The company must pay more than £10,000 in total
The former Unicorn pub closed in 2019(Image: HSE)
A Greater Manchester construction company has been fined after workers were put at risk of exposure to asbestos at a former pub.
A1 Property Maintenance Management Limited was acting as the principal contractor during work at the old Unicorn Public House on Liverpool Road in Eccles. The landmark pub has now been demolished after plans for 16 new houses on the site were approved in 2021.
During a routine inspection on May, 216 2022, a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector discovered that 12sqm of asbestos insulation board (AIB) had been present in a dumb waiter lift shaft but had already been illegally removed by unknown individuals.
This led to the inspector issuing a prohibition notice stopping all work on site until an asbestos survey had been completed.
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Previously, after noticing the pub door had been broken into, a site worker had entered the building, where they discovered what appeared to be asbestos debris in the area around the lift shaft.
The debris was later wrapped and removed by a licensed asbestos removal contractor.
According to the HSE, A1 Property Maintenance Management Limited failed to carry out a full asbestos survey to confirm that all asbestos-containing materials had been removed before allowing further construction work to take place.
The company was fined for putting workers at risk(Image: HSE)
The company pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(6) of The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. It was fined £5,360 and ordered to pay £5,117 in costs at a hearing at Tameside Magistrates’ Court on 30 July 2025.
Speaking after the hearing, a HSE spokesperson said: “This was a serious incident and put those working in the building at risk of being exposed to the harmful effects of asbestos.
“Duty holders are reminded of the need to review without delay an asbestos assessment if there has been a significant change in the premises to which the assessment relates.”
HSE has two campaigns – “Asbestos and You” and “Asbestos Your Duty” – reminding tradespeople about the dangers of asbestos, the importance of working safely with it and to reach those responsible for the maintenance and repair of non-domestic buildings.
The regulator also provides comprehensive guidance for workers and employers about working safely with asbestos on its website.
This includes information on how to identify asbestos, what to do if you find it, and the appropriate safety measures needed when working with or around asbestos-containing materials.
Workers in trades such as construction, maintenance, demolition and installation are particularly at risk and should ensure they have appropriate training before starting work that might disturb asbestos, the HSE says.
The prosecution was supported by HSE enforcement lawyer Sam Crockett and paralegal Hannah Snelling.