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Posts with the 'Hse' tag
Paper - a Whymsical View
Watching the BBC News recently, I saw a family discussion about homework and how parents 'can no longer help their children' because they don't understand the teaching method now used for maths being taught to infants. A young girl, maybe a five year old, playing at a computer screen, stated whimsically that 'in the olden days, people used to work things out on paper'.
Well, I can resonate with a number of issues there! In the not-so-olden-days, only some 16 years ago, I well remember presenting the first version of ToolKit to the co-writer of the CDM regulations (known as the Condam Regs at that stage). The HSE policy maker was George Ventris; a bright chap. When he spotted my shiny and brand-new-for-the-occasion laptop, he said: 'I don't really understand the new technology. What you have to remember is to give the users a blank piece of paper and make them think.' Wise words indeed. The context was making risk assessments. George's point was that contractors in particular (in his experience) preferred marking check boxes on a list rather than having to think through from first principles the answer to each risk assessment. This way, they would save time and be able to get on with their other tasks in the shortest possible time.
I have said many times over the intervening years, that the current generation of senior managers are going to have a problem. When the college graduates reach their mid thirties and discover the power of IT and how that power can help them manage their working environment, there will be a real problem. They will have the potential to overtake the incumbent managers 'big time' and we are likely to lose a generation of managers because they will be seen to be unnecessary in the management chain.
Which is in fact what is going on. Umpteen layers of 'management' have been stripped from organisations large enough to sustain the shrinking. And construction related accidents are decreasing. Is that entirely because there is less construction in these recessionary times, or is it the younger managers with better IT skills pole vaulting over the 'old guard'? Are trees safer now than they were 15 years ago.
Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Regulation Updates
Update 1: From 6 April 2010, if you are responsible for ensuring that conventional tower cranes used on construction sites are thoroughly examined, you must give the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) certain information about these cranes. Businesses responsible for ensuring that conventional tower cranes used on construction sites are thoroughly examined by a competent person must give the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) information about such cranes. Click to read more about this Tower Crane regulation update.
Update 2: Building Regulations - Construction businesses will have to comply with changes to the Building Regulations 2000. These will introduce for new buildings:
- a minimum water efficiency requirement
- a maximum temperature requirement for bath water
The rules will also be strengthened and clarified on:
- the safety of hot water systems
- the supply of water of suitable quality for personal and food hygiene
Update 3: From 6 April 2010, Street works supervisors and operatives - Supervisors and trained operatives will have to be reassessed every five years before they can re-register on the Street Works Qualification Register and continue to carry out street works. Click to read more about this Street Works regulation update.
Source: Business Link
Rail Deaths Fine
Carillion Construction and Network Rail have been fined £1.1m and ordered to pay £100,000 costs between them, following the deaths of two railway maintenance staff.
David Pennington, 46, from Burnley, and Martin Oakes, 38, from Sheffield were hit by a reversing road rail vehicle (RRV) while laying new track near Hednesford, Staffordshire in the early hours of a night in September 2004.
The two firms were successfully prosecuted by the British Transport Police and Crown Prosecution Service. They were sentenced yesterday at Stafford Crown Court. Three individuals were also convicted of Health and Safety offences.
Network Rail, which was charged with endangering a non-employee, was fined £666,667 and ordered to pay £50,000 costs.
Carillion, which was charged with endangering an employee and a non-employee, was fined £444,444 and also ordered to pay £50,000 costs...
Source: Contract Journal
Asbestos Fines
It is sad to see that demolition of buildings without proper controls to manage asbestos is still happening. The HSE has recently taken two companies to court after an unlicensed contractor was appointed to remove 3,000 sqm of asbestos insulating board from a warehouse. A&T Roofing had been awarded the contract for the work in November 2005 by Noble Gift Packaging Ltd.
Enfield-based contractor A&T Roofing pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 3(1) of the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983, and Sections 2(1) and 3(1)of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. They were fined £25,000 and ordered to pay costs of £33,844.30. Noble Gift Packaging Ltd. also pleaded guilty to breaching the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. They were fined £40,000 and were ordered to pay costs of £19,223.65.
The HSE has said that "Not everyone exposed to asbestos goes on to develop life-threatening or terminal asbestos-related conditions such as lung cancer, asbestosis or mesothelioma. However, when people do develop such conditions, it is often many years after they were exposed. All the men exposed, and their families, will have this hanging over them for the rest of their lives. The HSE will always push for the harshest penalties in such cases."...
Source: Contract Journal
Corporate Manslaughter - first case
Our colleagues at Callsafe report in their latest newsletter that the first Corporate Manslaughter case to be brought to court is to be tried in February 2010. The case against Gloucestershire-based Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings is due to the death of one of their Junior Geologists in September 2008. He was killed when a pit in which he was taking soil samples as part of a site survey collapsed on him.
The company has been charged under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Killing Act 2007 with the unlawful killing of their employee by gross negligence. Director, Peter Eaton, is also charged with gross negligence manslaughter and for a breach of s37 of the HASAWA.
Although the trial is set to take place at Bristol Crown Court, opening on 23 February 2010 and is likely to last six weeks, the company and the Director have yet to enter a plea. The plea hearing, originally planned for August, is now due to take place in October; subsequent to the defendants' barrister requesting more time.
HSE Update: Milton Keynes Scaffold Collapse
Whilst accident rates may be improving, breaking news of another tower crane collapse, this time in Liverpool (6 July 2009), suggests we still have opportunities for improving site safety. In the Liverpool accident the driver escaped with his life.
In the Milton Keynes scaffolding collapse on 11 April 2006, one worker tragically died and two were badly injured. The HSE has announced its decision to bring criminal proceedings against named parties involved. All parties were summonsed to appear before Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court ealrier this year. This particular item has raised awareness in Milton Keynes as new construction is high on the agenda with the new City's growth.
In 2006 the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued a safety alert to the construction industry following this incident. The warning aims to alert those working on similar projects to the importance of their arrangements to provide and maintain stable scaffolds. HSE recommends that those arrangements are reviewed regularly.
In this time of recession let us hope that Health and Safety is one area that does not suffer due to lack of funding or in adequate arrangements.
Goals for the Health & Safety of Great Britain Strategy
Management Summary
Delegates generally agreed with the goals, listed below, except to argue that the first two should be reversed, thus emphasising the importance and need of strong leadership.
During detailed discussion communication was, inevitably, the main feature seen to require constant attention. Communication of a 'safety culture' in which the workplace wanted to comply was mentioned time and again. There was a preference to this rather than one in which the workforce are compelled to conform to rules; useful though the guidelines are.
With an ever shrinking HSE workforce, they made it clear that they are looking for even more support. Local Authorities government agencies and other 'large' employers are natural partners. SME's are the hardest to target; there are so many of them and with very individualistic objectives.
The discussion generated two significant proposals to support the HSE as their 'partners';
- An accreditation system for suppliers of H&S products and services
- Integration of H&S issues into quality systems
These proposals are discussed below, together with a brief report on the proceedings at 'our' table at the workshop. Feedback would be helpful.
Accreditation System
We are following up the accreditation idea up with the HSE. Prospective clients continually ask us, as part of their procurement process, whether our products are approved by the HSE. Our standard answer is “the HSE are unable to recommend any products or services because they would be seen to be favouring particular suppliers”.
In the current strategy, the HSE have stated (at the workshop) that they are looking for partners to help them 'spread the word' about H&S and improve the 'safety culture' of the working environment. We back them 100% in this endeavour and are more than ready to help them even more than we currently do. The benefits of this synergy can be significantly enhanced by the HSE's support for an accreditation scheme designed to offer users confidence in H&S products which they are considering. We will report back on our progress in due course.
Health, Safety and Quality Systems
Ai Solutions has spent a long time putting its quality systems in place and we are proud of the progress we have made. Quality is the heart of what we do; like health & safety. However, protecting the health and safety of our staff and visitors is not a major risk management challenge in our company; crossing the road outside the office is about the most risky thing we do close to work! Construction workers on temporary sites will have a completely different perspective. However, the solution could be the same for everyone involved. If we managed health and safety alongside and as part of our quality system then surely we would have the appropriate processes in place to manage our risks and reduce exposure to accident as at work.
Report by attendees: Goals for the Health & safety of Great Britain Strategy
The first undertaking was for HSE to restate and reaffirm its direction in the context of Great Britain's health and safety performance levelling out after many years of continuous improvement.
