The main contractors had commissioned a specialist survey to identify the presence of asbestos in the under croft part of the building, but they failed to act when the results were positive.
The firm allowed a number of different contractors to work in the area until one worker raised the alarm himself when he broke through the ceiling and exposed asbestos insulation boarding.
The HSE investigation found the survey highlighted the presence of asbestos, but the main contractor failed to deal with it or provide any safeguards. It had allowed unrestricted access by a variety of other workers, including a 19-year-old apprentice electrician who had been working in the under croft for at least two weeks.
After hearing, HSE inspector Melvyn Stancliffe said: "This was a serious failing on the part of the company. Having correctly commissioned an asbestos survey, it looks as though no one at the main contractor bothered to read it. Or if they did, they disregarded its contents and failed to act to protect site workers from exposure to what is one of the deadly killers in the construction industry.
"It is vital that companies are fully aware of not just the duty to get an asbestos survey done, but then to act on its findings. There is considerable guidance freely available from HSE to assist duty-holder deal with asbestos materials properly."
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