Tuesday, 13 November 2007

Kent firm fined for safety breaches

TUC Risks reported on 10th November 2007 that Kent-based firm Galamast was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £16,140 in costs at Bedford Magistrates Court last week for exposing asbestos during work at a department store in March 2006.

Galamast Ltd, based in Bromley, Kent, was convicted of two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act. The company was carrying out a 'strip-out' of the old Littlewood's store in Bedford's Harpur Centre in March 2006 when verbal instructions were misunderstood, leading to its employees, sub-contractors and health and safety inspectors being exposed to asbestos.

The work was being carried out on behalf of Primark, which took over several Littlewood's stores during 2005/6. The prosecution was brought by the Health and Safety Executive.

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