A CONSTRUCTION company has been fined £50,000 after exposing workers to potentially deadly asbestos fibres during work to convert an office block.

Westcliff-based Marden Homes was commissioned to convert the office block in Witham into flats in July, 2012.

The work involved removing a disused boiler and its pipes from the building’s former plant room.

During the refurbishment, workers disturbed pipe lagging which contained asbestos fibres.

Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard the company had not arranged for an asbestos survey to be available to the workers on the site.

Employees were unaware of the presence of asbestos before removing the disused boiler and associated pipework and potentially exposed themselves, and other workers, to asbestos fibres.

One of the workers involved had not received any training to enable him to identify whether the materials he was removing were liable to contain asbestos.

The company had, in 2013, received advice from the Health and Safety Executive about the need for a survey to be carried out before the work.

The company also received an Improvement Notice requiring it to provide employees with asbestos awareness training.

Marden Homes was fined £50,000, with costs of £1,413, after pleading guilty to three safety breaches.

Speaking after the hearing, David King, an inspector with the HSE, said: “Exposure to asbestos fibres is a serious and well-known health risk, so it is essential dutyholders take suitable and sufficient measures to prevent the disturbance, spread and exposure to asbestos.

“Guidance on managing the risks of asbestos is widely and freely available. Asbestos has been subject to regulations since 1931 and relevant to the construction industry since 1969.

“Therefore, failing to take action to identify the location and type of asbestos present during planning of the work, not communicating that information to workers or contractors who may disturb the asbestos, and then not taking appropriate measures to protect the health of those exposed, is absolutely inexcusable.”