Asbestos-The hidden killer

I was on a site last week where I found a discarded AGA cooker. This was broken and I was told that it had been left there by the builder’s client.

Danger AsbestosI advised the builder to wrap this AGA in polythene and then to have it properly removed from site by the authorities.

Why? Well, because this was an old AGA and the ropes around the doors, along with some of the fibrous material inside, was exposed to the elements and these contain asbestos!

The builder was shocked as he did not know this. It was later suggested, by one of the ladies in our office, that many people are ignorant as to where asbestos can be found and that I should perhaps cover this in the newsletter.


This week’s recent HSE cases are firstly, 2 that concern asbestos and another regarding machinery accident

  • A self-employed handyman carried out a job at a house where he unsafely removed asbestos, potentially exposing a family of six, including four children between the ages of five and 14. AND A laboratory design and installation specialist has been fined after exposing workers, pupils and teachers to asbestos material at a school in Suffolk
  • Roger Marshall had his arm amputated after it was crushed by a machine he was using to straighten steel coils before cutting them into lengths on 11 February 2014

As ever, if you have a subject that you would like us to cover one week, please contact us by phone 01458 253682 Email  or via our Facebook page or by Twitter.


 

Asbestos – The hidden Killer

Asbestos can be found in any building built before the year 2000 (houses, factories, offices, schools, hospitals etc), and causes around 5000 deaths every year.

Why is asbestos dangerous?

Asbestos still kills around 5000 workers each year, this is  more than the number of people killed on the road.

Around 20 tradesman die each week as a result of past exposure.

However, asbestos is not just a problem of the past. It can be present today in any building built or refurbished before the year 2000.

When materials that contain asbestos are disturbed or damaged, fibres are released into the air. When these fibres are inhaled they can cause serious diseases. These diseases will not affect you immediately; they often take a long time to develop, but once diagnosed, it is often too late to do anything. This is why it is important that you protect yourself now.

Asbestos can cause the following fatal and serious diseases:

Mesothelioma

mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a cancer which affects the lining of the lungs (pleura) and the lining surrounding the lower digestive tract (peritoneum). It is almost exclusively related to asbestos exposure and by the time it is diagnosed, it is almost always fatal.

 

Asbestos-related lung cancer

Asbestos-related lung cancer is the same as (looks the same as) lung cancer caused by smoking and other causes. It is estimated that there is around one lung cancer for every mesothelioma death.

 

Asbestosis

Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a serious scarring condition of the lung that normally occurs after heavy exposure to asbestos over many years. This condition can cause progressive shortness of breath, and in severe cases can be fatal.

 

Pleural thickening Pleural Thickening

Pleural thickening is generally a problem that happens after heavy asbestos exposure. The lining of the lung (pleura) thickens and swells. If this gets worse, the lung itself can be squeezed, and can cause shortness of breath and discomfort in the chest.

Note: It is also important to remember that people who smoke, and are also exposed to asbestos fibres, are at a much greater risk of developing lung cancer.

 

Where can you find asbestos?

Asbestos can be found in any industrial or residential building built or refurbished before the year 2000. It is in many of the common materials used in the building trade that you may come across during your work.

 

In Industrial Buildings

where-it-hides

Inside

  1. Sprayed coatings on ceilings, walls, beams and columns
  2. Asbestos cement water tank
  3. Loose fill insulation
  4. Lagging on boilers and pipes
  5. *AIB ceiling tiles
  6. Toilet seat and cistern
  7. AIB partition walls
  8. AIB panels in fire doors
  9. Asbestos rope seals, gaskets and paper
  10. Vinyl floor tiles
  11. AIB around boilers
  12. Textiles eg fire blankets
  13. Textured decorating coatings on walls and ceilings, eg; artex

Outside

  1. Asbestos cement roof
  2. Asbestos cement panels
  3. Asbestos cement gutters and downpipes
  4. Soffits – AIB or asbestos cement
  5. Asbestos cement flue

*AIB = Asbestos Insulating Board

 

In Residential Buildings

where-it-hides2

Inside

  1. Asbestos cement Water tank
  2. Pipe lagging
  3. Loose fill insulation
  4. Textured decorative coating eg artex
  5. AIB ceiling tiles
  6. AIB bath panel
  7. Toilet seat and cistern
  8. AIB behind fuse box
  9. AIB airing cupboard and/or sprayed insulation coating boiler
  10. AIB partition wall
  11. AIB interior window panel
  12. AIB around boiler
  13. Vinyl floor tiles
  14. AIB behind fire

 

Outside

  1. Gutters and Asbestos cement downpipes
  2. Soffits – *AIB or asbestos cement
  3. AIB exterior window panel
  4. Asbestos cement roof
  5. Asbestos cement panels
  6. Roofing felt

*AIB = Asbestos Insulating Board

 

Am I at risk?

Workers involved in refurbishment, maintenance and other similar trades, could be at risk of exposure to asbestos during their work.

This includes:

  • Heating and ventilation engineers
  • Demolition workers
  • Carpenters and joiners
  • Plumbers
  • Roofing contractors
  • Painters and decorators
  • Plasterers
  • Construction workers
  • Fire and burglar alarm installers
  • Shop fitters
  • Gas fitters
  • Computer and data installers
  • General maintenance staff eg caretakers
  • Telecommunications engineers
  • Architects, building surveyors, and other such professionals
  • Cable layers
  • Electricians

This list does not include all occupations at risk from potential exposure to asbestos.

