Fine for asbestos removal

A ‘‘deceitful’’ Christchurch builder has been fined for unsafe asbestos removal, the first sentencing under strict new rules around the dangerous material. The District Court fined Richard John Knight, of RM Solutions, $3000 after finding he was unlicensed and unqualified for an asbestos removal job, part of a Riccarton house demolition in February 2017, a WorkSafe statement said. WorkSafe’s inquiry found Knight did not have the removal license required for the job, and did not safely manage the asbestos risks by failing to decontaminate equipment used in the demolition, failing to wear appropriate protective gear, and allowing others to enter the house without protective gear.