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PHW · Asbestos · 2026-03-06

Sohan Group Limited and Maize Metals Limited fined £88,300 after large-scale asbestos disturbance during unlicensed demolition work

Cannock, Staffordshire · Birmingham Magistrates' Court

What happened

A demolition site at Greenheath Road, Cannock was found to have 218 square metres of asbestos-containing materials disturbed, despite an asbestos management survey having identified the hazard. An unlicensed company was used to manage the clearance instead of a qualified licensed contractor.

Injuries: no injury: exposure risk from large-scale asbestos disturbance

The breach

Regulation 5(4) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (Sohan Group Limited); Regulation 15(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (Maize Metals Limited and, via Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the site manager)

The sentence

  • Fine: £88,300
  • Costs: £10,917
  • Other sentence: the site manager: 26 weeks' imprisonment suspended for 2 years, electronically monitored curfew 19:00-07:00 for 3 months, and director disqualification for 5 years from 6 March 2026
HSE inspector

“Asbestos is a Class 1 carcinogen which is known to kill around 20 tradespeople each week due to past exposure.”

What would have prevented it

Demolition work identified as containing asbestos must be handed to a properly licensed asbestos removal contractor, never managed by unlicensed operators.

How PHW helps

The machines, packs and quizzes that fit this kind of site.

Sector

Training and H&S evidence for construction sites

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Safety pack

Asbestos awareness

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Quiz

Could you show a site manager today, in writing, that each operator is authorised to use your machines?

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Source: HSE press release, Two companies and site manager prosecuted following large-scale asbestos disturbance