The HSE recognised that there was a strong co-regulator partnership between itself and Local Authorities, but also advocated that everyone with health and safety responsibilities should work together towards a set of common goals and improved standards of performance.
The HSE recognised the need for each of the stakeholders, employers, self-employed, manufacturers, suppliers, trade unions as well as the HSE and Local Authorities to understand their roles and become better at executing their responsibilities.
The HSE set out the following goals to achieve its strategy:
- To continue investigating work related accidents and ill health and taking enforcement action to prevent harm and to secure justice when appropriate.
- To encourage strong leadership in championing the importance of, and a common sense approach to, health and safety in the workplace.
- To motivate focus on the core aims of health and safety and, by doing so, to help risk makers and managers distinguish between real health and safety issues and trivial or ill-informed criticism.
- To encourage an increase in competence, which will enable greater ownership and profiling of risk, thereby promoting sensible and proportionate risk management.
- To reinforce the promotion of worker involvement and consultation in health and safety matters throughout unionised and non-unionised workplaces of all sizes.
- To specifically target key health issues and to identify and work with those bodies best placed to bring about a reduction in the number of cases of work related ill health.
- To set priorities and, within those priorities, to identify which activities, their length and scale, deliver a significant reduction in the rate and number of deaths and accidents.
- To adapt and customise approaches to help the increasing numbers of SMEs in different sectors comply with their health and safety obligations.
- To reduce the likelihood of low frequency, high impact catastrophic incidents while ensuring that Great Britain maintains its capabilities in those industries strategically important to the country's economy and social infrastructure.
- To take account of wider issues that impact on health and safety as part of our continuing drive to improve Great Britain's health and safety performance.
Delegates at the Strategy Consultation Workshop listened to a presentation by the Chief Executive of the HSE, after which they were asked to consider a number of questions and provide table by table feed-back on their discussion in a plenary session.
Each table consisted of professionals generally from the same sector of industry, for example, teachers, consultants, trade unions, contractors etc. Tables fed back their comments in turn. No one group managed to give clear answers to every question and understandably each had a slightly different perspective reflecting their different sectors of the industry. Our table consisted of delegates from CDM related consultancies, including two from Ai Solutions. Our feedback (with some additional material) was as follows:
Question 1 - Do you support the goals as set out in the strategy and are there any omissions?
As with all of the groups, we supported the goals set out in the strategy. We felt strongly that the first two goals were set out in a “stick before the carrot” order and should be transposed. The consultants felt that education and communications were not covered sufficiently within the strategy despite their over-arching role in achieving a number of goals and delivering improved performance. Members of the group had discussed the culture within some voluntary and charity organisations whose members didn't feel the need or desire to change their “ways of old”.
We compared large corporations and Local Authorities, who are generally very well informed on H&S matters, with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Whilst recognising that ignorance is no defence, we questioned how many or, possibly most, SMEs learn about new Health and Safety initiatives and regulations - who informs and advises them?
Question 2 - How can you / your organisation help us deliver the goals?
Consultants, including Ai Solutions, are already helping HSE to deliver the goals. They bring expert knowledge, management systems and competent, pragmatic and proportionate advice to their customers. It is the nature of their business and why they exist. We also raised the question of how HSE can help consultants to better help their clients to achieve HSE's goals and suggested some form of kite mark / accreditation scheme for consultants which could be endorsed by HSE.
Questions 3 and 4 - Can you help us to identify others who have a role to play in delivering the goals as set out in the strategy? Who else should HSE and the Local Authorities be engaging with to help deliver the goals in the strategy?
These questions concerned identifying others that may assist HSE to achieve their goals. The consultants suggested that Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and GPs could better inform and educate the public about work-related injuries and diseases and thereby enable them to recognise and deal with them. There was a suggestion that Local Authority Building Control Inspectors (and we assume the NHBC who also undertake Building Control) might take more of an enforcement role, but there were questions as to the practicability and desirability of this.
The consultants suggested that the Institute of Directors and trade organisations should also have a role to play and could create leverage through the supply chain, perhaps through a competency assessment scheme. Other suggestions included the voluntary sector, charities and community groups.
Question 6 - What parts of which goals in the strategy are best delivered by others?
Not discussed here.
Questions 5 and 7 - What should HSE and Local Authorities do differently to help deliver the goals in the strategy? What can your own and other organisations do differently to help in the delivery of this strategy?
From the consultant's perspective it was felt that HSE and Local Authorities should improve the marketing of their services and products. Central to this is identifying key personnel within companies and organisations who are self-motivated to improve their Health and Safety performance. It was also considered that an HSE supported kite-mark or accreditation scheme, as mentioned above would be valuable in identifying those consultants who could demonstrate the highest standards to prospective clients.
HSE Mock Trials
With the new HSE's Health & Safety Offences Act 2008 to contend with how about visiting a Mock Trial to see how you measure up!
++ Mock trial - Guilty or not guilty ++
Three events: Ipswich 11 February, Huntingdon 25 February and Dereham 2 March.
See Construction: Diary of Events for more information.
Site Safety Under New Scrutiny from HSE
We understand that the relationship between Building Control Regulations and for health & safety and the Construction Design and Management Regulations has changed. The Building Control will be supporting the HSE on site inspections.
A joint inspection regime is being trialled by the HSE's Luton Office (which covers Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire and includes the Milton Keynes, Luton and Aylesbury areas). Building Inspectors will report and photograph dangerous working practices to the HSE as part of normal site visits.
Peter Galsworthy, the HSE's principal inspector in Luton, said the initiative will focus on high risk activities such as falls from height. The scheme will be rolled out nationally if successful.
New Electronic F10
The HSE is planning to introduce an interactive electronic F10 form. [HSE Construction Infonet - April 2008]
We have been in conversation with Andrew East who says that the new form is unlikely to be made available until the end of June and that in the meantime original forms can be used. The important thing is that the relevant information is given.
There are a number of people who are under the wrong impression that the new form should be used now. Users should continue to use the 'old' one. We understand that the new form is part of a process to establish an automated Fax and or On-line form. Some of us have been looking forward to that for many years!
At Ai Solutions we are looking at how this new Form 10 is accommodated within ToolKit CS™ and we are asking for Andrew's advice when he comes to speak at our annual conference on the 22nd of April.
Company fined £20,000 for asbestos breach
Bedford magistrates have fined a company £20,000 for exposing workers to asbestos.
Galamast Ltd, based in Bromley, Kent, was convicted last Thursday of two breaches under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
The company was carrying out a 'strip-out' of the old Littlewood's store in Bedford's Harpur Centre in March 2006 when verbal instructions were misunderstood, leading to its employees, sub contractors and health and safety inspectors being exposed to the dangerous substance.
Galamast Ltd was fined £10,000 for each breach and must also pay £16,140 in costs.
The work was being carried out on behalf of Primark which took over several Littlewood's stores during 2005/6.
The prosecution was brought by the Health and Safety Executive.
Source: Bedford Today
HSE looks to industry
Although a long-term downward trend is still clear, the rate of decrease has slowed over the last 15 years and there has been very little change in the overall rate over the last five years.
In construction there were 77 fatalities, equivalent to 3.7 deaths per 100 000 workers. Over the last 15 years there has been a statistically significant downward trend in the rate of fatal injury to workers; on average a 3.9% year on year decrease. However, the higher number and rate for 2006/07 changes a pattern consistent with continued reduction up to 2005/06 into one of no change since 2002/03.
Sir Bill Callaghan, Chair of the Health & safety Commission, said, "It is disappointing to see that the overall number of deaths has risen. We have worked hard with industry and trade unions over the past few years to bring the number down. Behind every one of these numbers was a man or a woman, with a life, friends and family... I have to remind you that safety is ultimately the responsibility of those who manage and direct companies and those who work for them. Today's statistics are disappointing and distressing but improvements can still be made. They must be made. HSC/E is taking action. The ball now lies firmly in the industry's court."
HSE Chief Executive Geoffrey Podger added, "Those who are putting the lives of their workforce at risk should know that HSE takes this very seriously. In the past year we have approved 25% more prosecutions than the year before and our inspectors have served 1000 more enforcement notices. No one should believe that they can get away with serious breaches of health and safety."
Source: HSE Website
Construction company fined £43,000
The company admitted at Salisbury Crown Court to failing to ensure the safety of its employees, after 62-year-old George Rogers was killed when he was thrown from a dumper truck, which then ran over his body. The delay in bringing the matter before the court was due to a lengthy investigation by police and the Health and Safety Executive.
