A Property management company was fined £30,100 today after admitting a series of offences which led to workers being exposed to asbestos fibres.

MA Estates Limited of Holmfield, Halifax, the owner and landlord of a factory building in Holdsfield Road, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for failing to properly manage the removal of asbestos-containing materials when employees were replacing a roof at the factory in June 2007.

Halifax Magistrates' Court was told that up to 15 employees from two businesses, both part of the same group as MA Estates and both occupants of the building, were working to upgrade the roof. This included stripping materials from support beams which, when later tested by HSE, were found to contain asbestos in limpet/spray form.

A local business complained to HSE after seeing the stripped materials, suspecting that they included asbestos fibres. After visiting the premises, HSE served a Prohibition Notice on MA Estates to stop work immediately.

The HSE investigation found the company had failed to carry out an asbestos survey or risk assessment and had left workers exposed - with no attempts to limit the spread of asbestos or exposure to it.

As a training organisation, we have also seen a huge increase in our Asbestos Awareness training,as it is becoming a priority for many contractors, as they understand the risks of doing nothing. Accreditation bodies like EXOR and CHAS are also requiring annual refresher courses for all employees associated with this sort of work.

Asbestos is the biggest single cause of work-related deaths in the workplace, with an estimated 4,000 people dying every year. If you would like any further information on working safely with asbestos, or an Asbestos Awareness training course, contact us on: 0845 1300616 or visit our website at:www.oms.uk.com.