The Dutch Labor Inspectorate has identified several violations at various asbestos locations in the Assen region. Due to unsafe working conditions, three locations were shut down at the beginning of this month and two asbestos removal operations were found to be illegal.
The inspectorate visited 29 locations in the Assen region during two days of action. One or more violations were found in fifteen. In unsafe conditions, the locations are immediately shut down. The two locations that are closed had not taken the necessary precautions, which poses serious danger to employees.
In some cases, the necessary inventories of the asbestos present had not been made and insufficient precautions associated with the removal of asbestos were taken during the work. There was also no mandatory supervision by an expert.
Violating companies will be fined for endangering employee safety. Exposure to asbestos fibers poses increased health risks, such as the risk of various types of cancer. Until 1994, asbestos was a commonly used material, especially in construction.