Councils Urged To Pass On Information To Workers

Local authorities need to ensure they release the right information to workers who could potentially come into contact with asbestos, a lawyer with expertise in the area has claimed.

Irwin Mitchell's Adrian Budgen commented after it was confirmed that Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has been fined £5,000 for failing to warn an employee who was checking a water leak at a housing complex that the material was present.

The Health and Safety Executive has revealed that the staff member removed an asbestos insulation board in order to find the faulty pipe and then stood underneath it while sawing the material for 20 minutes.

Adrian Budgen, who has a wealth of experience dealing with asbestos-related disease cases, said: "Workers in all sectors have a right to know that their welfare is being taken seriously by their employers.

"A key part of this is ensuring that the right information is released to employees at the right time. This incident was completely preventable and I hope the fine serves as a warning to local authorities that they must do their best to protect their staff."