A construction site supervisor has been fined after they exposed pupils and staff at a school in Bristol to asbestos fibres during renovation works in May 2023.
Adrian Barraclough was working as a site supervisor during refurbishment of kitchen facilities at Holy Family Catholic Primary School in Bristol. During these works Mr Barraclough cut through asbestos insulating board (AIB) using a circular saw. His actions resulted in a release of asbestos fibres in the school hall, which was subsequently used for two days by pupils and staff.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Mr Barraclough had failed to follow asbestos awareness training, and also clear instructions not to disturb a wall where an asbestos containing material was presumed; the wall was due to be surveyed by a licensed asbestos contractor prior to removal to establish if asbestos containing materials were present.
The HSE is running two current campaigns ‘Asbestos and You’ and ‘Asbestos Your Duty’ aimed at reminding tradespeople (and those responsible for the maintenance and repair of non-domestic buildings) about the dangers from working with asbestos and the steps they must take to reduce it. The HSE website also provides comprehensive guidance about working safely with asbestos, including how to identify it, what to do if it’s discovered, and precautions which must be followed when working with or around asbestos-containing materials.
HSE inspector Ian Whittles stated, in relation to the case at Holy Family Catholic Primary School, that ‘wholly unacceptable exposure to asbestos fibres occurred as a result of an individual employee not following instructions and procedures designed to prevent such occurrences’.
Two surveys of 500 members of the public and 500 tradespeople, conducted by High Speed Training in 2024, learned that 36% of the public, and more worryingly 49% of tradespeople (who took part in the surveys) view asbestos as a problem of the past. The British Safety Council estimate that up to 500,000 workplaces, including 75% of schools and hospitals, across the UK still contain asbestos in some form. Asbestos remains the UK’s single biggest cause of workplace fatality, responsible for approximately 5,000 deaths a year.
On 12th June 2025 at Bristol Magistrates’ Court Mr Barraclough pleaded guilty to breaching Section 7(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. He was fined £1,800 and ordered to pay a £720 victim surcharge and £4,000 in costs.