After the Royal Oak pub in Sandwich Road, Dover, was purchased for redevelopment in April 2010, Allan Smith of ATS Developments was engaged as the principal contractor to demolish the building.
Almost six months later, on 4 October 2010, a member of the public contacted the Health and Safety Executive to report children were playing on the site.
Three days later an HSE inspector arrived to find the pub partially demolished and the site unfenced, even though there was a public footpath running across the land.
The subsequent HSE investigation discovered no asbestos survey had been carried out before demolition commenced.
Even after a letter was sent to say a survey should be undertaken, this continued to be the case. An Improvement Notice was also served on 8 October 2010 about site security.
After the hearing at Canterbury Magistrates’ Court HSE Inspector Caroline Penwill commented:
“Mr Smith did not think about the risks he may have exposed his workers and members of the public to by cutting corners.
“The site was very insecure and exposed local children to the hazards of a building site.
“What makes this case all the more disappointing is that Mr Smith continued to work after the HSE advised him to undertake an asbestos survey.”
Allan Smith, from Bowling Green Lane, Deal, Kent, pleaded guilty to breaching both Regulation 5 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 and Regulation 27(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.
He was fined £7,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,000.