 

When am I most at risk?

You are most at risk when:

  • the building you are working on was built before the year 2000
  • you are working on an unfamiliar site
  • asbestos-containing materials were not identified before the job was started
  • asbestos-containing materials were identified but this information was not passed on by the people in charge to the people doing the work
  • you haven’t done a risk assessment
  • you don’t know how to recognise and work safely with asbestos
  • you have not had appropriate information, instruction and training
  • you know how to work safely with asbestos, but you choose to put yourself at risk by not following proper precautions, perhaps to save time or because no one else is following proper procedures

 

Remember:

  • You can’t see or smell asbestos fibres in the air
  • the effects of being exposed to asbestos take many years to show up – avoid breathing it in now
  • people who smoke and are also exposed to asbestos fibres are at a much greater risk of developing lung cancer
  • asbestos is only a danger when fibres are made airborne and breathed in
  • as long as the asbestos is in good condition and it is located somewhere where it can’t be easily damaged then it shouldn’t be a risk to you

 

What are my duties as an employer?

Every employer must make sure that anyone who is liable to disturb asbestos during their normal work, or who supervises those employees, gets the correct level of information, instruction and training so that they can work safely and competently without risk to themselves or others.

 

Asbestos awareness Training

Information, instruction and training for asbestos awareness is intended to give workers and supervisors the information they need to avoid work that may disturb asbestos during any normal work which could disturb the fabric of a building, or other item which might contain asbestos. It will not prepare workers, or self-employed contractors, to carry out work with asbestos-containing materials. If a worker is planning to carry out work that will disturb ACMs, further information, instruction and training will be needed.

The Wilkins Safety Group are running an Asbestos Awareness Course on 18th June 2015.

Is there any subject you would like covered in this newsletter? Please contact us by phone 01458 253682 or email and let us know

 


Our CDM2015 courses IN TAUNTON ARE SOLD OUT!

Asbestos Awareness TrainingAs all our CDM 2015 Regulations awareness courses at Taunton Racecourse filled up so quickly – we have just announced more!

New dates and new venues!APS

In order to serve our customers in other regions, we have agreed to run this course in three new venues.

 

 

These courses are open to everyone.

So here are the dates and venues

JUNE 2015

Tuesday 9th June 2015 – Exeter Racecourse – ONLY 10 places left

 

 

Tuesday 16th June 2015- Salisbury & South Wilts Golf Club – ONLY 13 places left

 

 

Tuesday 23rd June 2015 – The Folly Farm Centre – ONLY 10 places left

 

 

 

Some of the comments left by those who have attended so far include:

“This was probably the best delivery of a CDM course I have attended. I have been to courses on the 1994 & 2007 Regs and this was the most accessible format” Matthew Glasgow – National Trust

“Thank you again for the informative session that you delivered to the Building Surveyor team at Laycock on Wednesday.” Caroline Steel – Specialist Lawyer (Dispute Resolution) National Trust

“I found this course (CDM2015) very useful with exchange of views and the different aspects the delegates were interested in” Jim Pendleton – Wellington School


ASBESTOS AWARENESS – Half-Day Course

This course is being presented by Jon Wilkins MSC RMaPS AIIRSM and Phil Collins BSc Hons DipSurv MRICS

Course Objective           Training /CPD Certificate issued

Asbestos awareness training is essential for employees whose work holds the potential to expose them to asbestos. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 puts a requirement on employers to ensure that their staff have undergone suitable asbestos awareness training so that they are aware of the potential dangers they may face and also the procedures they must follow in the event they are working in the vicinity of asbestos containing materials (ACMs)

Who Is This Course Suitable For?

The main groups of workers that are deemed to be at risk from asbestos exposure and therefore the groups most requiring asbestos awareness training are as follows:

  1. General Maintenance Staff.
  2. Electricians, Plumbers & Gas Fitters. Painters & Decorators.
  3. Construction & Demolition Workers. Joiners and Plasterers.
  4. Computing & Telecommunications Engineers.
  5. Heating & Ventilation Engineers.
  6. Roofers.
  7. Architects & Building Surveyors
  8. Fire & Burglar Alarm Installers

Syllabus:

  • Asbestos- a  history of use
  • What is Asbestos
  • Amosite (Brown) – Chrysotile (White) – Crocidolite (Blue)
Asbestos

Amosite (Brown) – Chrysotile (White) – Crocidolite (Blue)

  • Asbestos Containing Product Examples
  • Asbestos Properties and the hidden legacy of asbestos
  • Control of Asbestos Regs and Requirements
  • Exactly who is at risk
  • Action to take on discovery and Survey and Recording
  • Course Duration: 

    ½ day

    COURSE REF  DATE(s) LOCATION
    ASBESTA 1501 Thursday 18th June 2015Taunton Racecourse

     

    Fee: £65 to include Course notes, Coffee/Tea on arrival & mid-morning refreshments, CPD Certificate of Training (Fee subject to VAT)

    If you have any questions about these courses or any other training or would like us to run a particular course for you, call Jon Wilkins of the Wilkins Safety Group on 01458 253682 or email him.

     

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