Though he had not been authorised to drive a dumper truck, Mr Rogers had helped tidy up the site before it closed for the day by driving a dumper truck filled with spoil to get rid of the load. The truck went over a sunken trench and the jolt had thrown him out of his seat, over the front of the dumper truck's bucket and on to the ground. The truck had then driven over his body.
Ian Dixey, for the prosecution, said it was a well-known hazard with dumper trucks within the construction industry and precautions should have been taken. He said the company's failings included inadequate training for employees on using plant and machinery, no adequate system of checking plant and machinery - three of the truck's tyres were severely under-inflated - no training verification system, no site traffic plan or control of speed on site machinery and no adequate system for controlling use of plant or machinery on site.
But, he said, since the accident, Castleway had taken steps to correct all these issues, including proper training for employees using machinery.
Fining the company £30,000 and ordering them to pay £13,714 costs, Judge Keith Cutler said the company's failings had been "contributory to a degree" to Mr Rogers' death, but were not so important as Mr Rogers' own wrongful actions in driving machinery.
The case was brought by the HSE.
Source: Builder and Engineer online
HSE investigates two fatalities from falling bricks
Reece French, a worker on a Kier Western site at Cattedown Enterprise Centre, was hit on the head by a skip or pallet of bricks. It is believed that he was walking under a telehandler carrying the bricks when the accident happened.
A Kier Western spokesperson said: "We confirm that a fatality occurred early this morning at our Cattedown Enterprise site in Plymouth when an employee was struck during an operation involving a telescopic handler. We are co-operating with the authorities in trying to establish exactly what happened. We are deeply shocked and saddened by this tragic situation involving a Kier employee and our thoughts are with his family and the site team."
The day before 18 year old Gareth Ritson, working on a building site in Troon, died when a pallet of bricks fell from a lorry-mounted crane while he was underneath it.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is understood to be investigating both accidents.
One third of refurbishment sites dangerous
He continued, "We stopped work on site immediately during 244 inspections because we felt there was a real possibility that life would be lost or ruined through serious injury. It is completely unacceptable that so many lives have been put at risk. Our inspectors were appalled at the apparent willingness to ignore basic safety precautions.
"The simple fact is that despite knowing what they should be doing, too many people are prepared to allow bad practices to continue, even though last year 39 people died on refurbishment, repair and maintenance sites.
"We are determined to tackle this issue head on and will continue to take enforcement action against those rogues who flout safety precautions. Let me be clear to all those who put lives at risk - we will continue to carry out further inspections and will take all action necessary to protect workers, including closing sites and prosecution."
Source: HSE website
HSE Advice - Working at Height & using ladders safely
On average 13 people a year die at work falling from ladders and nearly 1200 suffer major injuries. More than a quarter of falls happen from ladders.
HSE's key message is that that ladders should only be used for low-risk, short-duration work.
What do I need to know?
The Work at Height Regulations (2005) came into force in April 2005. Employers have a duty to assess the risks, plan and supervise all workers who work at height. You will find guidance about the regulations in the working at height regulations 2005, they cover the following:
- What is 'work at height'?
- What the regulations cover
- Do the rules apply to you?
- What you must do as an employer
- When can ladders be used?
Ladders can be used if after assessing the risks the use of more suitable work equipment is not justified because of the low risk and short duration.
Short duration is taken to be between 15 and 30 minutes depending upon the task.
Ladders can also be used for low risk work where there are features on the site that mean a ladder must be used.
For more on this topic follow this link for using ladders safely.
Source: HSE Construction Infonet, July 2007
CDM2007 Regulations final approval
The final draft of the Regulations and ACOP have been submitted for approval to the October meeting of the HS Commission. Subject to approval the Regs will be launched in April 2007. With the finalising of the Regs and ACOP attention now turns to realising the benefits that this revision will bring. My team are looking at the operational implementation of CDM. This is an important period to ensure that the new messages from the regulations are understood. The revised regulations will require a major shift in attitude by some duty holders; especially where they have developed an unhelpful reliance on paper based systems, rather than actually focusing on reducing risk. We will all need to get involved next year to ensure that this message is clearly understood by duty holders.
To recap briefly the aims of the new regulations are to have the right people for the right job at the right time to reduce risk, reduce paperwork and encourage teamwork. The focus is on effective planning and reducing risk. Not the production of paperwork. We want CDM 2007 to deliver clear benefits, not just CDM 2004 business as usual.
This is an opportunity to draw a line under the previous debates of this group and to now look forward to the launch. I would like to thank members of this discussion group for their contributions. I am taking over as manager of this site and would welcome any constructive debate about the launch, and how the new messages about CDM can be effectively delivered.
I am attaching copies of the final draft ACOP and Regulation to the doucments page of this site, which have been submitted to the HS Commission.
Thank you Andrew East (HSE)
Source: HSE Webmaster
Health and Safety Commission go-ahead for revision of CDM & CHSW
I thought that you would like to know that HSC have agreed that we should proceed with the revision of the CDM and CHSW regs. The ambitious aim is to publish a consultative document next Spring. As far as possible I want to move forward by consensus, involving as many interested parties as possible.
The high level objectives for the revision, agreed with CONIAC and endorsed by HSC, are to improve the management of risk by:
- simplifying the regulations to improve clarity and so making it easier for dutyholders to know what is expected of them;
- maximising their flexibility to fit with the vast range of contractual arrangements;
- making their focus planning and management, rather than the plan and other paperwork, to emphasise active management and minimise bureaucracy;
- strengthening the requirements regarding co-ordination and co-operation, particularly between designers and contractors to encourage more integration;
- simplifying the assessment of the competence of organisations.
If we are to make an impact and avoid the problems that have dogged CDM then the way we proceed is at least as important as the final product. I want all interested parties to feel involved and to have a real opportunity to influence the outcome. I should, therefore, appreciate it if you would use your contacts to identify opportunities for either informal discussions or presentations to meetings. I also hope to establish an internet discussion forum where we can post drafts and people can comment on them or put forward their own ideas.
Stephen Wright
HSE Construction Policy
Tel. 020 7717 6308
Source: Stephen Wright, HSE
HSE Questionnaire
Control of Asbestos at Work Regulation 4
Duty to Manage Asbestos
The HSE is seeking the views of duty holders on progress of the new duty as part of HSE's one-year review of the operation of the new duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises.
As you may be aware the Government gave a commitment during the House of Lords debate in December 2002 to review the new duty by the end of this year, though it does not become law until 21 May 2004.
HSE has therefore prepared a short questionnaire (it will take less than 15 minutes to complete) for those who are duty holders. It is split into three main sections - awareness of asbestos, action taken or planned to identify and manage asbestos and any barriers to compliance.
As you will see from the form, they are mainly just tick box questions so that they take as little time as possible to answer.
We would want to keep the burden on duty holders as low as possible and there are various options to ensure this happens.
Fill In On Line
The questionnaire can simply be completed on HSE's website, at http://www.hse.gov.uk/campaigns/asbestos/questionnaire.htm.
All completed questionnaires will need to be with HSE by 31 October 2003.
The results of the questionnaire will be used for the one-year review they will not be attributed to a particular organisation.
Please feel free to ring me to discuss any aspect of the review. Thanking you in advance for your contributions.
Owen Yorath
Asbestos Policy Adviser
020 7717 6809
Source: Owen Yorath, HSE
Slightly More Radical Rethinking Construction
As suggested in the HSE Discussion Document Revitalising Health and Safety in Construction. "To make a real difference in health and safety, we must identify and tackle all relevant factors. We need to think widely and not restrict our ideas to those traditionally perceived as health and safety issues." (DD para. 12)
Over recent years, a great number of initiatives have focused in general on improving the industry and in particular its appalling health and safety record with very mixed results. Are we not missing an opportunity to really rethink construction? If, as claimed in Accelerating Change, the construction industry is 'vital' to almost every aspect of living in the UK, should it be such a simple matter at certain levels to set up in business in the industry? As much of the industry has clearly demonstrated its willingness to improve should there not be a quid pro quo for doing so? Consider the following:
The scale and diversity of the industry is immense. About 200,000 firms are involved in a multiplicity of activities ranging from multi-national companies to the very small. About 85% of these businesses employ fewer than 5 workers. Over 1.9 million people work in the industry from manual labourers to professionals. The industry is responsible for about 10% of the GDP valued in 1998 at about £58billions. The 'informal economy' is estimated at £4.5 billions. An independent report commissioned by UCATT suggests that the number of false self-employed in the industry is between 300 - 400,000. The costs of accidents have been estimated at £8 billions and of ill health £18 billions. Whatever the accuracy of the figures huge sums are involved and as stated in Rethinking Construction the industry "is simply too important to be allowed to stagnate".
