Asbestos regulations can be confusing and the media frequently offers two very different viewpoints. To understand the regulations and the mechanisms behind them, it is worth taking a step back and considering why we have them in the first place.
Asbestos is an extraordinary fibrous material that is resistant to chemicals and fire and insulates against noise, heat and electricity. The individual fibres are very strong and they could be added to cement, plastics and resins. If that was not enough to ensure unprecedented usage during an age of building and development, it was also cheap. Asbestos was considered to be a ‘wonder material’.
Asbestos use increased from the mid 1800‘s as the industrial revolution demanded better and more durable insulation products. Usage did not peak until the mid 70’s. Asbestos was finally banned in 1999 after a long and tempestuous tale of political intrigue and an abominable toll on life. Asbestos is present in over 500,000 workplaces; 13,000 schools were built between 1945 and 1975; and almost 14 million homes were built between 1949 and 1999.
In the UK around 1.8million people per year are exposed to asbestos; most of these are tradesmen and those working within the building maintenance industry. Many of these have no idea that they are being exposed to asbestos, some by their own actions and some because they are in the vicinity of others unwittingly disturbing asbestos.
Currently high-risk asbestos removal can only be [legally] conducted by the 475 contractors who are licensed by the HSE to do so. The HSE have divided asbestos into two categories; licensable and non-licensable. The dividing line is the risk created by the activity. The licensed industry employs approximately 9000 operatives, a tiny fraction of those exposed to asbestos annually.
The Asbestos Management Plan (AMP) is there, primarily, to protect the 1.8 million people who work on or near asbestos away from the licensed regime but whose work places them at risk of exposure to asbestos. A written Asbestos Management Plan is a legal requirement for all workplaces liable to contain asbestos [any building built before 1999].
The plan sets out the procedures and processes that govern all activities that could disturb asbestos; this may include office workers and cleaners to maintenance staff and refurbishment contractors. Anyone whose work involves the disturbance of the fabric of the building or anyone whose job includes managing or commissioning others to work on the fabric of the building will have their activities controlled via the Asbestos Management Plan. While the Asbestos Management Plan will involve all those affected by it [the stakeholders] the ultimate responsibility will be the primary Duty holder, normally the entity responsible for the repair and maintenance of a building. There is an explicit duty on all parties – office workers, maintenance staff, contractors, visitors etc. – to adhere to the Asbestos Management Plan and to protect their employees from exposure.
Asbestos Management Plans – The philosophy
Each of the 500,000 workplaces containing asbestos must have an Asbestos Management Plan; this is a legal requirement. To manage asbestos you must know where it is, as a result an asbestos survey is required that will identify all asbestos that may be disturbed by your activities. By comparing the location of the asbestos, the tasks to be performed and the asbestos product it is possible to determine what course of action is required to prevent any accidental exposure or disturbance of the asbestos.
All personnel that have responsibilities under the asbestos management plan will need to be assessed for the correct knowledge and training dependent on their roles and responsibilities – in short anyone who could disturb asbestos or cause another to disturb asbestos will need training – this asbestos training needs to be kept up-to-date.
The majority will require ‘asbestos awareness training’ this is appropriate for all personnel that do not work on asbestos but require training in how to recognise a suspicious material and what to do in an emergency. Some will require training in how to carry out low risk non-licensed tasks such as working with fuse guards or replacing gaskets whilst managers, directors and duty holders will require training that fits their particular role and responsibilities – Training Needs Analysis is best, this identifies the training needed and ensures the course matches requirement.
The Asbestos Management Plan imposes overarching procedures that takes all the information and then controls activities around the premises that could lead to asbestos being disturbed. The training of all staff affected by the presence of asbestos helps ensure that if anything gets through the net that it is likely to be picked up quickly.
Management should always ensure that there is enough of a trail left behind by the procedures so that it can be shown to have been used and to have been effective. This can be achieved by keeping a log of activities or copies of a Permit to Work if one is issued. A central log will always be needed to record any unforeseen incidents involving asbestos.
In the initial few months of the management plan, implementation and dissemination is critical to ensure the procedures are working and that all personnel required are aware of the information that the Asbestos Management Plan sets down. Reviews of the management plan should be carried out biannually and it is at these times that good records are essential. The records can be checked and verified against site conditions and, should things not have gone to plan, an investigation can be carried out that is focused on the one or two areas that failed.
Any failures will normally lead to a tightening of the processes and, conversely, a lack of problems can lead to the relaxation of some controls or checks – such as extending the time between the re-inspection of asbestos items.
By virtue of the above the terrible legacy of asbestos can be prevented from continuing ad infinitum.
SAFE Training specialises in providing courses with clear objectives focused on the needs of the delegates. As part of our bespoke range we tailor courses to include Asbestos Management Plan procedures and names and location of actual personnel, we can also include specific site rules and processes in operation on complex sites.
SAFE Training provides regulatory training courses to businesses and their employees throughout the UK. With a nationwide network of training centres, we have the experience, expertise and resources to satisfy the most demanding of training objectives.
Asbestos Training Courses include:
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For more information on our training courses call 0845 519 5250 or email: info@safe-training.org
Redhills is one of the UK’s leading asbestos and environmental consultancies. We provide specialist survey, laboratory analysis, advisory, management and compliance services nationwide and are valued by our clients for the integrity, professionalism and independence of our approach and for our unrivalled technical expertise.
Asbestos services include:
Asbestos Surveying
Asbestos Management
Asbestos Compliance
For more information on our Specialist Environmental Support Services call 01306 631820, email info@redhills.co.uk or visit www.redhills.co.uk
SAFE Training has accepted the invitation from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the training industry by pledging 120 free training hours to help reach a poignant target of 4000- a number which reflects the growing number of deaths each year from asbestos-related diseases.
