Leading Surrey law firm Hart Brown is advising business owners that they have a legal obligation to deal with asbestos appropriately and to protect themselves by being aware of crucial information before it鈥檚 too late.
Already in 2011 there have been a large number of firms fined for either not having removed asbestos safely or for employing unauthorised contractors to remove it. Organisations successfully prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive not only include leading retailers and construction firms, but public sector organisations such as the Ministry of Defence, a local authority and an NHS trust.
Retail Giant Arcadia, owners of Topshop, has been ordered to pay more than 拢36,000 for exposing 45 construction workers to potentially dangerous asbestos fibres whilst working at one of the stores, and two building contractors have been ordered to pay more than 拢120,000 after they failed to remove asbestos safely during refurbishment work at an occupied block of flats. One building contractor has been given a suspended jail sentence for turning a blind eye to asbestos regulations. Even trusted high street chain Marks and Spencer has appeared at Winchester Crown Court recently accused of breaching asbestos laws, which it denies.
鈥�Asbestos is fast becoming a significant risk for employers,鈥� comments Bettina Brueggemann, Managing Partner, Hart Brown. 鈥淚t is not an excuse to ignore the issue. If you are a business owner, you must take the correct precautions and should seek professional advice. If you don't, you risk an unlimited fine, or in extreme cases a jail sentence.鈥�
Hart Brown is hosting a workshop on the dangers of asbestos with the aim to educate business owners on the safe way to detect asbestos, and remove it if necessary. The duty to manage the risk against asbestos covers all non-domestic premises, including industrial, commercial or public buildings such as factories, warehouses, offices, shops, hospitals and schools. The workshop is to be held at 3pm on Tuesday 21st June at the University of Surrey as a precursor to the Hart Brown Economic Forum later that afternoon.
Expert John Blackwell who will be running the workshop added, 鈥淚f you deal with asbestos in a professional and correct manner, you have nothing to fear. It is simply another factor to consider when you are moving premises or starting a business in commercial premises. You can protect yourself against the penalties for failure to comply with asbestos regulations and you have a duty to do so.鈥�
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