Asbestos Guidance

Asbestos is a material comprising fibres of silicate material which was used for many years as a fire protection and insulation material. It can be found in many building in boiler, roof linings, internal partitions, vehicle brakes, filter materials and many others. It comes in three forms, white, brown and blue. It has now been found to be the cause of serious lung diseases including asbestosis and mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer which is only caused by asbestos and is fatal in most cases. One of the problems related to asbestos exposure is that the incubation period for this disease can be as long as 30 years and there is no close dose/response relationship as with most occupational health risks. The use of asbestos has now been banned and legislation put is place to control exposure

Legal requirements
The key piece of legislation is the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006. The main requirements of these regulations are: 1. The person in control of non-domestic premises has a duty to take reasonable steps to establish whether there is any asbestos containing material present in the premises and if so, the location, type quantity and condition. a. Surveys must be carried out which can be Type 1 which is visual only and Type 2 which involved taking samples for analysis. b. Unless there is strong evidence that a material is not asbestos, for the purpose of the survey it should be assumed that it is. 2. A register should be compiled and kept updated, showing the location, type and condition of any asbestos or material presumed to be asbestos. 3. Carry out an assessment of the risk of a person being exposed to asbestos fibres. 4. Prepare a manage plan showing how exposure to asbestos will be managed. This can include: a. Appropriate labelling where the material is in good condition and not in a position where it is likely to be damaged b. Sealing the material to prevent release of fibres c. If the material is in poor condition it may need to be removed. This must be done by a licensed contractor and taken to a licensed disposal site. d. You should ensure that you audit the disposal arrangements being used by the contractor.

5. Ensure that the plan is kept up-to-date through periodic monitoring and review. 6. Provide information, instruction and training to those working in areas where there could be asbestos or asbestos containing material present. 7. Provide information on the location and condition of asbestos to any contractors who may work in an area with asbestos material which may be damaged or disturbed by there work.