A property firm in Belfast has been prosecuted for breaching health and safety (H&S) legislation.

Granite Properties Limited was found guilty of four breaches of H&S legislation.

Belfast City Council brought the firm to court for failing to ensure the H&S of employees and the public, by potentially exposing them to asbestos containing materials at their Blackstaff Mill premises.

The case related to an incident on 06 March 2012, when employees of the company were directed to carry out work with asbestos containing materials (ACM) within Blackstaff Mill, including a business unit in the complex. The prosecution case was that the unsafe system of work created the serious risk of respiratory exposure of asbestos fibres to the workers and business operator and its customers.

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Belfast Magistrates' Court heard that the work in question was of a type that should have been carried out by licensed asbestos contractors. Belfast City Council's investigation into the incident found that the company itself was not licensed to work with asbestos.

On completion of the work, and pursuant to Enforcement Notices served on the company by Belfast City Council, the company had to engage licensed contractors to conduct a clean-up and decontamination programme on the affected areas.

Granite Properties Limited was convicted of breaching Articles 4 and 5 of the Health and Safety at Work (NI) Order 1978 and Regulations 8 and 9 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations (NI) 2007.

A spokesman from Belfast City Council said: "This prosecution should act as a reminder, to everyone in control of the repair and maintenance of non-domestic premises, of the need to ensure that a suitable and sufficient assessment of risk from asbestos is carried out, and that correct control measures are put in place to ensure that exposure to asbestos is prevented, so far as is reasonably practicable."

(CD/LM)