A London Underground worker who was unfairly sacked after raising concerns about exposure to asbestos and other toxic dust says he wants all tube passengers to know about the potential dangers his case has uncovered.
Micky Steeds, a former professional boxer from Aveley in Essex, started working for London Underground in 2018. His job was to clean up decades of dust from vents, lift shafts, and inverts—narrow channels beneath station platforms that house cables.
It was a filthy job that left him and his colleagues looking like chimney sweeps. He said the dust was sometimes so thick he couldn’t even see his hands. On one shift at Tottenham Court Road, Steeds’ cleaning crew stirred up so much dust that it set off the station’s fire alarms.
When Steeds found out the dust could contain dangerous levels of asbestos and other substances like chromium, arsenic, silicates, and iron oxide, he started raising concerns, according to his employment tribunal.
The tribunal heard that for the first 15 months, he wasn’t given a proper protective mask. Sometimes he had to use paper masks, which turned black with dust after use.
He received training on how to handle asbestos, but only after he had been cleaning asbestos-covered cables with stiff vacuum brushes for 19 months. “We had been smashing it up for nearly two years before we did a course on how not to disturb it,” he told the tribunal.
Steeds also said he was alarmed that the hazardous waste he was vacuuming up wasn’t being disposed of safely. The tribunal heard that in March 2023, he told one of his managers: “We’re like cowboys here, dumping hazardous waste in regular waste bags. I’ve checked the rules, and we’re supposed to double-bag it and dispose of it as special waste, but it’s being thrown into a mixed commercial skip.”
In May, a judge-led tribunal ruled that this complaint, along with several others by Steeds, counted as whistleblowing—protected disclosures under the Employment Rights Act 1996. The panel found his beliefs were “genuine and reasonable.”
“Everyone who gets on those trains needs to know about this. People are being put in danger down there,” Steeds said.
London Underground managers rejected his complaints, insisting the work was safe and that cleaning methods didn’t disturb the asbestos. But the tribunal found that “all sites had asbestos reports, and it was clearly present and potentially disturbed by dry cleaning.”
It also found that London Underground had failed to “demonstrate compliance” with hazardous waste disposal rules. It said: “Failing to dispose of hazardous waste properly could lead to criminal and civil liability.”
The tribunal noted that this “may expose other workers and the general public to hazardous waste, including asbestos. [Steeds’] belief in this failure, and that it was in the public interest, was reasonable. This was a protected disclosure.”
Steeds was sacked in August 2023 after being signed off work with anxiety. The tribunal found he had been given an “unfair ultimatum”—either take back his complaints and return to work, or be fired. There was strong evidence, it said, that Steeds had to “accept his complaints were wrong” as a condition for discussing his future employment.
The judgment said London Underground had failed to treat Steeds’ complaints as whistleblowing and had unfairly dismissed him. “The reason, or main reason, for his dismissal was that he made protected disclosures,” the panel said.
Michael Ballantyne, Steeds’ solicitor from James & West Law, said the case showed the “stigma” faced by whistleblowers. “Steeds was seen as a troublemaker from the start and was expected to fall in line. When he stood his ground, [London]On the Underground, they closed ranks and gave Steeds an ultimatum: either take back what he had revealed, or be fired.
“I’m glad the tribunal agreed this was unreasonable and unjustified. This is an important win for whistleblowers and a good lesson for employers.”
Steeds said he felt vindicated by the ruling and called it his “best achievement,” even above his boxing wins. “I was disappointed it was a reserved judgment because I wanted to see their smug faces in court,” he said.
“They weren’t just ignoring me—they were telling me I was wrong and that everything was fine.”
Steeds urged London Underground to safely remove hazardous materials and stop claiming they were safe. He said: “They have to get rid of the asbestos somehow. It’s in the caulking, the cables, and the fire doors.”
Steeds claims he saw bags of hazardous dust being dumped on the tracks to avoid having to carry them. He said: “The dust used to get dumped on the track. I saw it happening. And when the train goes by—boof—everyone breathes that stuff in.
“I just want people to know what they’re breathing in. It’s not just dust—it’s hazardous waste, and they don’t realize that. I personally don’t travel on the tube. I’d rather take a bus.”
London Underground plans to appeal the ruling. A Transport for London spokesperson said: “We have strict controls in place, in line with government asbestos regulations, to ensure customers and staff are not at risk from asbestos exposure while traveling or working on the tube network.
“Our specialist teams monitor and manage locations where asbestos has been found to keep everyone safe.”
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Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of frequently asked questions about the risks of toxic dust on the London Underground based on the whistleblowers claims
BeginnerLevel Questions
Q What is this toxic dust on the London Underground
A Its a fine powder created by the friction of train wheels against the tracks and brakes It contains high levels of iron but also dangerous metals like manganese copper and zinc
Q Is the dust on the Tube actually dangerous
A The whistleblower says yes While the dust itself is common the specific mix of tiny metallic particles can be breathed deep into your lungs which may cause longterm health problems
Q Should I be worried about riding the Tube once
A No The risk is from longterm repeated exposure like commuting every day for years A single journey is not considered a health risk
Q Is this dust the same as asbestos
A No Asbestos is a different banned material This is metallic dust However the concern is similar tiny particles are being inhaled regularly
Q Who is the whistleblower and what did they say
A A current or former employee has said that Transport for London is not doing enough to monitor or reduce the dust levels putting workers and passengers at risk
Advanced Specific Questions
Q What specific metals are in the dust and why are they bad
A The main concerns are manganese and copper The particles are respirable meaning they are small enough to bypass your bodys natural defenses and get into your bloodstream
Q Is the dust level in stations worse than on the trains
A Yes generally The highest concentrations are found on the platforms and in tunnels especially on deeplevel lines The trains themselves have lower levels
Q What is TfL doing about this
