A charitable trust and a contractor have both been fined after asbestos was disturbed during a building refurbishment project in Kent.

The Williamson Trust of Maidstone Road, Rochester, Kent pleaded guilty to Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It was fined £18,000 with £17,000 in costs.

Mark Tucker of Maidstone Road, Chatham, Kent pleaded guilty to Regulation 13(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007. He was fined £9,000 with £8,000 in cost.

-- Advertisement --

Chatham Magistrates' Court heard that Mr Tucker was contracted in July 2012 to refurbish a school academy building block that the Trust is responsible for running.

However, knowing that the trust had an asbestos register identifying where asbestos was located within the school, Mr Tucker carried out refurbishment work without consulting the register.

In addition, the trust had failed to complete a refurbishment and demolition survey.

It had also failed to ensure that the contractors had the asbestos information they needed to carry out the work safely.

(LM)