Firms ’must wise up on asbestos’ or face personal injury compensation claims, says Alkers Solicitors

Companies in the construction industry need to make sure they protect their workers from asbestos, or risk facing a personal injury compensation claim, according to law firm Alkers Solicitors.

Abestos fibres, when inhaled, can cause serious diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis and pleural thickening, which are to blame for the deaths of approximately 4,000 people every year.

It was recently revealed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that building contractor J C Irvine Limited has been fined after an investigation showed that building work being undertaken by its employees in the Strand, London, was carried out without an asbestos survey.

As a result of this negligence, workers were found to have disturbed materials containing asbestos, which released asbestos fibres into the air.

After a more extensive investigation, the HSE found the contractor did not make any plans to try and reduce the risk to health and safety, nor did it make sure its employees were not at risk of exposure to asbestos fibres.

The firm was consequently fined £12,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,148.50.
Commenting on the news, HSE inspector Hayley Healey said: “Construction and maintenance workers are in the most at-risk groups from asbestos-related diseases due to the nature of their work.”

Paul Alker, partner and solicitor at Alkers, which specialises in personal injury and accident at work compensation claims, added: "Awareness of asbestos and its dangers is currently higher than ever, but that doesn’t mean every company does enough to protect its workers.

"From our experience of helping employees make industrial disease compensation claims, we can see that there are still many firms in the building sector not adhering to health and safety regulations and putting its workers in danger as a result.

“Companies need to make sure they bring themselves up to speed on the regulations surrounding asbestos and then adhere to them, or they could find themselves the subject of unwanted and costly legal action.”

ABOUT ALKERS SOLICITORS
 
Alkers Solicitors is offers legal advice and services to those seeking a personal injury solicitor in Preston, Blackpool and the rest of the North West. For more information about accidents at work, industrial disease claims or personal injury compensation claims, visit the firm’s website at www.alkers.net   
 

Contact Information

Paul Alker

Partner & Solicitor

Alkers Solicitors

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