Builder sentenced over unlicensed asbestos removal

A builder has been sentenced to perform community service after pleading guilty to carrying out unlicensed asbestos removal work during a house renovation.

Despite being warned by the customer that asbestos was potentially present in the fascia boards, builder Gavin Mutch proceeded to remove the asbestos-containing materials, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said.

The incident happened on 8 September 2022 at a house in Cheadle, Manchester.

Mutch, trading as G Mutch Developments, had been contracted to carry out renovations at the property including roofing work.

An investigation by the HSE found Mutch had carried out unlicensed, and therefore illegal, asbestos removal work, the safety watchdog said.

“This type of work should only be undertaken by a licensed asbestos contractor with appropriate safety controls in place,” the HSE said.

Mutch, of Cheadle Hulme, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 at Manchester Magistrates Court on 8 April this year.

He was sentenced to a 12 month Community Order with 180 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £2,000 in court costs.

The HSE has been running a campaign, called Asbestos and You, to raise awareness about the dangers of asbestos and the importance of working safely with it.

HSE inspector David Norton said: “This case demonstrates why our Asbestos and You campaign is so vital.

“At HSE, we want to raise awareness across the industry about the importance of having suitable control measures in place when working with asbestos-containing materials. Licensed work requires specific training, equipment and practices to ensure safety.”

The watchdog is seeking to highlight that asbestos can be found in buildings built before 2000 and is still the biggest workplace killer in Britain, causing around 5,000 deaths every year.

“When disturbed, asbestos releases tiny fibres that can cause fatal lung diseases and cancers,” it added.

“Workers in trades such as construction, maintenance, demolition and installation are particularly at risk.”