Heating Engineer fined for exposing homeowners to asbestos

Last Updated on October 12, 2016 by

Heating Engineer fined for exposing homeowners to asbestos

A self employed heating engineer has been fined after removing asbestos lagged pipework in a domestic property with no precautions to prevent exposure to asbestos fibers.

Karl Locher pleaded guilty at Trafford Magistrate’s Court after an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Locher was employed to install a new heating system in the domestic property.  He removed the redundant pipework that was lagged with asbestos, using a powered electric saw.

He then transported the pipework through the property and deposited it outside on the drive.

The court heard that Karl Locher did not have any asbestos awareness training.

HSE told the court that had Karl Locher been appropriateley trained, he would have been in a position to recognise that the lagging may be asbestos.

He would have known to avoid any work until it had been removed by a licensed contractor.  Instead, Locher removed the pipes with no precautions to prevent his own exposure to asbestos fibers, and the potential for other persons to be exposed.

The homeowners have had to move out of their home pending thorough decontamination of the property.

 

Duty holders and employers have a legal responsibility to manage asbestos in their building so as not to put employees at risk. Contact our Armco office for asbestos management and refurbishment/ demolition surveys on 0161 763 3727 or by visiting https://www.armco.org.uk/

Alternatively, to book onto one of our asbestos training courses, please call 0161 761 4424 or visit https://www.armcoasbestostraining.co.uk/ 

 

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Published Oct 12, 2016