London Underground workers exposed to asbestos without protective masks

Internal documents reveal that hundreds of London Underground workers may have been exposed to asbestos without required protective equipment for nearly 20 years. Under 2002 safety regulations, employers are mandated to provide individually fitted face masks to prevent the inhalation of toxic dust, yet managers admitted that such masks were not issued to many staff members until as late as 2020.

The disclosures emerged during an employment tribunal involving Micky Steeds, a former cleaner who successfully claimed unfair dismissal after raising concerns regarding toxic dust exposure. Meeting minutes and emails indicate that various teams, including those responsible for cleaning vents containing asbestos-sheathed cables, operated without proper face-fitted masks. One manager noted in 2020 that staff should not have worked without them, attributing the failure to a lack of training.

Transport for London (TfL) has already paid over £7 million in asbestos-related compensation and legal fees. The organization faces the risk of further significant legal claims following admissions that required asbestos dust fibre sampling was not conducted.