A career in the construction industry is not seen as one that will be fulfilling or rewarding. This in part perhaps explains the shortfall estimated by the CITB of 300-350,000 trained workers in the industry even although Accelerating Change identifies the importance of attracting and retaining an all qualified workforce at all levels.
The majority of projects are undertaken for clients who do not understand and are not interested in construction. Quite rightly, they wish to concentrate on their own business. As a customer, the expectations should be that the product will meet - if not exceed - the need (on time, cost and quality). As the supplier, surely the industry has to focus on meeting that expectation. The industry therefore needs to become responsible for its own leadership and delivery of its "product" which the good business practices advocated in Rethinking Construction will help it to achieve. Clients certainly should be encouraged to commit to the project but this commitment should not be essential for the project to be completed successfully or satisfactorily nor to drive improvement in the industry.
In those terms therefore, what changes do we need to make? What are the best ways of achieving those changes?
Surely the starting point as stated in Accelerating Change is that all in the industry should be qualified and competent. Registration schemes such as CORGI and others such as the licensing scheme being developed for demolition contractors point the way forward. Schemes for registration, certification, licensing have been mooted in various formats at various times before but with a few exceptions e.g. CORGI, such schemes are flawed in that there is nothing to require the customer or the supplier to be party to such schemes. The other principal flaw of such schemes is that the cost usually falls on the registrant who gains little other than the possibility of being invited to bid for work. In reality even the most willing participant faces being undermined by clients primarily interested in lowest price despite all the advice and initiatives to support " best value " and/or by those in the "informal economy". At the moment therefore such schemes do not provide either the necessary level playing field for competition or the sound basis on which the registrants can invest in implementing good business practices as advocated in the many initiatives.
If the real primary driver is to focus on and to find the means to recruit and retain good quality staff in all disciplines and who are appropriately qualified and competent at all levels then why not require all those who practise, work and offer a service within the construction industry to be licensed but critically that in return, any construction work is undertaken only by those appropriately licensed/registered practitioners.
The detailed operation of such schemes undoubtedly would require careful consideration but "models" already operate in the USA and within several EC countries. Broadly, licensees could be registered with the appropriate professional and/or trade organisation with perhaps different levels of licence being granted to reflect experience and competence. In this way the licence would clearly identify the type of work or projects that may be undertaken and would allow for periodic review. The government already appears to be considering such a licence scheme for doctors with a five-year review period. Such a scheme could well be applicable to other professions.
Practitioners would be able to invest, undertake R and D and develop best business practices in the knowledge that they are competing against similarly "qualified" practitioners. The industry would be able to offer rewarding and fulfilling long-term careers whilst dealing a severe blow to rogue traders and "white van man". In the longer term and in conjunction with the insurance industry consideration perhaps could be given to the possibility of household insurance being invalidated if construction work is undertaken by non-licensed practitioners.
Critically for clients, advice would be more robust, competition would be maintained and costs even reduced because the industry would have a sound basis on which to invest and implement good business practice. Indeed the culture of risk management inherent in the positive practice of CDM could be of immense value as an over-arching concept/strategy applicable to all aspects of construction projects. Risk management offers a common language with which to engage all parties to a project from its very earliest stages through to completion but particularly clients many of whom are fully familiar with managing risk in relation their core business. In this way, health and safety can be considered as an integral part of all project matters not only by the construction "professionals" but importantly also by the client.
Health and safety could be incorporated with each licensee appropriate to the level of working but very much as an integral part of generally improving business.
Undoubtedly such a mandatory scheme would have cost implications but probably, with much of the administration being undertaken by existing institutions and representative organisations, would cost a great deal less than the cost of accidents, ill-health and the informal economy to GB plc.
By offering a means of reaching all who work in the construction industry or certainly the vast majority it is quite possible that such a scheme could become largely self financing in terms of GB plc. With the number of accidents and those suffering ill-health likely to reduce and a consequent reduction in costs in insurance and to the Health service, the costs to GB plc are also likely to reduce. In turn this reduction could be further improved by the increased numbers involved in training which would act as a further positive contribution to the economy. Such a scheme would also deal a telling blow to the 'informal economy' and assist in regulating the large numbers of false self-employed in the industry.
From this mandatory scheme the industry would be well placed to meet its fundamental role in the successful delivery of the government's planned investment of the modernisation of Britain as well as provide a sound basis for good design and good construction deemed by Accelerating Change to be "vital to the quality of our life: in our homes, offices, shops and factories. They are vital to the quality of our urban environment, to the regeneration of urban communities, to the provision of schools, hospitals and infrastructure, to the quality of other public buildings and spaces; and they are vital to sustainable development."
Brian B. Law
Source: Brian B Law, APS
Asbestos Campaign News - July 2002
This article is available in the following formats:
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Source: Brian Trevette, HSE
Asbestos Campaign News - May 2002
This article is available in the following formats:
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Source: Brian Trevette, HSE
Asbestos Campaign News Special
This article is available in the following formats:
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Source: Brian Trevette, HSE
Asbestos Campaign News - February 2002
This article is available in the following formats:
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Source: Brian Trevette, HSE
Construction Industry Seminar Welcome Address
Welcome
Good morning!!
Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to our first Construction Industry Seminar!
I recently read a quotation from a certain software provider who said: "Our biggest competitor is the status quo"; it took me a moment to work it out ... I don't believe they were talking about the aging pop group; simply 'indifference'. By coming here today, you have each demonstrated that you want to hear about change in the construction industry and I am sure you are not going to be disappointed this morning.
Judging by the record attendance today, you seem to like the idea of our new format seminar which takes over from our highly successful Product User Forums which we have run since 1995.
We are very proud to be welcoming such a prestigious combination of audience and speakers. Thank you for coming!
I would particularly like to welcome Gil Briffa, the President of the Association of Planning Supervisors. I know many of will know Gil and for our part, we have been trying to achieve a better relationship with the APS since we all started together in 1995. I hope this is indeed the start of a new relationship for us; welcome Gil.
You will find a list of attendees in the pack we have given you, together with a feedback sheet. We do listen to what you have to say and will pass your comments or requests for information to the other speakers if it is relevant.
Please sit back and relax; this is your time, to listen, and to participate, informally, throughout the sessions. The speakers are allowed to pause for questions but they do have to end on time!
Agenda
Which brings me back to our agenda on the screen.
Coffee at 1100 and lunch at 1300, carriages at 1400!.
We have a very ambitious agenda covering both CDM and Asbestos.
The speakers are here to add value for all of us.
They represent the best in the industry and we are very grateful that they continue to give their time and energy to our cause freely.
Community
Our 'Community' started with the Product Forum for CDM ToolKit. It has grown to become an industry wide seminar with participants from many disciplines.
When Paul Ketteridge a former Ai Associate (is he here) and myself put our original ideas together for CDM ToolKit in 1993, we had little idea of where we were heading. We are now sitting amongst partners who are;
- a group of very successful people, all like minded Professionals,
- dedicated to improving communication
- wanting to bring to your desktop all the information you need to manage your environment, safely.
Our monthly Newsletter continues to reach more and more people by e-mail. The take up of 'technology' continues to accelerate rapidly, particularly in the past 18 months.
Our www.cdmuk.com web site continues top attract attention from an ever widening audience.
We are in the process of consolidating that experience with CDM to embrace 'asbestos' and all that that means in the new legislation. This in turn will provide links into an even bigger marketplace than CDM.
This is a community which has very wide boundaries with significant opportunities for improving communication.
We would like to think we all share one common theme - Improving Construction Health & Safety.
Our belief in Partners
I want to say a few words about our Partners.
We have met with many potential Partners this year. We have made it our business to get out there and find out who we should be working with. Our aim is to add value to what we do for all our customers. We have also learnt that our ambitious goals can only be achieved in partnership with others!
Our Agenda represents our Partnership Team for 2002. The only ones missing are;
- Microsoft and we are about to have a major presentation with them followed by some joint venture seminars with Pcubed. You will be hearing from them later on.
