Tradesman fined after asbestos roof dumped in bin
HSEA roofing contractor has been fined after two of his employees were caught illegally dumping ripped plastic bags of asbestos into domestic waste bins.
Doorbell-cam footage caught the workers disposing of the toxic material from an old garage roof at a home in Altrincham in February 2022 without proper safety controls in place.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) spokesman said the workers and local residents had been put at risk after an investigation found the harmful asbestos fibres had contaminated the area.
Stephen Wilks, trading as S Wilks Roofing, pleaded guilty to breaching asbestos safety regulations and told to pay more than £3,500 in costs at Ashton-Under-Lyne Magistrates Court.
The self-employer contractor was also sentenced to a 12-month community order with 200 hours of unpaid work.
He was sentenced as the work was carried out under his control and led to the contamination of a residential area with asbestos.
'Serious incident'
The court heard how Mr Wilks had been commissioned by a property management firm to replace asbestos cement roof sheets on three garages off Green Walk in Bowden, Altrincham.
A local resident raised concerns about debris falling into their garden, leading to the HSE investigation.
Inspectors found ripped bags of asbestos stored in front of the garages, and discovered residents' belongings stored there had also been contaminated.
The waste has since been collected and the area thoroughly cleaned, an HSE spokesperson said.
The regulator said the incident has highlighted the dangers of working with asbestos, and the need for training and appropriate disposal methods.
HSE Inspector Phil Redman said: "This was a serious incident that put Mr Wilks, those working under his control, and members of the public, at risk from the potential harmful effects of being exposed to asbestos-containing materials."
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