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ASBESTOS HEALTH & SAFETY


 

M3 Asbestos Ltd are specialists in all Asbestos related issues including being able to identify and test for asbestos materials within buildings and maritime.

 

If your are suspicious that you may have asbestos within your premises or just want to be sure, we offer free site surveys.

 

The duty to manage Asbestos in non-domestic premises came into force in May 2004, in which all non-domestic premises are required to have had an Asbestos Survey. Regulation 4 requires all Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM’s) present to be identified and a full Asbestos Register to be in place. This will assist in the duty to manage the risk of Asbestos exposure to staff and visitors alike.

HSE and Local Authority Inspectors are already carrying out prosecutions against companies who are not complying with Regulation 4. There is no limitation to the fines and HSE and Local Authority Inspectors will take whatever enforcement action they deem appropriate based on the severity of the problem. To avoid the risk of prosecution, it is imperative that all non-domestic premises have a fully working strategy, together with an implementation timetable in place to demonstrate how they are working towards full compliance with Regulation 4.

M3 Asbestos Limited can undertake every aspect of your Asbestos Management and ensure your full compliance to the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 Regulation.

 

Asbestos Survey’s fall into three different categories, read more below to find out which one best suits your needs?


 

Why manage asbestos?


Asbestos must be properly managed to prevent people dying from asbestos diseases in the future. Workers who carry out building maintenance and repair are particularly at risk. Each year 1000 people who worked in such trades die from past exposures to asbestos fibres. And these workers are still at risk.

 

Half a million commercial buildings still contain asbestos.
If you are responsible for managing the maintenance and repair of a building, you must manage any asbestos in it. As well as protecting people from exposure to asbestos fibres, you have a legal duty to manage asbestos (under regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006). Following the seven steps to managing asbestos set out below will help you do this.

 

Does the duty to manage asbestos affect me?

 

Yes, if you are responsible for maintenance and repairs. You are a ‘dutyholder’ if:

  • you own the building;

  • you are responsible through a contract or tenancy agreement;

  • there is no formal contract or agreement but you have control of the building;

  • in a multi-occupied building, you are the owner and have taken responsibility for maintenance and repairs for the whole building.



  • If you are unsure whether you are a dutyholder - call us and seek our professional advice.
     

If you are not the dutyholder, but have information about the building, you must
co-operate with the dutyholder, eg landlords must pass on relevant information to new
tenants, and leaseholders must allow access for inspection by managing agents.

 

What buildings are affected?
 

  • All non-domestic buildings, whatever the type of business.

  • The common areas of residential rented buildings, eg halls, stair wells, lift
    shafts, roof spaces.

Who is most likely to disturb asbestos?


Workers who carry out maintenance and repair jobs such as cutting or drilling into
walls, ceilings or partitions; repairing boilers; laying cables. Such workers include:

  • construction and demolition contractors, roofers, electricians, painters and
    decorators, joiners, plumbers, gas fitters, plasterers, shop fitters, heating and
    ventilation engineers, and surveyors;
     

  • electronics: phone and information technology engineers, alarm installers;

  • general maintenance engineers and others who work on the fabric of a
    building.

Where are asbestos containing materials (ACMs) likely to be found?

Asbestos can and will be found in many areas of buildings and our highly experienced and qualified surveyors know exactly where to look, but as an indication these are the very common places to find asbestos:

  • Asbestos insulation on pipes

  • Asbestos insulating board ceiling tiles

  • Asbestos cement panels

  • Sprayed coatings on walls

  • Asbestos insulating board panels

  • Textured coating with asbestos

Asbestos has been used in many parts of buildings, below is a sample of uses and locations where asbestos can be found:

 

 

Asbestos product What it can be used for
Sprayed asbestos (limpet). Fire protection in ducts and to
structural steel work, fire breaks in
ceiling voids etc.
Lagging

Thermal insulation of pipes and boilers. Insulating boards.

Fire protection, thermal insulation, wall partitions, ducts.

Asbestos cement products flat or corrugated sheets
Roofing and wall cladding gutters, rainwater pipes, water tanks
Certain textured coatings Decorative plasters, paints
Asbestos ropes and cloth Gaskets, insulation, seals

 

If you need to have work done:
 

  • all work with asbestos must be done by trained people using proper equipment and deploying proper precautions, don't risk it, contact us for a professional quotation.
     

  • you need to use a licensed contractor to work on high-risk materials, such as pipe insulation, asbestos insulating panels or sprayed asbestos.


  • For further information about Asbestos Removal click here or call 0800 9776867 (see our contact us for more details);
     

  • You need PPE including P3 respirator and disposable overalls to work on materials such as asbestos cement, textured coatings or vinyl tile, so don't risk it, contact us for a professional quotation.


Remember – the duty is all about protecting yourself and other people from exposure to asbestos fibres by managing any asbestos present in a building properly. It is not about removing all asbestos! If the asbestos is in good condition and not likely to be disturbed, it is usually safer to leave it in place and manage it.
Removal may be unnecessary and if it is, we will tell you in our survey and put it in writing to the same effect.

Concentrating on these seven practical steps should help you comply with the duty.

More information is available in the following printable HSE Manage Asbestos download here

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