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EGG CARTON MANUFACTURER FINED £50,000 OVER ASBESTOS
Following its successful prosecution of Omni-Pac (UK) Ltd, the Health and Safety Executive reminds everyone of the dangers of asbestos. Yesterday the Great Yarmouth based company was fined a total of £50,000 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £86,000 at Norwich Crown Court, after pleading guilty to breaching health and safety law. This criminal case follows an investigation by HSE into the condition of asbestos containing materials at the firm's site in South Denes Road in October 2003. Following the hearing, Paul Carter, HSE investigating inspector, said: "Asbestos is the single greatest cause of work-related death; breathing in asbestos fibres can lead to serious diseases, including cancer. This case demonstrates that HSE takes the failure to properly manage the risks from asbestos extremely seriously. Businesses need to ensure that they are complying with the law. "Omni-pac failed to maintain the asbestos containing materials throughout the site, particularly in those areas at high level that were not readily visible. The company failed to adhere to its own procedures and consequently people could have been exposed asbestos over a long period of time." Air samples showed a high level of asbestos at Omni-Pac. The primary source of contamination was from damaged and poorly maintained asbestos insulation on top of dryers used to produce the finished papier-mâché egg cartons. Omni-pac pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing, held at Great Yarmouth Magistrates' Court on Monday, November 7. The company admitted breaches of Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, with respect to the company's duties both to its employees and to others who were affected by the way it conducted its undertaking. Yesterday the company was fined £25,000 for each breach.
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