- Geo Instruments, based in the Nederland's; they were with us last week and we will be telling you about their contribution ourselves.
- The third is AsbesosRegister.com, Ross Udall's enterprise. We have met with Ross; we intend to provide an interface from our new product to his web site.
This list here is not exhaustive - although positively exhausting! - there may well be additions as we go into next year including for instance CHAS, a new local authority led endeavour registering contractor HAS assessments.
HSE
I have to tell you that we continue to enjoy strong links with HSE - although of course they cannot be seen to be recommending us! HSE do in fact continue to support and help us in many ways. We in turn try to support them in their crusade to spread the health & safety word to an industry which has proved to be at least a 'challenge' to control.
This started in 1994 with George Ventris Sec of CONIAC committee, Steve Williams a co-authors of CDM and Prof Don Bishop of the CIC H&S Task Force.
It continues today with HSE's Steve Wright responsible for the new CDM ACoP.
It continues with the HSE's Asbestos team - Brian Trevette here today and Ian Gooday, who has already attended one of our initial asbestos seminars to participate in our software development. We have already incorporated MDHS 100 information into our Asbestos Lite product (Mid Aug 01) and the new CDM ACoP will follow in step with the legislation.
Partners Presenting Today
But our partners go outside the confines of the HSE! We welcome here today;
- Mouchel Consulting, represented by Mike Stokes their H&S Director will be briefing us in a moment. We have a longstanding relationship with Mouchel and thank them for that.
- Casella Environmental Services are the largest provider in their field. They are intending to support us with our product development and testing.
- Callsafe is a major consultancy for leading blue chip companies throughout UK including MOD, RailLink and Seeboard - represented here today. Seeboard, our largest customer, is now running our distributed product on 6 sites. Callsafe are helping us with our product development.
- Pcubed is an international provider of project management services. In fact since they are supporting the European Space Station project, you could say they were 'out of this World'. Terrell will be giving you an insight into how we are linking Microsoft Project with our ToolKit 2002 product to bring the excellence of the 3 parties involved into one application.
- Our interest in Microsoft in wide ranging. We are highly qualified in their products with 2 MCSEs on board. Few software houses have higher qualifications and we look forward to the launch of Microsoft Windows XP later this month and supporting you with their new products.
- Our specific interest in this environment is Microsoft Project. Surprisingly, this is Microsoft's 5th largest revenue earner worldwide! We are witnessing an exponential increase in the use of this product and we at Ai Solutions intend to play our part in this.
- Development Team - we have a small treat for those of you have followed our progress over the years! My colleagues, Theo Gray and Charles Hewett will be briefing you on our plans for the next 6 months and to show how we can help you with our new ToolKit™ 2002 products.
As you can see we have really strong list of Partners, all eager to support our cause in improving Health & Safety in Construction. We are very proud to offer the stage to them this morning.
Before I hand over to our first 'Partner', I would like to thank you again for taking the time out to see us today and say that my team is looking forward to finding out how we can help you with our Toolkit software and IT services; you will be learning a great deal more about these as we progress through the morning.
Source: David Marlow, Ai Solutions Ltd
Asbestos Campaign News - August 2001
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Source: HSE
Guidance on How To Survey Buildings for Asbestos
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published guidance on how to survey workplace premises for asbestos [containing materials] and how to record the results. "Surveying, sampling and Assessment of Asbestos Containing Materials" has been produced as a standard for people carrying out - or commissioning - asbestos surveys in buildings. The guidance (known as MDHS 100) will form an important element in HSE's overall strategy to prevent people from dying from asbestos related disease, and will complement existing guidance on asbestos.
MDHS 100 leads people through the key elements of a successful survey - locating the extend and nature of any asbestos in a building - assessing the condition of the material in order to determine whether it presents a real risk - and recording the information in a clear and easily usable form.
The guidance describes 3 different levels of survey (Types 1, 2 and 3) of varying degrees of intensity which can be carried out on a building. Some surveys may involve collecting representative samples of suspect materials for laboratory identification, whilst others may rely on studies of building plans or other information sources. To assist users of the guidance, it gives advice on which type of survey is most appropriate for particular situations.
The guidance states that anyone undertaking asbestos surveys or samples should have appropriate training and experience, and be able to demonstrate independence, impartiality and integrity. It also stresses the importance of adequate quality assurance procedures, for the individual or organisation carrying out the survey, to order to achieve consistently high standards.
MDHS contains a wealth of information about where asbestos can be found in buildings, and a number of photographs have been included to assist surveyors in carrying out their work.
Bill Macdonald, Head of HSE's Asbestos Policy Unit. Said, "Regulations due to be brought in next year will require over a million commercial buildings in the UK to be surveyed for asbestos. It is vitally important that surveys carried out are done to a recognised standard if we are to ensure that money is not wasted on poor quality surveys that do little to protect people from the deadly effects of asbestos fibres. MDHS 100 is a crucial part of the strategy to make sure that doesn't happen."
Background
Asbestos has been identified as the primary cause of occupational ill health in the second half of the twentieth century. Asbestos related diseases account for over 3,000 deaths a year in the UK and it is estimated that 50,000 have died from mesothelioma and other conditions since 1968. Around one quarter of current deaths occur in the building and maintenance trades - where people can be exposed to asbestos inadvertently when working in buildings.
The Health and Safety Commission is concerned that information on whether buildings have asbestos in them is not always being passed to those at risk. The Commission is therefore proposing a new statutory duty for those responsible for workplace buildings, to determine the presence of asbestos in their buildings, and assess and control the risk from the material. This will provide a new level of protection in building related trades and it is hoped that many thousands of lives will be saved through the operation of the proposed regulations, which will require amendment to the Control of Asbestos At Work Regulations 1987.
Although the Commission consulted widely on a new draft regulation and approved code of practice last year, it is taking the unusual step of re-consulting on a number of refinements to its original proposals as a result of important comments raised by consultees. In the meantime, HSE will be pressing ahead with a national campaign later this summer to raise awareness of the risks from asbestos in buildings.
MDHS 100 will form part of a suite of guidance material designed to underpin the new duty to manage asbestos in premises.
Copies of Surveying, sampling and Assessment of Asbestos Containing Materials, Ref MDHS 100, ISBN 0 7176 2076 X, price £18.00, can be ordered online at: http://www.hsebooks.co.uk or is available from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2WA, tel: 01787-881165 or fax: 01787-313995). HSE priced publications are also available from all good bookshops.
Public Enquiries
Call HSE's InfoLine, tel: 08701-545500
or write to: HSE Information Services, Caerphilly Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG.
Source: HSE
Asbestos Awareness Campaign
THE DUTY TO MANAGE ASBESTOS
AN AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
Setting the Scene
Asbestos is the biggest occupational health problem ever encountered in the UK, and it is a problem that is set to get worse over the coming twenty or so years. The fifteen year plus latency period of asbestos means that positive efforts made now to reduce the effect of this killer disease will not be realised for some time. However, to do nothing is not an option.
Asbestos was used extensively in building materials in the UK from the 1950s through to the mid 1970s. Although much of this material has been removed over the years there are many thousands of tonnes of asbestos still present in buildings. Indeed, it is estimated that over 1.5 million workplace properties currently have some form of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in them. Whilst the materials remain in good condition, and are left undisturbed, they pose no risk; however, they have the potential to cause death if they are not properly managed.
Asbestos legislation has tended to deal with situations where it is known that asbestos is present in the working environment, such as the industries where asbestos was used or produced, or where it was being removed by specialist contractors. Recent changes tightened and refocused existing asbestos Regulations to make it clearer that they applied to any worker liable to be exposed to asbestos, including those in the building trades.
The Regulation
However, a vital piece of the regulatory jigsaw puzzle was missing. Time and time again maintenance workers carry out work whilst unknowingly exposing themselves to asbestos because no one is effectively addressing that risk. Hence the proposed new Regulation to manage the risks from asbestos in buildings.
Response to the Consultative Document, issued in Summer 2000, was encouraging, with overwhelming support for the introduction of the intended new duty. However, there were comments suggesting a need to reconsider certain points of detail: these include the identification of the 'duty holder' and an extension of the scope of the regulation beyond 'workplace premises'.
