Until yesterday I was a site manager on a construction site.
I discovered that the sub contractor working in cahoots with the client was tipping white asbestos in a section of the works (unbeknown to me).
As soon as I found out I told them to cease immediately.
The client is paying for half the scheme and my employer was paying the other half.
This contract was worth £7m.
12pm yesterday my boss turns up and sacks me without any disciplinary proceedings for being incompetent (first I've heard of it).
What's the best way for me to proceed as I'm pissed off.
My local CAB is not open until Wednesday.
Thanks in advance

Boy can you stir some shit, although I don't think the job will be coming back. Probably unfair dismissal as well as environmental trouble. Get some proof of the tipping if you can. CAB, maybe travel if you want an fast reply or have you a union?

get back on site and take photos of the dumping. get onto the local newspapers. if the head offices are nearby go and pay them a visit and explain to them what is going on. let them know that unless they pay you off they'll see their name in the paper. then go anonymously to the paper….

**** em over.

Get EA or SEPA advice.

How easy will it be for you to get another job? Fighting unfair dismissal is a pain and might not be worth it.

the illegal tipping – I'd report that first thing tomorrow morning. People will go to jail for that. Presumably you spoilt their scam and thats why you were sacked. Get photos of the tipping if you can.

write down everything that you can remeber about this specific incedent.

You probably have a good unfair dismissal case. Have you been previously warned? Any previous disciplinary? did he give you any grounds for dismissal or examples? anything in writing? Were you PAYE?

National & local newspaper, radio stations, local community activists, environmental activists, and blow it to Kingdom Come …

Call your MP and ask him for his opinion but inform the opposition MP too. Make sure you get their attention … election time is coming mate.

Highlight illegal tipping of white asbestos clearly to all.

😡

if they've got security on site they may not have been informed that you are no longer welcome. go along once the site closes tomorrow with the excuse that you've forgotten something. break into the building if you have to, but get some evidence!

Sounds very dodgy. Were they tipping in order to cover over the asbestos?
Just wait until your local cab is open.

I have had no previous disciplinary at all. No warnings or disciplinary procedures and was PAYE. I've been with the company 4 months. I got escorted from the site and probably won't get back there. Unfortunately I have no photos.

Amazing.

Do everything you can to screw the ****. Report this to the police, to the newspapers, their clients, everyone. Screw them over!

TandemJeremy – Member

How easy will it be for you to get another job? Fighting unfair dismissal is a pain and might not be worth it.

WTF! Doing the right thing is wrong?

WTF? Keeping mouth shut for illegal chemical dumping?

You win TJ.

😈

try and get the attention of one of the workmen on monday and ask them to get you a photo. wait outside site and wave them down – discretely like.

I am an Environment Officer for the EA. If you want to ask anything please email me on rcatkinATgooglemailDOTcom. The sooner it's reported the better. Don't go to paper etc until it's been reported properly. EA will find it much more difficult with them involved.

Spend 5% of your time reporting it. 95% looking for a new job, even though you may want to spend 100% of your time screwing them

I am an Environment Officer for the EA

They be alright then.

Op's Delivery worker here 😉

I'm pretty sure the HSE would be interested too. If not they **** should be!

chewk – its not bad advise on the wrongful dismissal. awards are low and its a load of hassle to go thru so if you can get another job easily depending on your personal circumstances it simply may not be worth it. A lot of stress and a court date for a couple of hundred quid

As it is with less than a years service there is no wrongful dismissal claim possible.

go for the jugular on the tipping tho. I did not say ignore that |I said report it tomorrow.

break into the building if you have to, but get some evidence!

Please don't take this ridiculous advice. Photos probably wouldn't be admissable, your eyewitness account will count for a lot. Just try to jot down as much info as you can. Registration numbers, companies and people involved, where asbestos was coming from and where it was buried. As much detail about the quantities as you can remember. If you got sacked because of stopping the activity then it will certainly be part of a wider criminal activity. And in my experience these guys can be very very unpleasant. You may have got off lightly with just the sacking….

Op's Delivery worker here

You guys rock! 🙂

You won't need photos, can't see the guys removing the asbestos before the EA come sniffing.

If they are prepared to fire you because you found them doing illegal chemical tipping then you should go for the big time media exposure …

Forget about working for them and start looking for another job.

😡

LOL robdob 🙂

chewkw – Member

"TandemJeremy – Member

How easy will it be for you to get another job? Fighting unfair dismissal is a pain and might not be worth it."

WTF! Doing the right thing is wrong?

WTF? Keeping mouth shut for illegal chemical dumping?

You win TJ.

chewkw – Member

………….

Forget about working for them and start looking for another job.

????????????????????????????????????

I'm with TJ on this one. Some things are simply too much hassle to bother with.

They told me to go to my accommodation, leave my company vehicle there and find my own way home (200 miles). I ignored this and drove home.I told them their vehicle would be at my house for collection. How do I stand with this. Am I going to expect the police?

That seems reasonable but I have no idea the legal position. Don't drive it again tho would be my advice

Please let us know how it all pans out.

knock knock: who's there?

the police.

ah, good. there's something i need to tell you….

God they treated you like crap for doing the right thing?

Hope they get some karma big time.

LOL@alpin

From your post it sounds like the tipping had been going on for some time before you discovered it. As the site manager, you should have perhaps been aware of he problem sooner ?

in terms of your employment rights, i think you need to be employed for a year before the employer needs to go through the disciplinary procedures (could be completely wrong mind).

get onto the EA immediately with regard the asbestos. I'd go to the local rag too.

The majority of the tipping was done at night and the only reason I found out was driving past my site and seeing light on and thinking "what the hell are they doing there?".
As soon as I knew what was going on I called my gaffer.

dumping asbestos is a serious matter, it could (eventually) kill people. i think tj is wrong (no way!) and you do have a case for unfair dismissal, this is on the grounds that you've made a protected disclosure

this give more info, but i'd seek legal advice anyway

http://www.roydens.co.uk/content40.htm

it's a disclosure on at least three of the necessary grounds. keep notes of what happened and when and as above, consider informing the environment agency or sepa depending on where you are

Come on EA people dont forget your basic training 🙂

iolo phone it in on 0800 80 70 60 tell them what it is about and you will have Environment Officers and Environment Crime Team out in an hour or so.

E.O. Thames West. Kuco go collect my booms and dirty pads 😉

Muggo – no the employer still should go thru the right steps but before a years service you cannot go to a tribunal.

Oh yes it wouldn't be the first time i've had to do that Pigface. You pollution officers seem good at putting them in then forgetting about them.

Interesting line winston – I didn't think of that.

Live and learn.

Kuco can you believe we cant carry them as we are not licensed to carry haz waste. Bloody daft thats why we call you happy chappies.

iolo this sounds pretty organised, let the E.A. know.

Yes Pigface I can believe all the stupid things the E.A does like getting painters in who live 150 miles away to paint our office today 🙁

Last time someone brought a sheet of asbestos into our depot my supervisor went mad. It cost hundreds to get rid off.

Have a word with the CDM co-ordinator for the site. If they fob you off, take it up with their professional body. (APS)