Product category:
Industrialsafetytalk: Health and Safety Legislation
News Release from: HSE Health and Safety Executive
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 03 February 2006
Egg carton manufacturer fined over
asbestos
Following its successful prosecution of Omni-Pac (UK), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is reminding everyone of the dangers of asbestos.
Following its successful prosecution of Omni-Pac (UK), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is reminding everyone of the dangers of asbestos On 1 February 2006, the Great Yarmouth-based company was fined a total of £50,000 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £86,000 at Norwich Crown Court after pleading guilty to breaching health and safety law
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 1 Jul 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
SMEs need better occupational health support
The work of occupational health physicians is highly rated by organisations, but small and medium-sized businesses have little or no access to their support, according to a new HSE report.
New initiative to improve safety in waste industry
The Environmental Services Association (ESA) is launching its Accident Reduction Charter as a major new initiative to improve the health and safety performance in the waste management industry.
This criminal case follows an investigation by the HSE into the condition of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) at the firm's site in South Denes Road in October 2003.
Following the hearing, Paul Carter, HSE investigating inspector, said: "Asbestos is the single greatest cause of work-related death; breathing in asbestos fibres can lead to serious diseases, including cancer.
"This case demonstrates that HSE takes the failure to properly manage the risks from asbestos extremely seriously.
Further reading
Guidance shows how to investigate accidents
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is publishing new guidance on how to investigate accidents and incidents, including near misses.
HSE publishes free leaflets for FRP firms
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is publishing two new free leaflets as a reminder to all fibre reinforced plastics (FRP) firms be alert to the risks of fire, explosion and styrene exposure.
"Businesses need to ensure that they are complying with the law.
"Omni-pac failed to maintain the asbestos-containing materials throughout the site, particularly in those areas at high level that were not readily visible.
"The company failed to adhere to its own procedures and, consequently, people could have been exposed to asbestos over a long period of time".
Air samples showed a high level of asbestos at Omni-Pac.
The primary source of contamination was from damaged and poorly maintained asbestos insulation on top of dryers used to produce the finished papier-mache egg cartons.
Omni-pac pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing, held at Great Yarmouth Magistrates' Court on Monday 7 November 2005.
The company admitted breaches of Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA), with respect to the company's duties both to its employees and to others who were affected by the way it conducted its undertaking.
The company was fined £25,000 for each breach.
Asbestos is the single greatest cause of work-related deaths in Great Britain - around 3500 deaths each year.
Inhalation of asbestos fibres can lead to serious diseases such as lung cancer, mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the chest or abdominal wall) and asbestosis (an irreversible scarring of the lungs that causes a decrease in lung function).
Further information on asbestos is available on the HSE's website.
The HSE's free guide, 'A short guide to managing asbestos in premises', can be downloaded from this site.
Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 states that "It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees".
Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health and safety".
• HSE Health and Safety Executive: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Engineeringtalk email newsletter
• Engineeringtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