It is important that these two issues are fully considered in the revision of the draft regulation. With the probable need for a further public consultation exercise it is likely that the regulations will be made towards the end of 2001
One of the declared aims of the new Regulation is to reduce asbestos related fatalities by over 6,000 in the next 50 years, with the main benefits kicking in after 2015. It is realised that for this to be achieved the HSE will need to do more than just launch the Regulation; it will need to actively promote the duty and provide practical support to ensure effective implementation. It is planned for this to be encouraged through a supporting awareness campaign.
Target Audience
Although it is recognised that there are significant issues still being considered which impact on the scope of the Regulation, it is possible to identify that the task of communicating and engaging with the intended target audience, i.e. the duty holder, is not going to be an easy one.
Many of the 1.5 million workplace properties that have been assumed to be still containing ACMs are occupied by small and medium sized enterprises. It is this group that has been identified for particular attention during the campaign in terms of additional practical support.
The Message
In addition to detailing the health risks associated with asbestos, together with duty holder's responsibilities, the campaign will look to offer positive and, for some, practical advice on the effective implementation of the various elements of the regulation. This will include the means of identifying the asbestos related risk, and how to manage that risk.
Overall Strategy
HSE will deliver a three to five year campaign to support the making of the Regulation.
Year 1 of the campaign will consist of a series of conferences and workshops to promote awareness of the duty. There will be an official launch of the duty, trailed by a number of press articles and other publicity initiatives.
Year 2 of the campaign will involve inspectors (both HSE and Local Authority) carrying out a number of head office visits to significant duty holders, and a mail shot exercise designed to reach small and medium sized enterprises. Year 3 (and following years) will consist of a number of targeted visits with consequential en-forcement action.
This approach links in well with the proposed two year lead in period for the Regulation.
The campaign will incorporate an independent evaluation exercise to measure its impact on attitudes and practices, involving a baseline study and follow up at the end of the 3 year period.
The remainder of this Information Sheet concentrates on the activities planned for the first year of the campaign.
The First Year of the Campaign
Fundamentally we are looking to implement a two tier strategy for the first year of the campaign. The first level, aimed at all duty holders, is geared to raise general awareness of the new Regulation and provide written guidance on the means of complying with the duty. The second is a higher level of practical support directed specifically to meet the additional needs of the small and medium sized enterprises.
First Level - Press Campaign
A high profile event is planned for the launching of the new Regulation when it is made at the end of 2001. The aim is to stimulate wide ranging interest and support from the national press and professional journals etc. and thus promoting the message to our intended audience i.e. the duty holder. Copies of the Regulation and supporting ACoP will be made available through HSE Books.
In addition to articles appearing periodically in the technical/professional press further directed press promotions are envisaged during this first year of the campaign following the making of the Regulation. Running at six monthly intervals the message will move from promoting awareness to encouraging compliance with the Regulation.
First Level - Roadshow
An early phase of the campaign, planned for the late summer of 2001, will include a programme of five regional Asbestos Roadshows. Delivering to anticipated audiences of around 200 key organisations, each event will promote the requirements of the new duty to manage asbestos and provide supporting advice on compliance with its varying elements.
First Level - Guidance Material
This awareness element of the campaign to be underpinned by the availability of related guidance material i.e. a free leaflet on the duty to manage asbestos, technical guidance for practitioners such as MDHS 100 and Asbestos Essentials, and the video 'How Are You Today?' aimed at both the contractor and the duty holder.
Much of the information is to be made available via the intended HSE 'Asbestos Campaign' Internet site.
Second Level - Targeted Activities
Moving on to the second level of the strategy i.e. the more targeted activity, we need to remind ourselves of the size of the task ahead of us. The intention of this element of the campaign is to provide practical support to the small and medium sized enterprises. We identified earlier that we must be talking of an audience size in its millions. It would be impossible to consider HSE delivering practical support to even a very small fraction of that number without the involvement of others. We are therefore looking to engage partners to cascade the HSE messages and to provide practical advice to the intended audience.
So, a key task in ensuring the successful implementation of the campaign is to identify and engage a team of intermediaries to support HSE. This 'identification' programme will be progressed on both the 'informal' and 'formal' levels. The more 'formal' activities include articles in professional journals and in-house newsletters. One of the aims of the Roadshow events is infact to encourage delegates to become 'intermediaries'.
The establishment of the 'partnership' network will trigger the start, in Autumn 2001, of the intended programme of Employer Workshops throughout the UK, providing practical support to the small and medium enterprises. The number of Workshops will be determined by the capacity of those within our 'partnership' network, and the programme is expected to continue during much of the year following the introduction of the Regulation; I am sure that there will be no shortage of demand from the prospective target audience.
Initiatives Supporting the Delivery of the Workshops
In addition to the guidance material mentioned earlier, some of which is still under development, we are actively engaged in developing a Presenter's Pack and associated Workbook for use by the intermediaries in the delivery of the Employer's Workshops. It is intended that the video 'How Are You Today?' will also be included as part of the Presenter's Pack.
The Role of our Partners
Although still in the early stages of development the following offers an indication of our thinking in terms of the role of our 'partners' in the delivery of the employer workshops:
- picking up the financial risk for the events the 'partners' shall set an appropriate delegate fee
- need to arrange a suitable venue, including the provision for appropriate refreshments, working on an attendance of up to 25 delegates,
- development of the presentation material based on prepared speakers notes supplied by HSE (see more) arrangements for the use of guest speakers where appropriate
- local promotion of the workshop(s)
- delivery of the workshop(s)
In support of our 'partners' activities HSE is currently arranging for the following:
- a set of speaker's notes, including a supporting Power Point presentation
- delegate workbook (four ring binder) to include standard handouts based on the 'speakers notes' plus material for suggested written exercises
- copy of the video 'How are You Today?', which is to be an integral part of the presentation
- copy of the free leaflet 'Managing Asbestos in Premises' (a working title)
It is intended that the 'speaker's notes' and the material forming the 'delegate workbook' shall be available via HSE's web site, whilst the remaining material shall be delivered on request to our 'partners'.
Conclusion
A final thought. The numbers of those dying from asbestos related diseases is rising and will continue to rise for some years. How soon the curve flattens off, and how steep the curve down will be, depends largely on the extent to which the duty holders are compliant with the regulation and on their effectiveness at managing the identified risks from asbestos-containing materials in buildings.
We need your support. To participate as a member of the proposed 'partnership' network contact BRIAN TREVETTE, HSE's Campaign Manager, on 020 7717 6443. Brian will be only too keen to speak with you.
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Source: Brian Trevette, HSE
Asbestos Dust Kills
Guidance for employees on wearing respiratory protective equipment for work with asbestos
Why is asbestos dangerous?
Breathing in asbestos fibres can lead to asbestos-related diseases. These are mainly cancers of the chest and lungs and they kill more people than any other single work-related cause. There is a long delay between first exposure to asbestos and the start of disease. This can vary between 15 and 60 years. The vast majority of people now dying from asbestos-related diseases were exposed to asbestos during 1950s and 1960s. But of course people in the asbestos stripping industry still work with it today. Workers in the building maintenance and refurbishment trade may also come across it frequently.
The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 (amended 1992 and 1999) require your employer - and self-employed workers - to do all they reasonably can to prevent, or, where this is not possible, to keep to a minimum, employees' exposure to asbestos.
How much asbestos would I need to breathe in to develop an asbestos-related disease?
Nobody knows. But we do know the more asbestos fibres you breathe in, the greater the risk to your health. That is why it is important that everyone who works with asbestos should take the strictest precautions to reduce the amount of asbestos fibres in the workplace. In many situations you will also need to use respiratory protective equipment (RPE).
What is RPE?
RPE is the name given to various face masks, hoods and helmets which you can wear to protect your lungs from asbestos.
When do I need to wear RPE?
The law requires that your employer must try to prevent your exposure to asbestos. If this is not possible, they must reduce your exposure to asbestos as far as they reasonably can. This might include wearing RPE. But your employer must always provide you with suitable RPE if you are working in an area where the amount of asbestos in the air is greater than the control limits laid down in the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations. The RPE should reduce the asbestos you breathe in to a concentration as low as is reasonably practicable and to below the control limits.
Does it matter what type of RPE I wear?
YES. The type of RPE you need will depend on the amount of asbestos in the air and the type of job you are doing. Your employer must make sure you have the right type for the work you are doing and that it fits you properly. For instance half mask dust respirators are not suitable for asbestos stripping work.
What else must my employer do?
