Leading university may have asbestos exposure issue

One leading university is undoubtedly bracing for a flood of personal injury claims after the Health and Safety Executive prosecuted it for possibly exposing both staff and students to dangerous asbestos fibres.

According to accident claim experts, Lincoln University faced the HSE prosecution after it was revealed that a female staff member broke a door lock and found that the door was constructed of asbestos insulating board.  Several other doors in close vicinity – some of which were in various states of repair – were also found to have been constructed with the deadly fibres as well.

The HSE investigated the incident, revealing that on the estate of the university there had been asbestos surveys carried out on certain areas. Personal injury compensation experts say that these surveys had found not only asbestos building materials present but also asbestos debris, yet the university neglected to take any action on these survey findings.

The HSE prosecuted the Brayford Pool based Lincoln University Higher Education Corporation at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court, leading to the university admitting that it had breached health and safety regulations not once but twice.  This led the courts to levy a fine of £10,000 on the university and also assigned more than £12,750 in court costs as well.

After the court hearing, an HSE inspector remarked that the university had neglected to act on their asbestos management plan, even though they had one in place.  The inspector also said that contractors, staff, and students have all been potentially placed at risk of exposure to asbestos – a deadly fibre linked to the aggressive lung cancer mesothelioma – due to the university’s inactivity.

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