Experts Call On Employers To Ensure Workers Are Protected From Harm

By Rob Dixon

Asbestos-related disease lawyers have urged employers to recognise the importance of protecting workers from exposure to the deadly material, after a property developer in Nottinghamshire was given a suspended prison sentence and fined over safety failings.

James Roger Carlton, also known as Roger Stephen Parry, pleaded guilty to exposing employees to asbestos in relation to project which involved removing insulation board containing the material from the former King Edward VI School site in Retford.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, he knew the material formed part of the buildings on the site but ignored advice on its removal. As well as the suspended sentence, the defendant was fined £55,000 and ordered to pay £45,000 in costs in relation to the problems.

Commenting on the case, Adrian Budgen, national head of asbestos litigation at Irwin Mitchell, said: “While the dangers of asbestos exposure and the impact that it has had on so many lives have been known for years, this is a worrying example of how some employers still fail to fully recognise the importance of ensuring their workers are protected from harm.

“Projects related to the removal of asbestos need to be fully planned and managed very carefully, with all of those involved being trained and given the necessary equipment they need to do their job safely.

“Through our work, we have seen too many instances when this has not been the case and it is absolutely vital that clear improvements are made in this regard.

“The dangers of asbestos cannot be underestimated and we would urge employers to learn lessons from this case to guarantee that workers are always given the support they need to avoid exposure.”

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