Member Article

Trafford hotel chain fined £200,000 for asbestos danger

Britannia Hotels, a chain headquartered in Trafford, Manchester, has incurred a £200,000 fine after construction workers and hotel guests were potentially exposed to asbestos at a Kent hotel.

Based in Hale, Britannia failed to carry out a full asbestos assessment before workers started refurbishing a wing of The Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone between February and July 2010.

An asbestos surveyor who visited the site after construction began found a widespread presence of asbestos on the site, putting workers and guests at risk of inhaling its potentially deadly fibres.

The substance was found in the eaves of the building and on the second floor, which the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has said was likely to be linked to the removal of walls and ceilings during renovations.

HSE were notified of dangers at the hotel after a licensed asbestos contractor was called in to remove the substance and seal off contaminated areas.

A hearing was carried out at Canterbury Crown Court where Britannia Hotels pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act, and were fined £160,000 and ordered to pay over £40,000 in costs.

After the hearing on the 3rd April 2013, HSE Inspector Melvyn Stancliffe said: “The company’s failure to deal with the asbestos could have resulted in up to 22 workers being exposed to asbestos from the outset of the project until the end of July 2010.

“Although guests did not have direct access to the floors where asbestos was found, it is possible that the fibres may have spread into areas that were still open to them.

“The simple fact is that because of the company’s failures, both guests and workers have been put at risk, and they now face an uncertain future.

“This situation was wholly avoidable and I hope the prosecution highlights the need to ensure that workers are given the appropriate training to ensure that asbestos is properly managed and dealt with.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Miranda Dobson .