The 16-year-old had been working for P Turnbull Joinery & Building Services Ltd on an outbuilding of a domestic property after the firm had been hired by Alt Berg Holding Limited to refurbish the property in Richmond, North Yorkshire.
On 7th June 2021 the lad had been breaking up cement sheets taken from the roof of the property and putting them into a skip. Asbestos was later found to be in the cement sheets, exposing him to asbestos fibres.
A Health & Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that Alt Berg Holdings Limited had failed to carry out an asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey of the property, which would have identified the asbestos. P Turnbull Joinery & Building Services Ltd had also failed in not properly assessing the work and preventing the worker being exposed to asbestos.
P Turnbull Joinery & Building Services Ltd, of Attwood Terrace, Wolsingham, Durham, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £500 in costs at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on 20th June 2024.
Alt Berg Holdings Limited, of Moor Road, Melsonby, Richmond, North Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(4) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. It was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay £1,950 in costs.
HSE principal inspector Chris Tilley commented: “A suitable and sufficient asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey of the building undertaken by the client and provided to the contractor before work started would have identified the presence of asbestos in the roofing materials. The contractor could have ensured that suitable controls were put in place and the asbestos removed safely before further work was undertaken.
“This incident could so easily have been avoided by the provision of suitable and sufficient pre-construction information, effective communication between the parties and the use of correct control measures and safe working practices.”
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
