Managing Asbestos in Your Premises

History of the Problem

For many years asbestos was used widely in the building industry and for good reasons. It is a non-combustible fibrous substance so that it was considered ideal for fire protective purposes. It also has low thermal and electrical conductivity, making it suitable for heat and electrical insulation purposes. It could be made up and applied in a variety of forms including cord, felt, millboard and rigid sheets. It is easily cut, moulded and even sprayed into position.

The result of this versatility is that it has been used in premises for a wide variety of purposes such as fire breaks, insulation of pipes, ceiling tiles, roofing materials, guttering and much more. In fact, use of asbestos has been so widespread that the only safe assumption to make is that building materials used in existing buildings contain asbestos unless there is clear, strong evidence to the contrary.

Everything seemed fine until it was realised that asbestos, being an inert substance, cannot be broken down by the body and therefore any fibres that become lodged deep in the lungs, for example, are there as a permanent irritant and can be the cause of a number of diseases, often many years after they were originally inhaled. The three most common asbestos-related diseases are Asbestosis (respiratory disease caused by scarred lung tissue), Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma (another rare form of cancer). There is no known method of combating the effects of asbestos once it is in the body. The only safe way is to eliminate the possibility of people breathing in the fibres in the first place. People who regularly work with or otherwise come into contact with asbestos are clearly at risk. However, because of the way in which asbestos can cause disease, it is now believed that the cumulative effect of repeated low exposures is just as great a hazard.

It is now illegal to use asbestos in new buildings or for the maintenance of existing buildings. However, there is plenty around to cause problems for many years to come. To ensure such problems are kept to a minimum new legislation is to be added to the 'Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations', placing an obligation on owners, managers and occupiers of premises to manage the risk from asbestos or to co-operate with whoever is responsible for managing the risk.

Managing the Risks

So what is involved in managing asbestos? In fact there is little difference from managing any other health and safety risk.

First of all you are required to conduct a survey of the premises to identify all uses of asbestos (assuming asbestos is present unless it can be demonstrated otherwise). You need to maintain up-to-date records including location of the asbestos, the amount present and its condition. There is a real likelihood that asbestos is present if the premises were constructed or refurbished before 1985, at which time blue and brown asbestos were banned. In fact, some uses of asbestos, such as asbestos cement, were still employed as late as 1999. One essential precaution when carrying out such a survey is to avoid damaging or disturbing asbestos in an attempt to identify it, which would serve only to increase the level of risk.

Secondly, you must assess the levels of risk from the material and identify the persons who may be exposed to the risk.

Thirdly, you must prepare a detailed plan for managing the risks and take active steps to implement the plan.

Fourthly, you must review and monitor the plan and associated arrangements on an ongoing basis.

Finally, you must make all this information available to anyone who is to undertake any activity that might disturb or otherwise damage the asbestos.

What you actually do with any asbestos you find depends on a number of factors such as the form and type of asbestos, its general condition, whether or not it has been damaged in any way, and the likelihood of it being disturbed. In some cases it may be most appropriate to leave it undisturbed, although it is prudent to clearly label it. In other cases, for example were there is slight damage, it may be appropriate to employ some means of encapsulating the material. However, there may also be occasions when the only acceptable action is to have the asbestos removed by qualified contractors and disposed of safely.

If you have been identified as the person responsible for managing asbestos related risks in your premises, you may delegate any of the above steps to be carried out by other competent persons. However, the one thing you cannot delegate is the responsibility and accountability to ensure everything is done in a proper manner. Consequently, although others may do the work, it is incumbent upon you to check the results and to ensure the plan is followed for as long as the risk remains.

EDP HS&E Consultants can survey your premises for the presence or possible presence of asbestos and make recommendations on cost-effective measures to manage it.

To discuss your requirements, without any obligation on your part, please gives us a call on 01744 766000 or complete the Enquiry Form on our website.

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