The importance of protecting ourselves, employees and customers from asbestos fibres that may be liberated during repair and refurbishment work has been known and understood for years.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) continually strengthen the regulations relating to this dangerous cancer causing substance, so it is important that we keep up with the latest guidance and regulations.
A great deal of information relating to the management and control of asbestos is available on the HSE website http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos. Amongst the very wide range of documents available are guidance for managers, and surveyors, as well as information on how to safely undertake simple activities involving materials that may contain asbestos.
In brief, firms must be aware that:-
- It is compulsory to train all staff that may come into contact with asbestos.
- It must be assumed that construction materials contain asbestos unless you can be certain that they do not.
- Where it is assumed that materials may contain asbestos these should be subject to testing before they are disturbed.
Links to some of the more relevant documents provided by the HSE can be seen below:-
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/a0.pdf
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/repsguide.pdf
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/em2.pdf
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/em1.pdf
Source:Â TrustMark News.
