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Firms working with asbestos are required to properly assess risks, ensuring where necessary that only licensed contractors are used to handle the potentially toxic substance - or they may risk claims for asbestos compensation.
Workers carrying out minor construction projects and refurbishments in the UK still face risks from asbestos exposure. About half a million buildings, not including household residences, are estimated to contain asbestos.
As maintenance and repairs become necessary, asbestos fibres can be disturbed and inhaled as a deadly dust perhaps caused by activities such as cutting or drilling.
Figures for asbestos-related deaths are higher than numbers of fatalities in road accidents. Risks to workers are still omnipresent although many workers, especially tradesmen, believe the problems of exposure and disease are now irrelevant because they think they were dealt with many years ago.
Asbestos law-breaking prosecuted
In 2009 a case came to light in Manchester where a company had failed to properly assess that asbestos was present in a city school before refurbishment work commenced.
The school's asbestos register showed that ceiling tiles contained brown asbestos (amosite) - but the firm failed to instruct their workers about the asbestos being present and how to carry out planned improvements without disturbing the tiles.
Although the limited company did not have a licence to remove asbestos, it pressed ahead with taking down the ceiling while failing to take precautions required by law in the Control of Asbestos Regulations Act 2006.
The firm was convicted for breaches of the law and, as a result, was ordered to pay fines and costs of more than £1500.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) immediately issued a national warning to companies stating that they face prosecution unless they properly assess risks when working with asbestos and ensure, where required, that only licensed contractors are employed for such work.
An HSE inspector commented on the case, pointing out the firm carrying out refurbishment at the school had "ample opportunity to ensure that the ceiling was not disturbed" and to arrange for a licensed contractor to "remove the asbestos in a safe, controlled manner.
"Unfortunately this was not done and an employee of the company was needlessly exposed to asbestos fibres," said the inspector.
Seeking asbestos compensation after exposure
Have you been a victim of exposure to asbestos? We handle many claims from asbestos sufferers each year to win personal injury compensation. YouClaim operates on a <i>no win, no fee</i> basis so you get to keep 100% of all damages awarded.
To help you pursue a claim, we just need some initial information to start investigating. Simply call us now on our freephone number or use our online form, call-back or e-chat facilities to contact our expert advisers who will be pleased to help you with a claim for asbestos compensation.
