Firms fined after workers told to tape plastic bags around asbestos

Workers on a Swansea refurb job were told to tape plastic bags around exposed asbestos and continue working for months, despite the health risks, a court has heard.

Neath Magistrates’ Court heard on 10 January that workers on a demolition and refurbishment project in Swansea were exposed to dangerous asbestos fibres, following a catalogue of errors by an engineering company and a building firm.

Engineering firm Wall Colmonoy Ltd had contracted Oaktree Construction to renovate a building opposite its premises in Swansea in December 2010.

The court was told that the project was badly managed, with untrained staff put in charge of the operation, with inadequate surveys for the presence of asbestos and poor planning throughout.

The engineering firm had two asbestos management surveys for the site, which, although later deemed to be inadequate, identified the presence of asbestos material and highlighted other areas, such as the ceiling voids, which were presumed to contain asbestos.

Despite this, work was allowed to begin in the building, even though contractor had been advised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that a separate ‘Refurbishment and Demolition Survey’ was also required before any activity commenced.

During the demolition works a Wall Colmonoy employee was told to tape plastic bags around an asbestos insulation board (AIB) covering a steel column, which had been damaged. Work continued in the building for several months with the AIB debris left lying on the floor until an unannounced visit was carried out by an HSE inspector.

A subsequent HSE investigation found that Wall Colmonoy failed to appoint a competent Construction, Design and Management co-ordinator and principal contractor to plan and manage the construction work, and ignored advice from its own health and safety manager to notify HSE of the demolition phase of the project, as is required by law.

Wall Colmonoy also failed to provide a proper assessment of the presence of asbestos and its condition in the building before work started. The surveys they held were poor, as a licensed asbestos removal contractor had warned in advising the company that the information they contained was inadequate.

The HSE investigation also found that Oaktree failed to prevent the exposure of its employees to asbestos, and failed to control its spread once it had been damaged.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector, Anne Marie Orrells said:”Both companies involved in this case demonstrated significant failings throughout the management of the project, which put the lives of their respective workers at risk.

“Demolition and refurbishment work must be properly planned and managed by competent personnel with the right training and experience.

“Proper structural and asbestos surveys must be made and a full risk assessment carried out for all the work to be undertaken.

“Had a Refurbishment and Demolition survey been undertaken, and had a licensed asbestos contractor been used to removal all asbestos materials prior to the work starting, then the risk would have been eliminated.

“Instead this inadequate response left workers exposed to asbestos fibres, which can cause potentially fatal lung disease. The health and safety of workers must not be left to chance.”

Wall Colomony, of Alloy Industrial Estate, Pontardawe, was fined a total of £16,000 and ordered to pay £3,287 in costs. Oaktree Construction was fined £8,000 with costs of £2,000.