Merseyside Property Management company fined for asbestos safety failings

A property management company in Merseyside have received a fine totaling £14,000 for asbestos safety failings.

They exposed workers and members of the public unnecessarily to asbestos.

The HSE discovered that conditions at a derelict warehouse in Bootle had fallen well below standards.

As a result, they served an immediate prohibition notice on the 4th May 2016 to Quainton Logistics and Storage.

The company were found guilty of breaching sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Quainton Logistics failed to put in place safe systems of work for the removal of asbestos.

The court heard how workers had been using crow bars to remove asbestos roof sheets, without wearing any form of protective PPE.

Besides the asbestos safety failings, the court also learned how work was being carried out near open service pits without fall restraint equipment or edge protection.

There were also no toilets or washing facilities for workers on site.

Added to this were more asbestos safety failings, in that a fork lift truck and a mobile elevated work platform were covered in broken asbestos cement sheets.

Company plead guilty to breaching safety regulations

Property Management company Quainton Logistics and Storage, of Turnall Road, Widnes, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act and Regulations 15(2) and 28(6) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015.

As well as being fined £14,000, the company was also ordered to pay legal costs of £6870.

Jacqueline Western, HSE inspector, said afterwards, “Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

Source of article:-  www.healthandsafetyatwork.com/workers-welfare/quainton-logistics-storage-asbestos-work-height-and-welfare-failings-derelict-warehouse

 

 

Published Mar 27, 2018