Two UK employees were recently exposed to workplace asbestos hazards after their employer, Mitchells and Butlers, mishandled work orders. Following a survey done by Mitchells and Butlers to locate asbestos risks, workers proceeded with instructions for repairs in a closed pub. The White Horse pub in Darlington was being refurbished to reopen.
When drilling began in the ceiling dust and debris fell onto the faces of the workers. After investigation by a Health and Safety Executive, the tiles were qualified as containing asbestos. Asbestos fibers cause severe respiratory conditions including lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma cancer.
Although the survey had been done appropriately prior to start of the job, additional work was added to the order without another survey. Workers thought they were following safe instructions.
One worker, Jonathan Cook, said, “Because the effects of asbestos take a long time to show up, the worry of whether the asbestos has caused lasting damage to my health will stay with me for years to come.
“And it’s not just me – it’s a huge worry for my partner also, as there is a chance that she might have been exposed to fibres that were brought home on my work clothes.”
Health and Safety Executive, Victoria Wise is serious about employer asbestos violations. She said, “Construction and maintenance workers are among those most at risk from asbestos-related diseases due to the nature of their work.
“Asbestos is still widely present in buildings constructed prior to 2000, so workers can often inadvertently disturb materials containing asbestos if the correct survey has not been carried out to check for its presence and appropriate control measures put in place.
“Mitchells & Butlers Retail Ltd knew there was asbestos in the building and should have ensured that all the areas where work was to be done had been checked for asbestos and the necessary precautions taken.
“Everyone who owns or operates commercial premises built prior to 2000 must ensure that a suitable and sufficient assessment for asbestos has been carried out prior to any construction work starting.
“In addition construction and maintenance workers should have asbestos awareness training so that they can recognise that some materials may contain asbestos and know what action to take.”
This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 1st, 2010 at 6:51 AM and is filed under General, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
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