A Leeds trader has been given a suspended jail sentence after exposing a household and workers to potentially dangerous levels of asbestos fibers at a home in Bramhope.

The trader took on a job to remove asbestos insulating board from the garage at a couple’s home despite the fact that he did not hold the legal licence required to carry out this specialist work.

He hired a couple of workers to help him but totally failed to take any of the vital safety measures needed, or implement the tight controls imposed by law, to protect workers, local people and the environment when working with asbestos.

The poor standards employed by the trader meant that asbestos debris and residue was left, compounding the risk to the homeowners of exposure.

Asbestos is a known carcinogen, and asbestos-containing materials will release fibres into the air when damaged or disturbed. If inhaled this can lead to serious and fatal disease, often years down the line.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the trader for safety breaches at Leeds Magistrates’ Court.