A London Underground worker who was unfairly dismissed after whistleblowing over his concerns about asbestos exposure has said that all tube users should be aware of the risks.
Micky Steeds began working for the London Underground in 2018, cleaning up vents, lift shafts and inverts across the network.
The job would often leave him covered in a thick layer of grime and dust - which he discovered could contain dangerous levels of asbestos and other substances including chromium, arsenic, silicates and iron oxide.
After raising his concerns, Mr Steeds was told to either return to work, in what he considered dangerous conditions, or be sacked.
Mr Steeds was sacked in August 2023 after being signed off work with anxiety, but won a judge-led employment tribunal in May this year.
The panel found that he was unfairly dismissed from his job, and that it was “genuine and reasonable” that he believed he and colleagues were being put in danger.
The tribunal heard that, for 15 months, Mr Steeds was not fitted with a proper protective face mask, sometimes using paper masks which became blackened with dust after use.
While he was given training on how to deal with asbestos, this only came after he had been cleaning asbestos-sheathed cables for 19 months.
London Underground managers rejected his complaints, insisting that the work was safe and that cleaning practices did not disturb the asbestos.
The tribunal ruled that London Underground fell short of demonstrating compliance on all occasions.
The panel said: “The failure to dispose of hazardous waste appropriately may give rise to criminal and civil liability.”
Speaking to The Guardian, Mr Steeds said that every tube user should be aware of the risks of toxic dust exposure across the network.
“Everyone who gets on those trains needs to know about it. People are being put in danger down there,” he said.
Mr Steeds urged London Underground to safely remove hazardous material and stop claiming it was safe.
He also alleges that he saw bags of hazardous dust being tipped onto tracks to avoid carrying them.
He said: “I just want to make people aware of what they are breathing in. It’s not just dust, it’s hazardous waste and they don’t know that. I personally don’t travel on the tube. I’d rather get a bus.”
Michael Ballantyne, solicitor for Mr Steeds, said that his client was “viewed as a troublemaker from the start and expected to fall in line.”
He added: “When he stood his ground, London Underground closed ranks and Mr Steeds was given an ultimatum - either retract his disclosures, or be fired. I’m glad to see the Tribunal agreed this was unreasonable and unjustified.
“This is an important win for whistleblowers and a good lesson for employers.”
TfL are considering appeal against the tribunal’s finding.
A TfL spokesperson said: “We have strict controls in place, in line with the government’s Control of Asbestos Regulations, which ensure customers and staff are not at risk from exposure to asbestos when travelling or working on the Tube network.
“Our specialist teams monitor and manage locations where asbestos has been found to ensure the safety of everyone travelling or working on the network.”
