HEFTY FINE FOR BARROEROCK
CONSTRUCTION AFTER DOUBLE
ASBESTOS FAILINGS
Barroerock Construction
Limited has been fined after
repeated asbestos failings.
C
anterbury Crown Court heard how the Health and
Safety Executive (HSE) carried out two investigations
of working practices of the site in 2013 and 2014,
while Barroerock were converting a former nine storey
office building in Ashford, Kent, into 234 apartments. The
building, known as Charter House and now called The
Panorama, was known to contain asbestos.
The first investigation arose from a routine inspection
during one of HSE’s refurbishment campaigns. The Court
was told that while a refurbishment and demolition survey
had been carried out, the company had failed to act upon it.
This resulted in up to 40 workers being exposed to asbestos
during the early demolition phase of the project.
The second investigation culminated in a visit to the site
in June 2014, following complaints being made about the
health and safety practices at the site. It was found that
despite engaging a licensed asbestos contractor to remove
the remaining asbestos materials, dangerous practices
were continuing. In addition, the company was unable to
provide documentation to show that asbestos materials
identified in the survey had been correctly removed. When
Work inside the Panorama building in February 2014. Courtesy of Steve Salter
the work on site was halted for the second time, around
160 people were working inside the building.
It was found in both Health & Safety Executive
investigations that the incidents could have been
prevented if Barroerock had ensured that they had
effective management controls in place to avoid the risk of
exposure to asbestos.
Barroerock Construction Limited of Langley House
Park Road, East Finchley, London, who had pleaded guilty
to two offences of breaching Regulation 22 (1) (a) of the
Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007 at
an earlier hearing, was fined £750,000 and ordered to pay
costs of £14,874.68.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Melvyn
Stancliffe said, “The company’s failings in this case has put
many workers at risk to the exposure of asbestos.
“It was clear there was an endemic failure to effectively
manage the construction work on the site in a way which
ensured that asbestos materials were not disturbed until
removed under appropriate conditions.
“Failing to prevent the breathing in of asbestos fibres on
the site is reckless.”
AIF PUTS HEIGHT SAFETY FIRST AT
SAFETY & HEALTH EXPO 2017
Working Well at Height is the theme
of this year’s Access Industry Forum
(AIF) stand, R90, at the Safety &
Health Expo, London ExCeL.
Safety when working at height is essential, and
making sure that people select and use the correct access
equipment – and use it safely – is the mission of the Forum
at this year’s event.
From ladders and access towers to scaffolding and
MEWPs, leading experts will discuss and explain the most
recent advances in work at height – still the biggest cause
of fatalities and injuries in the workplace.
Chris Kendall for the Forum comments:
“The Expo is a unique opportunity for the AIF to explain
to health and safety professionals how the collective efforts
of eleven industry associations and federations are helping
shape the height safety agenda.
“All these organisations foster and support codes of
good practice, minimum standards for equipment, trained
AIF stand at Safety & Health Expo 2016
and qualified operatives, and education and information
activities.
“This is the one time in the year when the combined
experience and expertise of the Forum’s member
organisations is available under one roof.”
New for 2017 is an updated PocketCard, which explains
the need to ensure that any work at height is properly
planned, supervised and carried out by competent people,
to make sure it is undertaken safely as required by the
Work at Height Regulations.
For more information, go to: www.accessindustryforum.org.uk or visit
Stand R90 at the Safety & Health Expo.
HSE INTERNATIONAL
7