Smurfit Kappa UK Ltd Pleaded Guilty To Failings Resulting In Potential Asbestos Exposure

A West Auckland packaging company has received a £24,000 fine after pleading guilty to two charges of failing to remove asbestos from their premises, resulting in potentially exposing employees to dangerous asbestos dust and fibres. 

An investigation was launched after asbestos was found last June following an asbestos management survey ordered by the company in 2008. The plan put in place to resolve the issue lapsed, resulting in the company pleading guilty. 

Health and Safety Executive inspector, Victoria Wise, suggested that no employees appeared to be affected by the exposure; however asbestos-related diseases symptoms appear decades after the exposure.

Following the news, specialist industrial disease lawyers from Newcastle law firm Irwin Mitchell have repeated their calls for more to be done to ensure everything that can be done to protect people from the dangers of asbestos is carried out. 

Roger Maddocks, a Partner and experts asbestos-related disease lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: