Protective clothing necessary to prevent exposure

It is vital that companies give out personal protective clothing to ensure their employees are protected from harmful substances such as asbestos.

That is the warning which has been issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after a company was fined £7,000 when a subcontractor was exposed to asbestos fibres.

The incident occurred when an employee of Nugas, which was subcontracted by 2010 Rotherham to carry out a bathroom replacement, removed several tiles bonded to a wall of asbestos insulating board without wearing any personal protective equipment.

This occurred despite 2010 Rotherham being aware of the presence of asbestos and was described as 'entirely preventable' by the HSE.

'It is not enough for companies to have asbestos surveys carried out, they must take the necessary action and telling the contractor you employ is an obvious first step,' HSE inspector Dave Bradley said.

Recently, the need for dog handlers to wear personal protective equipment was highlighted by Robert Kaiser, chief executive of PPSS, who said it can prevent scratches and bites.

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