A former London Underground worker has warned passengers about the risks of toxic dust after raising concerns about inadequate protection against hazardous waste. Micky Steeds, who worked as a vents worker cleaning dust from confined channels beneath platforms, made numerous protected disclosures between 2020 and 2023 about health and safety dangers at some of the capital's busiest stations.
Whistleblower's allegations
Steeds, a former professional boxer from Aveley, Essex, told The Guardian that his employer not only ignored his complaints but insisted he was wrong and that 'everything [was] fine'. He urged London Underground to stop claiming dangerous material is safe, stating: 'They've got to get rid of the asbestos somehow. It's in the caulking, the cables, the fire doors.'
During his role, Steeds discovered the dust he encountered could contain harmful levels of asbestos and other substances like chromium, arsenic, silicates, and iron oxide, exposing him and colleagues to severe health risks. He often finished work covered in thick layers of dirt and dust, sometimes struggling to see, and spent 'nearly two years' cleaning asbestos-covered wiring before being given a course on 'how not to disturb it'.
Tribunal ruling
Before his sacking in August 2023 after being signed off with anxiety, Steeds was told by London Underground to return to work in what he deemed unsafe conditions or face dismissal. A tribunal later ruled this was an 'unfair and unjustifiable ultimatum'. In May 2026, his complaint was found to be 'genuine and reasonable', amounting to protected disclosures under the Employment Rights Act 1996.
The tribunal found 'all sites had asbestos reports, and it was clearly present and potentially disturbed by dry cleaning'. It added that 'the failure to dispose of hazardous waste appropriately may give rise to criminal and civil liability', noting that 'other workers and the public generally' could be exposed to 'hazardous waste'.
Public exposure risk
Steeds said he witnessed bags of hazardous dust being 'dumped on the tracks' so workers wouldn't have to carry them. 'I saw it happening. And when the train goes by – boof – everyone is breathing that s**t in,' 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.'
He also alleged that the waste he vacuumed was not being correctly disposed of, telling his manager it was being 'put in a mixed commercial general skip' instead of being 'double-bagged and disposed of as special waste'. The tribunal heard that in March 2023 he told his boss: 'We're f***ing cowboys here. We're dumping hazardous waste in general waste bags.'
Asbestos dangers
All forms of asbestos have been classified as carcinogenic to humans. Until proven safe, all asbestos should be treated as dangerous. While the risk is low if left alone and in good condition, once disturbed, fibres can be released and remain airborne for days. If breathed in, fibres can travel deep into the lungs, potentially causing lung disease, cancer, and asbestosis, which may prove fatal. Even one-time exposure can lead to mesothelioma cancer.
Symptoms of asbestosis, as explained by the NHS, can take 20 to 30 years to appear and include shortness of breath, persistent cough, wheezing, extreme tiredness, chest or shoulder pain, and clubbed fingertips in advanced cases. Asbestosis is incurable, and lung damage cannot be reversed, though treatments include pulmonary rehabilitation, oxygen therapy, or inhaler use.
Legal and employer response
Michael Ballantyne, Steeds' solicitor, said: 'This case is a reminder of the stigma whistleblowers still face. Mr Steeds was viewed as a troublemaker from the start and expected to fall in line. 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.'
London Underground has vowed to appeal the ruling. A 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.'
