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Demolition contractor and two of its managers fined for asbestos fraud

A demolition contractor and two of its managers have been prosecuted for forging documents needed to obtain an asbestos licence.

Between 16th March 2012 and 10 March 2016, Excavation and Contracting (UK) Ltd used both forged medical certificates and forged asbestos training certificates for their asbestos removal staff. The documents had been made by their asbestos operations manager, David Lloyd. The company operations manager, Lee Cooper and managing director Brendan O’Halloran were named on the forged documents. The Doctor who purportedly signed off the medical certificates is retired and no longer lives in the UK.

David Lloyd had used the fake documents to win business across the North West. In March 2016 they won the tender to remove asbestos from Manchester Hall. A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector visited the site on the first day and found the fake documents. The company also failed to show that it had properly trained or monitored its workers who were exposed to asbestos.

Excavation and Contracting (UK) Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 10(1)(a) and 22(1)(c) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and was fined £13,000 and ordered to pay costs of £10,000.

David Lloyd pleaded guilty to breaching the same regulations. He was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison suspended for two years, ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service and ordered to pay costs of £1,000.

Lee Cooper also pleaded guilty to breaching the same regulations and was ordered to undertake 80 hours of community service and pay costs of £1,000.

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