Businesses across the South are being warned of the threat that asbestos poses to their organisation. Leading Surrey law firm Hart Brown is advising business owners that they have a legal obligation to deal with asbestos appropriately and to protect themselves by being aware of crucial information before it’s too late.

Already in 2011 there have been a large number of firms fined for either not having removed asbestos safely or for employing unauthorised contractors to remove it. Organisations successfully prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive not only include leading retailers and construction firms, but public sector organisations such as the Ministry of Defence, a local authority and an NHS trust.

Hart Brown is hosting a workshop on the dangers of asbestos with the aim to educate business owners on the safe way to detect asbestos, and remove it if necessary. The duty to manage the risk against asbestos covers all non-domestic premises, including industrial, commercial or public buildings such as factories, warehouses, offices, shops, hospitals and schools. The workshop is to be held at 3pm on Tuesday 21st June at the University of Surrey as a precursor to the Hart Brown Economic Forum later that afternoon.

Expert John Blackwell who will be running the workshop added, “If you deal with asbestos in a professional and correct manner, you have nothing to fear. It is simply another factor to consider when you are moving premises or starting a business in commercial premises. You can protect yourself against the penalties for failure to comply with asbestos regulations and you have a duty to do so.”

For more information on the free to attend workshop, call Hart Brown on 0800 2061660, go to http://www.economic-forum.co.uk or email economicforum@hartbrown.co.uk