Your employer must:
- do all they reasonably can to keep the amount of asbestos in the air to a minimum before they provide you with RPE;
- train you how to fit and use your RPE properly;
- carry out tests to make sure that your face mask fits you properly;
- make sure training is updated and that refresher training is given;
- make sure the RPE you use is in good working order, properly cleaned and looked after.
What else can I do to protect my health?
- Always use the equipment (eg a vacuum cleaner) your employer provides to reduce the amount of asbestos dust in the air.
- Always wear the RPE your employer gives you.
- Never take off your RPE in a contaminated area - not even for a minute.
- Make sure your RPE fits you properly - if it doesn't fit properly it doesn't work properly and your health and life will be put at risk.
If you have a beard, sideburns or even a visible growth of stubble or if you wear glasses, certain types of RPE may not fit you properly: the stubble, glasses etc will leave small gaps where the mask should be sealed tightly to your face. To make sure that the facepiece protects you as well as it can, your employer should make sure you have a face fit test before you you use it. If you are worried that your RPE doesn't fit you properly ask your employer or safety representative, if you have one.
- Never misuse your RPE, eg do not loosen the straps, cut parts of the face seal or make gaps in the seal to make it more comfortable.
- If you think your RPE isn't working properly, leave the contaminated area immediately and tell your employer.
- If you have not been given RPE and you think you might need it, or you are worried that you don't have the right RPE for the job, speak to your employer or safety representative. Don't take risks with your health and life.
- The risk of cancer from asbestos is higher among smokers. If you smoke, you can reduce the risk to your health by stopping.
Choosing suitable RPE is your employer's responsibility, but if you want more information on RPE, ask for our leaflet Selection of suitable respiratory protective equipment for work with asbestos, or ask your health and safety representative if there is one.
ASBESTOS DUST
KILLS
Taking off your RPE in a contaminated area puts you at risk. Don't do it - EVER.
Other Useful Information
- Asbestos alert: Workers card for building maintenance, repair and refurbishment workers INDG188p 1995 HSE Books
- Selection of suitable respiratory protective equipment for work with asbestos INDG288 1999 HSE Books
- Working with asbestos in buildings INDG289 1999 HSE Books. This leaflet is also available in priced packs of 10 ISBN 0 7176 1697 5
HSE priced and free publications are available by mail order from:
HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 6FS
Tel: 01787 881165 Fax: 01787 313995
HSE priced publications are also available from good booksellers.
For other enquiries ring HSE's InfoLine Tel: 0541 545500,
or write to HSE's Information Centre, Broad Lane, Sheffield S3 7HQ
This leaflet is available in priced packs of 20, ISBN 0 7176 1696 7 n good practice which are not compulsory but which you may find helpful in considering what you need to do.
This publication may be freely reproduced, except for advertising, endorsement or commercial purposes. The information is current at 4/99. Please acknowledge the source as HSE.
INDG255(rev1) 4/99 C500
>
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Source: HSE
Working with Asbestos in Buildings
Essential advice for workers carrying out:
- Building maintenance
- Building repair
- Building refurbishment
- Building services
Asbestos: The hidden killer! Are you at risk?
What does this leaflet tell you and who is it for?
This leaflet tells you where you are most likely to find asbestos and how to protect yourself when working with it. It will be particularly useful for anyone involved in building maintenance, repair or refurbish-ment work, for instance, plumbers, carpenters and electricians. It will also be useful to other workers, not normally associated with the building trade; for instance computer installers, cabling installers, fire alarm installers and telecommunications engineers may also disturb asbestos during their work. Safety representatives may also find this leaflet useful.
What does asbestos do?
Breathing in asbestos fibres can eventually lead to a number of diseases. These include:
- asbestosis or fibrosis (scarring) of the lungs;
- lung cancer; and
- mesothelioma, a cancer of the inner lining of the chest wall or abdominal cavity.
There is no cure for asbestos-related diseases.
It is possible that repeated low-level exposures may lead to asbestos-related diseases, although high exposure for long periods is linked more clearly to these illnesses.
Many of those suffering today from asbestos-related diseases worked in the building trades. They were carpenters, joiners, shopfitters, plumbers, electricians, gas service engineers etc. They were exposed to asbestos fibres in their day-to-day work with asbestos materials or because work with asbestos was carried out near them.
What is asbestos?
There are three main types of asbestos - chrysotile, amosite and crocidolite; they are usually called white, brown and blue asbestos respectively. However, they cannot be identified just by their colour.
Blue and brown asbestos (the two most dangerous forms) have not been imported into the UK for nearly 20 years and are now banned by law.
What are the risks from asbestos?
Asbestos-related diseases are currently responsible for about 3000 deaths a year in Britain. There is usually a long delay between first exposure to asbestos and the first symptoms of disease. This can vary between 15 and 60 years. The vast majority of those now dying were exposed to asbestos during the 1950s and 1960s, before the current regulations were introduced.
Work with asbestos can release small fibres into the air. Breathing in these fibres can cause fatal diseases.
But provided the asbestos material is intact and in a position where it cannot be easily damaged, it will not pose a risk to health by releasing fibres into the air.
How does asbestos get into the body?
Although the body will get rid of most of the larger fibres that can enter the nose and mouth, tiny fibres can pass into the lower parts of the lung. They can stay there for years and in some cases work their way through the lung lining. The body naturally gets rid of any asbestos fibres that you might take in with food and water. Asbestos fibres cannot be absorbed through your skin.
What types of buildings are likely to contain asbestos?
Asbestos is likely to be in a building if:
- it was built or refurbished between 1950 and 1980 and particularly;
- if it also has a steel frame; and/or
- it has boilers with thermal insulation.
But you also need to bear in mind that asbestos cement has also been widely used since the 1950s.
Where is asbestos found in buildings?
The use of blue and brown asbestos has been banned since 1985, but many thousands of tonnes were used in buildings in the past. Much of this asbestos is still there and you cannot easily identify it from its appearance.
Its most common uses were:
- sprayed asbestos and asbestos loose packing - generally used as fire breaks in ceiling voids;
- moulded or preformed sprayed coatings and lagging - generally used in thermal insulation of pipes and boilers;
- sprayed asbestos mixed with hydrated asbestos cement - generally used as fire protection in ducts, firebreaks, panels, partitions, soffit boards, ceiling panels and around structural steel work;
- insulating boards used for fire protection, thermal insulation, wall partitions and ducts;
- some ceiling tiles;
- asbestos cement products, which can be compressed into flat or corrugated sheets; corrugated sheets are largely used as roofing and wall cladding; other asbestos cement products include gutters, rainwater pipes and water tanks;
- Steelwork coated with asbestos spray for fire protection. The photograph also shows a section of asbestos lagged pipework. The insulation on both has been partly removed.
- A ceiling coated with asbestos spray, which has been damaged by building work.
- Typical locations where lagging might be found.
- A typical asbestos insulation board ceiling.
- A severely damaged wall partition made of asbestos insulating board.
- some reinforced plastics, mastics and sealant;
- millboard, paper and paper products used for the insulation of electrical equipment. Asbestos paper has been used as a fireproof facing on wood fibreboard;
- certain textured coatings, decorative plasters and paints;
- asbestos ropes and cloth.
So what should you do?
Any asbestos materials on site should have been identified before work starts. Work with asbestos insulation, asbestos coatings and asbestos insulating board must normally be carried out by a licensed contractor. Ask 'Has the site been checked for asbestos?' If there is asbestos and you are likely to come into contact with it, get advice from those in charge before you start work. If you are in doubt about whether the material you are working with contains asbestos, STOP WORK, and find out.
If you come across any hidden or dusty materials which you suspect may contain asbestos, stop work and get advice. The person in charge of the job must find out if there is any asbestos on the site or assume that anything that looks like asbestos is asbestos. Identification of asbestos materials is not easy and you can only be sure if it has been tested by a specialist asbestos laboratory.
What should those in charge of the job do?
They must:
- decide whether or not the work needs to be carried out by a specialist asbestos removal contractor;
- assess the risk to your health from any work that you do, and decide what precautions you need to take;
- prevent your exposure to asbestos or reduce it to the lowest level possible by using suitable controls, banning the use of power tools, dampening the material, enclosing the work and using dust extraction equipment;
- give you information, instruction and training so that you know the risks and the precautions you should take;
- give you clean protective clothing to wear when you work with asbestos;
- make sure you are properly trained to use a mask (respirator) if you need one, you know how to fit it properly and that it's in good working order, clean and stored in a safe place;
- consult the health and safety representative, if there is one, about the control measures.
