A North Lincolnshire ship breaking company put its workers and others at risk of exposure to asbestos containing materials, a court heard.

Marine reclamation company Acetech Construction Limited, purchased a Polish former fishing vessel "The Patricia III" in 2007 for dismantling and selling on as scrap. The ship, built in the 1970s, had been lying unused at Grimsby Dock for around three years.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Acetech had failed to carry out an adequate survey that would have highlighted the presence of asbestos containing materials before employees began work on the boat.

Scunthorpe magistrates heard that between 1 December 2007 and 29 February 2008, work took place to strip down the boat resulting in several employees potentially exposed to asbestos containing materials.

Acetech Construction Ltd, of New Green Farm, Marsh Lane, Barrow Haven, was fined £3,400 and ordered to pay £5,000 costs after pleading guilty to three breaches of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 at Scunthorpe Magistrates Court.

After the hearing HSE Inspector Kirsty Welsh said:

"Asbestos is responsible for around 4,000 deaths each year so it's vitally important that workers are protected. You might not know what damage has been caused by exposure, or the numbers of people who may have been affected, until much later, if at all, but identifying dangerous materials and removing them safely and responsibly is essential in order to eliminate all possible risk.
 

Source: HSE