The construction company – based at Langley House Park Road, East Finchley, London – was found to have made the failings while converting a former nine-storey office building in Ashford, Kent, into flats.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out two investigations of working practices at the site in 2013 and 2014 while Barroerock was working on the building, which was known to contain asbestos.

Canterbury Crown Court was told that while a refurbishment and demolition survey had been carried out by the HSE, Barroerock had failed to act upon it, which resulted in up to 40 workers being exposed to asbestos.

The second investigation culminated in a site visit in June 2014 after complaints were made about health and safety practices at the site.

The HSE found that despite engaging a licensed asbestos contractor to remove the remaining materials, dangerous practices were continuing.

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Barroerock was also unable to provide documentation to show that asbestos materials identified in the survey had been correctly removed.

When work was halted on the site for the second time, around 160 people were working inside the building.

The HSE found that both of the incidents could have been avoided if Barroerock had ensured that it had effective management controls in place to avoid the risk of exposure to asbestos.

“The company’s failings in this case has put many workers at risk to the exposure of asbestos,” said Melvyn Stancliffe, HSE inspector.

“It was clear there was an endemic failure to effectively manage the construction work on the site in a way which ensured that asbestos materials were not disturbed until removed under appropriate conditions.

“Failing to prevent the breathing in of asbestos fibres on the site is reckless.”

After pleading guilty to two offences of breaching Regulation 22(1)(a) of the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007, Barroerock was ordered to pay costs of £14,874.68 on top of the £750,000 fine.