The case brought by the Health & Safety Executive related to events that took place between August and December 2016 at D&M Heritage in Huddersfield. 

The firm had been given notice to leave its rented premises, and had agreed to remove some free-standing cupboards as part of the process. 

The cupboards had doors made with asbestos insulation board (AIB) and the rear of the cupboards also contained AIB. 

Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard that managing director Charles Dunn and director Jeremy Mills had “consented to work taking place at the company’s premises which failed to use adequate measures to prevent the spread of asbestos”.

The cupboards were broken up during removal, which released asbestos fibres. Some pieces were placed in a skip, others in bags.

Previously, a licensed asbestos removal company had carried out work at the site, and had told the directors that the rear of a cupboard was broken and was likely to be asbestos.

Dunn and Mills both pleaded guilty to two charges: breaching Section 37 of the Health & Safety at Work Act (due to Reg 11 of Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012), breaching Section 37 of the Health & Safety at Work Act (due to Reg 16 of Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012). 

Dunn was fined £916 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs. Mills was fined £1,600 and ordered to pay £10,000 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Yolande Burns-Sleightholme commented: “Asbestos is a killer. Companies need to recognise the dangers of removing asbestos by themselves both to their employees and others. Asbestos removal should only be carried out by trained personnel who understand the risks and know how to control them.”

According to the HSE, asbestos still kills around 5,000 workers each year – more than the number of people killed on the roads.

D&M Heritage had offered a range of high-end typesetting, printing, bookbinding and publishing services to societies, galleries and academic organisations. The firm went into voluntary liquidation in May 2019.