Asbestos in school was ignored.

Buxton Building contractors have been fined for ignoring the results of an asbestos report in a secondary school. The survey had been commissioned to identity whether asbestos was present in the school basement, but once identified, work continued on the building.

3 years later, the Health and Safety executive prosecuted the building company for safety breaches and the company was fined £50,000 and ordered to pay £26,217 in costs.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Melvyn Stancliffe said, “This was a serious failing on the part of the company…as a result, several people were unnecessarily exposed to the risk of inhaling asbestos fibres…there is considerable guidance freely available to assist in dealing with asbestos properly”.

Vicki Wright of Swain & Co says, “ Asbestosis is a treatable illness and it is appalling that building contractors considered suitable to work in a school should have been so negligent.”