Window Firm Fined £3,000

Lessons must be learnt from an incident which saw a Welshpool-based window firm fail to protect workers from asbestos exposure, a leading injury lawyer has claimed.

Irwin Mitchell’s Alida Coates said the case of Meadow View Windows and Conservatories should serve as an example that firms must take the issue of protecting workers seriously.

The company’s owner Philip Leslie Davies has been fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £1,615 after four employees were exposed to asbestos while removing soffits on a property in Montgomery, Powys in June last year.

He admitted to failing to carry out a suitable assessment, as well as to not ensuring that the correct information and training was provided to the workers.

Alida Coates, a Partner who specialises in cases of asbestos related disease, said: “Asbestos is widely regarded as one of the biggest occupational killers, so it is a major concern that Mr Davies failed to ensure that his workers were given adequate protection from the material in this case.

“Many of the cases I deal with have come about as a result of the negligence on the part of employers many years ago, but as knowledge of the dangers of the material is now so widespread this incident is very worrying.

“The fine is modest, when you bear in mind the potential future consequences that the failings of the company may have upon its workers.  I see the tragic effect that mesothelioma has on the lives of its victims and their families every day.  The penalties imposed on those who fail to protect their employees should be increased, to act as a real deterrent and reflect the severity of the illness itself.

“It is unacceptable that workers are exposed to avoidable risks while carrying out their day-to-day duties and I hope that this case serves as a warning to all firms.”