A COMPANY that was carrying out work to remove asbestos in an area of the Royal Oldham Hospital was served with safety notices.

Leeds-based Octogon Solutions Ltd was given the contract to do the work to remove asbestos in the basement of a block.

But the firm was slapped with a prohibition notice and an improvement notice by government agency, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The HSE said the business "failed to ensure employees who may be exposed to asbestos are clean shaven and cannot ensure an effective face seal when using respiratory protective equipment in order to prevent exposure so far as is reasonably practicable".

It was also reported by the agency that Octogon "failed to ensure asbestos is adequately suppressed during removal works resulting in dry stripping and the foreseeable risk of excessive fibre release".

And it was noted that there was "no recording system to ensure these checks are performed by a competent person prior to each shift (or other exposure opportunity) where respiratory protective equipment must be worn".

In response to the notices, the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust said the notices, which were logged by the HSE last month, were resolved within two days and the contractor has now completed the work.

The trust said the notices relates to "one of the asbestos strippers not being fully clean shaven for his face to fit a mask and potential dust in a sealed enclosure".

A trust spokeswoman added: "The licensed asbestos removal contractor sent confirmation that all conditions set out in the prohibition/improvement notice were met and they were subsequently authorised by the HSE to continue works.

"The notice was answered within two days and the contractor was allowed to carry on working early the following week.

"Clean air certificates are in place and all the works are now complete."

The HSE confirmed that the firm complied with the notices and were allowed to continue with the job before it was finished.

Octogon Solutions Ltd was approached for a comment.