Bradford Hotel Fined £24,000 for Delayed Asbestos Removal

The owners of a Bradford, city centre hotel have been fined due to delays in removing asbestos.

Asbestos was found in several areas of Bradford’s Midland Hotel in November 2017. The asbestos was present in areas used by staff, but not guests, including a basement corridor, a lift shaft and a kitchen area.

Despite the hotel being informed that asbestos had been found in their premises, the authorities were alerted in May 2018, by a former hotel manager, that asbestos management had yet to be commenced. When the environmental health officers visited that month to ask for paperwork such as health and safety assessments, the hotel was unable to produce them, leaving the officials concerned that the presence of asbestos had not been taken seriously.

The hotel company was told that the fine could have been as high as a ‘six figure sum’, if it were not for the impact that the Covid pandemic has had on the hospitality sector.

Don’t Delay your Asbestos Management

The behaviour of this hotel was ‘deliberate cost-cutting’, but instead as a failure to keep on top of things. This proves how important it is to take asbestos management seriously, not only can it have financial implications, such as in this case. But, more importantly it can have serious health implications to anyone living or spending time in the building.

In order to avoid the same mistakes as this hotel, you should establish whether or not your building has any asbestos containing materials present. To do this you need an asbestos survey. You should also be aware that under the ‘Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012’ act, all non-domestic properties built before 2000 must, by law, have an up to date asbestos management survey.

If your survey has confirmed the presence of asbestos containing materials, you should devise an asbestos management plan. This is a crucial document which details how asbestos will be managed in your property, and what will be put in place to ensure people remain safe from asbestos exposure.

Creating an asbestos management plan isn’t a one time thing, you must continually manage and monitor the asbestos containing materials, if they are present within your home or property.