A Warwickshire council has been fined for sending an employee on a job without informing him that asbestos was present.
A Warwickshire council has been fined for sending an employee on a job without informing him that asbestos was present.
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council after it sent a plumber to deal with a water leak in a housing complex without warning him of the presence of asbestos.
The council had a survey detailing the area of the asbestos prior to sending the worker to the location.
It was revealed in court that upon finding a faulty pipe in the ceiling void, the plumber removed an asbestos-insulated board (AIB) ceiling sheet. Unaware that he was dealing with asbestos, the worker cut part of the AIB sheet with a handsaw to gain access to the pipe. He stood directly under the tile while sawing the material for around 20 minutes, without any protective clothing.
The council pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(9)(c) and Regulation 11(1) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006, and was ordered to pay a total of £7,140 in fines and costs.
If you'd like to keep up-to-date with the latest developments in the heating and plumbing industry, why not subscribe to our weekly newsletters? Just click the button below and you can ensure all the latest industry news and new product information lands in your inbox every week.
Subscribe to receive your free copy of HVP every month.
