A contracting firm was sentenced today after workers at a major renovation site in Plymouth were exposed to asbestos containing material.

CLC Contractors Ltd of Vincent Avenue, Shirley, Southampton, was fined a total of £10,000 and ordered to pay £3,064 in costs in a case brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) at Plymouth Magistrates.

The incident happened in May 2009 when employees of CLC Contractors, based in Plymouth, were working on the refurbishment of three student blocks at the College of St Mark and St John in Plymouth.

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CLC had agreed with a specialist asbestos removal company that they would work simultaneously in parts of the building already cleared by the asbestos removal workers.

However, the builders began work in an area of the building which had not been cleared of asbestos. Four employees were exposed to fibres and had to go through a specialist decontamination process.

The company pleaded guilty to exposing four employees to asbestos under Regulation 11 (1) (a) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 and pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(1)(a) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006. They were fined £5,000 for each charge.

HSE inspector, Barry Trudgian, said: "This incident could have been avoided if an adequate risk assessment had been made before the work started and communicated clearly to the workforce.

"Exposure to asbestos can have serious long-term consequences for your health and precautions must be taken to minimise any risks when working on buildings."

(CD/GK)