Dale Farm Limited was fined £30,000 plus costs of £2,500 at Dungannon Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to breaches of health and safety legislation for asbestos-related offences.
The case was brought by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), relating to an incident where two ventilation engineers were exposed to asbestos fibres during extension work at Dunmanbridge Creamery in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, in March 2013.
The two engineers had not been provided with important information on the location of asbestos-containing materials at the site prior to work commencing.
Investigation
An investigation by HSENI found that Dale Farm Limited had an asbestos management survey carried out 10 years prior to the incident. However, an asbestos management plan had not been developed in the intervening time, nor had a refurbishment or demolition survey been undertaken before the extension work began.
Dale Farm Limited also failed to update its asbestos register to take account of asbestos insulation board (AIB) that was discovered in 2007 in the area where the incident took place.
“Asbestos exposure is the single-greatest cause of work-related deaths in Northern Ireland,” said Jonathan Knox, an inspector with HSENI’s major investigation team, after the hearing.
“Although the supply of asbestos-containing materials was prohibited in 1999, many buildings in Northern Ireland still contain such products,” he continued. “Those in charge of non-domestic premises have a duty to manage the risks presented by asbestos-containing materials.”
In Northern Ireland, the law states that a suitable assessment of the presence and condition of asbestos-containing materials must be carried out and relevant information passed to anyone liable to work on or disturb them.
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Dale Farm Limited was fined £30,000 plus costs of £2,500 at Dungannon Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to breaches of health and safety legislation for asbestos-related offences.
The case was brought by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), relating to an incident where two ventilation engineers were exposed to asbestos fibres during extension work at Dunmanbridge Creamery in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, in March 2013.
The two engineers had not been provided with important information on the location of asbestos-containing materials at the site prior to work commencing.
Investigation
An investigation by HSENI found that Dale Farm Limited had an asbestos management survey carried out 10 years prior to the incident. However, an asbestos management plan had not been developed in the intervening time, nor had a refurbishment or demolition survey been undertaken before the extension work began.
Dale Farm Limited also failed to update its asbestos register to take account of asbestos insulation board (AIB) that was discovered in 2007 in the area where the incident took place.
“Asbestos exposure is the single-greatest cause of work-related deaths in Northern Ireland,” said Jonathan Knox, an inspector with HSENI’s major investigation team, after the hearing.
“Although the supply of asbestos-containing materials was prohibited in 1999, many buildings in Northern Ireland still contain such products,” he continued. “Those in charge of non-domestic premises have a duty to manage the risks presented by asbestos-containing materials.”
In Northern Ireland, the law states that a suitable assessment of the presence and condition of asbestos-containing materials must be carried out and relevant information passed to anyone liable to work on or disturb them.
Read more
Dale Farm ringing the changes for new year
Farm safety: Practical guide to farm buildings risk assessment
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