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A company in Bath has been fined after it was revealed an employee was exposed to high levels of asbestos.
The 49-year-old worker from Somerset had been fitting pipework for a central heating system at a house in Bath when he was exposed to high levels of a type of asbestos known as crocidolite.
Asbestos exposure is linked to a number of serious diseases including lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis. Workers exposed to crocidolite are known to be at a higher risk of developing mesothelioma.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation revealed that the electrical company the man had been working for had failed to carry out the necessary survey to establish the presence of asbestos in the building before work was carried out. The company also failed to provide the relevant information to employees prior to refurbishment work which caused the asbestos to be disturbed and spread throughout the building.
Bath Magistrates Court were told how the worker had been exposed to the high concentration of asbestos fibres for a period of five hours.
The company admitted to a breach of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and was fined £600 and ordered to pay £6,013.45 in court costs.
It has not been reported whether the worker will be pursuing an asbestos compensation claim through the civil court.
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