A development company in Cornwall has been hit with fines and costs totalling £16,459 because it did not follow the correct procedures for identifying asbestos on a site.
The former Cellar Cover Hotel at Droskyn Point, in Perranporth was being converted into guesthouses and holiday apartments in 2006 by Norwegian Homes Limited. But a HSE inspector visited the site and found asbestos insulation boards under a caravan, in sacks, and in the ashes of a bonfire.
Clearly an asbestos survey hadn't been carried out and the asbestos wasn't dealt with properly putting lives at risk.
HSE inspector, Martin Lee, said:
"Asbestos is extremely harmful to human health and is the most serious occupational health issue in the country. More than 4,000 people die every year from asbestos-related diseases.
Norwegian Homes should have carried out a survey for the presence and quantity of asbestos in the building, prior to demolition.
This incident was entirely preventable and the clean-up costs far outstripped the costs of a survey and safe removal of the asbestos material."
Norwegian Homes Limited pleaded guilty on May 26th this year and received a fine of £4,500 coupled with £11,959 in costs.
C&D Consultancy offer a couple of courses specifically targeted at understanding the dangers and dealing with asbestos. You can find details about the courses on the following two pages:
Asbestos & Demolition Awareness
Asbestos Awareness
Source: HSE
June 4, 2010
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