GrowHowUK, a fertiliser manufacturer has been sentenced by Chester Crown Court after around 50 workers were exposed to asbestos fibres at its plant at Ince Marshes near Ellesmere Port. Asbestos was discovered during the refurbishment of a 50 metre high industrial furnace. Contractors had been demolishing brickwork and insulation boards for two days using hammers, chisels and crow bars, before concerns were raised. The workers broke up rubble, put it into sacks and poured it down a chute so that sacks could be reused, without knowing the dust they were creating may have contained asbestos.
 
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) conducted an investigation and found that GrowHowUK had failed to carry out an appropriate asbestos survey prior to carrying our work. GrowHow UK Ltd was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay £17,094 in prosecution costs after pleading guilty to one breach of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 and two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 on 4 October 2013.
 
For further information click on the following link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2013/rnn-nw-growhow-uk.htm