an environmental clean and the removal of the remaining asbestos.
"Both companies had had previous advice in relation to asbestos on the site following a visit from HSE in January 2002, when a full survey was carried out and an amount of asbestos removed.
"Unfortunately nobody had referred back to the existing survey which identified asbestos being present in the upper circle. The prosecution was taken because of this failure and the consequent exposure of up to a dozen employees working in the construction being exposed to asbestos containing materials.
"Following checks we were able to confirm there was no contamination of Funny Girls night club."
Notes to editors
The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 sets out the responsibilities of employers and employees with regard to safety in the workplace.
Section 2( 1 ) of the HSWA states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees."
Maximum penalty for a breach of this section in a Magistrates' Court is a fine of £20,000.
Section 3 ( 1 ) of the HSW states, "It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety."
Maximum penalty for a breach of this section in a Magistrates' Court is a fine of £20,000.
Issued on behalf of HSE by Government News Network North West.
This story was released on 2007-03-02. Please make sure to visit the official company or organization web site to learn more about the original release date. See our disclaimer for additional information.