An electrical retailer has been fined for exposing staff to asbestos fibres, public liability insurance holders have been told.
The Daily Gazette reported that Stellison admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 by failing to protect the health, safety and welfare of employees.
It was fined £13,000 with additional costs.
Colchester Magistrates Court heard how the charges were brought against the firm by Colchester Council after an inspector found that staff had been exposed to the fibres in a storeroom.
Stellison was served with a prohibition notice to prevent access to the area until it was improved.
Furthermore, the council said that the firm failed to ensure damaged asbestos materials were removed until March 2007, despite having a survey two years earlier, while a contractor appointed to remove the cancer-related material was found to be not registered with the Asbestos Licensing Unit.
In other asbestos-related news, Glan Clwyd Hospital, near Rhyl, could be refurbished instead of demolished as it is riddled with asbestos and does not meet fire safety standards, according to the BBC.