Builder smashing up asbestos garage roof

[CoolHands]

ok next door neighbour-but-one is having a (6m!) kitchen extension, the builder has to remove the old fashioned garage to do so. The roof is thought to be the usual corrugated asbestos / concrete board type as it is of an era. The reason I know this is because the neighbour in between us & them had discussed it with the builder / home owners as they were worried about how it was going to be taken down, and came round to me to tell all (a couple of weeks ago). I ummed and errrd and listened to (her).

Today (while the immediate neighbour is out!) the builder has successfully removed the roof, and currently I can hear him destroying the walls too. The manner of his removal of the roof though, is err... not one that has health & safety in mind. I have of course managed to get video of the act in the best curtain-twitchy style of little englanders

So should I report him? To whom? Is it worth it? He's already done the 'damage'. After it was down I could hear them smashing it up into small pieces and shovelling it (I presume into bags, or perhaps just one big pile, I can't see). There is clearly nothing I can do to avert the situation as it's already happened; I've currently made sure all my windows are shut!

vid:
https://youtu.be/1Ag1_jFZM4w

edit:
https://youtu.be/lXuupjrskUM

added video of sound of them smashing it into smaller pieces and shovelling it!

the garages are of this old style at end of shared drives:

Edited by CoolHands on Friday 29th July 14:56

[CoolHands]

there was not much I could have done. I heard general smashing clattering etc and after a couple of minutes went to have a look, and that is what I saw. I didn't want to go round there and breath the st in directly! It was too late!

I might go and stay in my flat tonight (elsewhere) and hope it rains...

[CoolHands]

silvagod said:

Your first port of call if you want to report it (and personally I think you should) would be both the Health and Safety Executive and the Local Authority Environmental Health Department.

seems noone want's to know. There is no method via hse (they seem to try to put you off)

http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/faq.htm#asbestos-he...

and local authority only has four options (pest control etc)!
http://www.harrow.gov.uk/info/200040/environmental...

edit although just found this if I want to arrange hazardous waste collection)
http://www.harrow.gov.uk/info/200084/rubbish_and_r...

[CoolHands]

Yeah I don't care about him dying I care about us. The sheets were complete and could have been undone with minimal damage. I believe they are likely to have contained asbestos as they are of the right period they're probably 50's 60's and the immediate neighbour has had many discussions with them about it as they were worried. He / they had reassured them they would do it carefully (I think) as I know they spoke about grinding the bolt heads off, and she was even worried about the dust from that.

Anyway I've managed to find an online reporting form on H&S so I've done that. Can't see it going anywhere though I don't even know the name of the builders (all unsign-written). And by the time they investigate the material will be long gone.

[CoolHands]

True but most builders in London are shysters so I wouldn't set much store in that. I saw him using a massive stihll saw to cut through the iron works without safety goggles on - squinting to protect his eyes! I know we've all done things like that on occasion but he is clearly neglectful by nature just by spending 10 mins watching him.

With regard to whether it really is asbestos obviously we don't know. However the immediate neighbour have lived there for 20+ years and I know had their own similar garage taken down years ago (before we were here) so that is why I assume they know what they're on about. The husband is a self employed electrician & is well used to being on building sites and house renovations so on balance I would say it's certainly 'likely' rather than 'unlikely' it is an asbestos roof.