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Asbestos removal supervisor fined for exposing workers to deadly fibres
An asbestos removal supervisor has been sentenced after
admitting exposing numerous workers to deadly asbestos fibres
during licensed asbestos removal works.
Manchester Magistrates Court heard that a concern was received
by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) claiming that Alan Burdett
was allowing people into the sealed asbestos enclosure, which is
designed to keep dangerous fibres from escaping and contaminating
people or other areas, without any form or protective clothing or
face mask.
Alan Burdett was a supervisor for Asbestos Decontamination
Services Limited of Erdington, Birmingham and was engaged in large
scale asbestos ceiling removal at the vacant Raleigh House,
Discovery Park, and Stockport, where he was in control of a group
of removal operatives on a day-to-day basis.
HSE's investigation found that significant amount of metal
framework which had supported the asbestos ceiling boards was
stacked in the open building without being wrapped or sealed to
prevent the spread of asbestos fibres. Alan Burdett had been filmed
allowing workers to enter the asbestos enclosure without any face
masks or protective clothing to prevent them being exposed to
asbestos, as well as potentially releasing the deadly fibres into
the main building where there were no controls to prevent
exposure.
HSE inspector Matt Greenly said after the case: "Alan Burdett
totally failed in his duty to protect himself and his workers from
a foreseeable risk of serious harm from asbestos fibres.
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