ASBESTOS RISK

1
ASBESTOS RISK MANAGEMENT
2
Summary

• Asbestos.
• The health risk.
• In buildings.
• Background to regulation.
• Outline of duty to manage.
• Review of consultation.

3
What is asbestos

• Asbestos is the name for a group of naturally
  occurring silicate minerals that can be separated
  into fibres.
• The fibres are strong durable and resistant to
  heat and fire. They are also long thin and
  flexible so that they can be woven into cloth.
• Because of these qualities asbestos has been used
  in thousands of consumer, industrial maritime
  automotive scientific and building products.
• During the twentieth century some 30 million
  tonnes of asbestos were used in industrial sites
  schools shipyards and commercial buildings.

4
What is asbestos

• It is of two principal classes the amphiboles and
  the serpentines the former of relatively minor
  importance.
• Chrysotile is in the serpentine class and
  constitutes about 95 of the worlds supply of
  asbestos, of which three quarters is mined in
  Quebec.
• Other large deposits exist is South Africa.

5
AMOSITE (Brown)

• Brown or grey straight fibres.
• Belongs in the amphibole group and contains iron
  and magnesium.

6
CHRYSOTILE (WHITE)

• A white curly fibres accounts for 95 of asbestos
  in products.
• It is a member of the serpentine group. It is
  magnesium silicate.

7
CROCIDOLITE (BLUE)

• Amphibole group.
• Takes the form of blue straight fibres.
• It is a sodium iron magnesium silicate.

8
The problem

• Over 3000 people a year die from asbestos
  related diseases.
• There is usually along delay between the first
  exposure and subsequent symptoms of the disease.
• Between 15 and 60 years.

9
Asbestos related disease

• ASBESTOSIS
• a scarring of the lung that leads to breathing
  problems.
• Workers who have had high long exposures are
  often affected with asbestosis.
• MESOTHELIOMA
• is a malignant form of lung cancer that affects
  the cells that form the lining around the outside
  of the lungs.

10
The problem

• Between the 1950s and 1970s asbestos was used
  widely in the UK as building materials.
• Thousands of tonnes of asbestos are still in
  buildings today.
• Over 1.5 million buildings still contain some
  form of asbestos.

11
The problem

• 25 of people still dying from asbestos related
  disease once worked in the construction industry.
• Pre 1988 the Asbestos Regulations were aimed at
  those working in asbestos factories and for
  asbestos removal contractors.
• The regulations did not cover those who might
  come into contact with asbestos accidentally.

12
Who are these people

• Heating and ventilation engineers.
• Roofing contractors.
• Electricians.
• Joiners.
• Plumbers.
• Gas fitters.
• Demolition workers.

13
What have we done already

• The 1998 Amendment of the Control of Asbestos at
  Work Regulations
• extended there scope to cover incidental
  exposure,and,
• made it clear that CAWR applied to all workers
  who might come into contact with asbestos.
• The 1998 Amendment to the Asbestos (licensing)
  Regulations.
• The 1999 Asbestos (prohibitions)Regulations

14
A part of the jigsaw is still missing

• Contractors not aware that they were working on
  asbestos materials.
• No one was managing the risk from asbestos in
  buildings.

15
Options

• Removal of all asbestos containing materials from
  buildings.
• Introduction of a single duty to survey for
  asbestos.
• Introduction of new regulation to manage the risk
  from asbestos.

16
Remove all asbestos ?

• NO
• Asbestos can serve a useful purpose e.g fire
  protection.
• If in good condition,and in a position where it
  cannot be damaged or disturbed, it poses NO RISK.
• Removal would be prohibitively expensive.
• Disposal of waste would generate immediate
  problems.
• Removing asbestos creates an additional
  unnecessary risk for removers.

17
A single duty to survey

• NO
• Only the first step. Resources are better spent
  on managing the risk.
• Practical difficulties e.g who would undertake
  the survey and who would pay?
• Survey information goes out of date. The
  condition of asbestos materials deteriorates.

18
A new duty to manage risk ?

• YES
• Introduces it as a new regulation in the CAWR
  1987.
• To focus on a duty to manage the risk from
  asbestos in buildings.
• A new ACOP to back up regulations and provide
  guidance to the designated duty holders.

19
Duty holder to

• Take reasonable steps to identify asbestos
  containing materials in buildings by
• Looking at plans etc,
• Consultation of others e.g. architects employees
  etc.
• Carrying out a detailed inspections of the
  building.

20
Types of survey

• TYPE 1
• Location and assessment survey (presumptive
  survey).
• Assess the presence of ACMs.
• Any materials which can reasonably be expected to
  contain asbestos will be presumed to contain
  asbestos.

21
Types of survey

• TYPE 2
• Full access sampling and identification
  survey(sampling survey).
• As type 1.
• Samples are collected an analysed for the
  presence of ACMs.

22
Types of survey

• TYPE 3
• Full access sampling and identification survey
  (pre/demolition or refurbishment).
• Access all areas.
• May involve destructive inspection.

23
Duty holder to

• Assess the risk from materials.
• If asbestos is in good condition.
• Leave it in place and introduce a management
  system.
• If its in poor condition.
• Encapsulate or seal it or removal by licensed
  contractors.

24
Duty holder to

• Prepare a management plan and,
• Where materials are to remain in the building
• Inform others of condition and locations ACMs.
• Carry out regular inspections on ACMs condition.
• Review and revise management plan as needed.

25
Record keeping

• Survey report.
• Risk assessments.
• Management plan.
• Paper and computer based.
• Ease of updating.
• Arrangements for long term storage of records.
• Determine who will need access.

26
Maintenance of Management Plan

• Fits with other systems.
• Permit to work.
• Strict control of contractors operations.
• Mentioned in emergency and contingency
  procedures.
• Arrangements for monitoring and reviewing plan.

27
Review of consultation

• Consultation took place in 2000.
• Encouraged review of two primary areas.
• Exactly who will be duty holder.
• Which buildings the propped regulations cover.

28
Who has a duty

• The employer in occupation.
• Legal duties placed on others.
• Where
• The workplace and the common areas in rented
  accommodation.
• This extends to some domestic premises.

29
Further Consultation

• The need to consult timetable 2002.
• Supporting Guidance
• ACOP will give guidance on
• Identifying asbestos maintaining a register.
• Assessing the risk.
• Preparing an action plan.
• Setting up suitable management systems.

30
Asbestos Materials

• Spray coatings.
• Pipe insulation.
• A.I.B
• Cement products.
• Composite materials.
• Textured coatings.
• Sandwich materials.

31
Typical Locations

• Roof and exterior walls.
• Boilers and pipework.
• Ceilings.
• Flooring materials.
• Air ducting.
• Domestic appliances.

32
(No Transcript)
33
Dates of Usage

• 1970 end use of Crocodile.
• 1974 end use of sprayed coatings.
• 1985 end use of AIB.
• 1993 end of manufacture of roofing felt.
• 1999 end use of cement, gaskets, friction
  materials.

34
You dont have to be Einstein to understand and
appreciate the benefits of managing asbestos in
buildings