What can I do to protect myself?
Do:
- keep the asbestos materials damp while you work on them;
- use hand tools;
- use the personal protective equipment given to you, including a respirator (mask);
- clean up as you go, don't let waste pile up;
- clear up asbestos dust using a special 'Type H' vacuum cleaner or damp cloths;
- wash your hands and face when you take a break, and at the end of the day's work;
- put asbestos waste in suitable sealed container. You can use a heavy duty polythene bag, put it in a second bag and label it to show that it contains asbestos (remember asbestos waste needs to be taken to a licensed tip).
Don't:
- use power tools, they create more dust;
- take home overalls you have worn while working with asbestos to wash;
- eat or drink in the work area;
- smoke - the risk of cancer from asbestos is higher among smokers.
DON'T FORGET
Be alert at all times to the dangers of working with old materials that may contain asbestos. If you come across asbestos - stop work and tell your supervisor. Avoid exposure to all dust. Follow the advice in this leaflet and protect your health and that of your workmates. Encourage them to do the same.
More information
You can also find out more about working with asbestos from your safety representative, the nearest office of the Health and Safety Executive, or your Local Authority Environmental Health Department, which is listed in your telephone directory.
HSE pocket card
- Asbestos alert: Workers' card for building maintenance, repair and refurbishment workers INDG188p 1995 HSE Books
HSE priced and free publications are available by mail order from
HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 6FS.
Tel: 01787 881165 Fax: 01787 313995.
HSE priced publications are also available from good booksellers.
For other enquiries ring HSE's InfoLine Tel: 0541 545500,
or write to HSE's Information Centre, Broad Lane, Sheffield S3 7HQ.
This leaflet is available in priced packs of 10, ISBN 0 7176 1697 5, from HSE Books.
This leaflet tells you where you are most likely to find asbestos and how to protect yourself when working with it. It will be particuarly useful for anyone involved in building maintenance, repair or refurbishment work, for instance, plumbers,carpenters and electricians. It will also be useful to other workers, not normally associated with the building trade; for instance computer installers, cabling installers, fire alarm installers and telecommunications engineers may also disturb asbestos during their work. Safety representatives may also find this leaflet useful.
This leaflet contains notes on good practice which are not compulsory but which you may find helpful in considering what you need to do.
This publication may be freely reproduced, except for advertising, endorsement or commercial purposes. The information is current at 4/99. Please acknowledge the source as HSE.
Printed and published by the Health and Safety Executive INDG289 04/99 C750
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Source: HSE
Managing Asbestos in Workplace Building
Managing asbestos in workplace buildings : the hidden killer! Are you putting others at risk?
Managing asbestos materials in workplace buildings
If you own, manage or have responsibilities for a workplace building which may contain asbestos, you need to think about the risk of exposure to workers and others who may use the building. It is your job to manage that risk. A sound management strategy will help to ensure that you do not put others at risk. This guidance will help you decide how you should identify, assess and manage any asbestos materials on your premises.
ASBESTOS - THE DANGERS
Breathing in air containing asbestos dust can lead to asbestos-related diseases. These are mainly cancers of the chest and lungs.
Asbestos-related diseases are currently killing an estimated 3000 people a year in Great Britain. This number is expected to go on rising into the next century. There is no cure for asbestos-related diseases.
There is usually a long delay between first exposure to asbestos and the onset of disease. This can vary between 15-60 years. The vast majority of people now dying were exposed to asbestos during the 1950s and 1960s when the use of asbestos was widespread. But exposure is still occurring. Only by preventing these exposures now, will asbestos-related disease eventually be eradicated.
There are three main types of asbestos commonly called 'blue' (crocidolite), 'brown' (amosite) and 'white' (chrysotile). All are dangerous, but blue and brown asbestos are known to be more hazardous than white. They cannot be identified by their colour alone.
WHO IS AT RISK?
A quarter of the people now dying from asbestos-related diseases worked in the building trade. They were carpenters, joiners, electricians, shopfitters, plumbers etc. They may have breathed in asbestos dust during their day-to-day work with asbestos materials or because work with asbestos was carried out near them. Until recently it was thought that those now dying from asbestos-related diseases were exposed to large amounts of asbestos either regularly or during a single spell of work lasting from a few weeks to a few years. It is now thought possible that repeated low level exposures, such as could occur during routine repair work may also lead to asbestos-induced cancers. The scientific evidence on exactly what levels of exposure cause disease is unclear. But we do know the more asbestos dust inhaled the greater the risk to health. That is why it is important that everyone who works with asbestos should take the strictest precautions.
Many buildings still contain asbestos. So electricians, plumbers, building maintenance workers, shopfitters and carpenters may still be at risk when they carry out refurbishment, repairs, or maintenance work on buildings which contain asbestos. Other workers, not normally associated with the building trade may also routinely disturb asbestos. For instance computer installers, particularly cabling installers, fire alarm installers, window blind fitters, or telecommunication engineers could also be at risk.
Asbestos will only pose a risk to health if asbestos fibres are released into the air. They form a very fine dust which is often invisible to the naked eye.
Remember - the more asbestos dust inhaled the greater the risk to health.
WHERE IS ASBESTOS FOUND IN BUILDINGS?
Thousands of tonnes of asbestos were used in buildings in the past and much of it is still in place.
You are most likely to come across asbestos in these materials:
- sprayed asbestos and asbestos loose packing - generally used as fire breaks in ceiling voids;
- moulded or preformed sprayed coatings and lagging - generally used in thermal insulation of pipes, boilers;
- sprayed asbestos mixed with hydrated asbestos cement - ;generally used as fire protection in ducts, firebreaks, panels, partitions, soffit boards, ceiling panels and around structural steel work;
- insulating boards used for fire protection, thermal insulation, partitioning and ducts;
- some ceiling tiles;
- millboard, paper and paper products used for insulation of electrical equipment, asbestos paper has been used as a fire proof facing on wood fibre board;
- asbestos cement products, which can be compressed into flat or corrugated sheets. Corrugated sheets are largely used as roofing and wall cladding. Other asbestos cement products include gutters, rainwater pipes and water tanks;
- certain textured coatings.
Some of these materials are more vulnerable to damage and more likely to give off dust. In general the materials which contain a high percentage of asbestos are more easily damaged. The list on page 5 is roughly in the order of ease of fibre release. Sprayed coatings, lagging and insulating board are more likely to contain blue or brown asbestos. Asbestos insulation and lagging can contain up to 85% asbestos and is the material most likely to give off dust, though careless work with asbestos insulating board can result in equally high fibre release. On the other hand asbestos cement contains only 10%-15% asbestos. The asbestos is tightly bound into the cement and the material will only give off dust if it is damaged or broken.
MANAGING ASBESTOS
Finding out if you have a problem - is there asbestos in the building?
Asbestos is likely to be present if:
- the building was constructed or refurbished between 1950-1980; and particularly if it also
- has a steel frame; and/or
- has boilers with thermal insulation.
What you need to know:
- the location of the asbestos;
- the form of the asbestos (lagging, ceiling tiles, partition board etc);
- the condition of the asbestos;
- and preferably the type of asbestos (blue, brown, or white).
Look at the original building plans, they might tell you if and where asbestos was used. Ask the leaseholder, or the architects if you can track them down.
You might need to arrange to analyse samples of materials that you suspect contain asbestos. Do not break or damage material which may contain asbestos in an attempt to identify it. Samples should only be taken by taken by suitably trained people. They are likely to be suitably trained if the firm they work for is accredited by the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS), which was formerly known as the National Measurement Accreditation Service (NAMAS). They are generally listed in the Yellow Pages and other business directories under 'laboratories' or 'analytical research chemists'.
Assessing the condition of asbestos materials
There may be a risk of asbestos fibres being released into the air if:
- the material is being disturbed (for example if it is in a prominent position and prone to accidental damage);
- the surface of the material is damaged, frayed or scratched;
- surface sealants are peeling or breaking off;
- the material is becoming detached from its base (this is a particular problem with pipe and boiler lagging and sprayed coatings);
- protective coverings designed to protect the asbestos are missing 09;or damaged;
- there is asbestos dust or debris in the immediate surrounding area.
If any of these apply to asbestos materials in your building you will have to take action to either have it sealed, enclosed or removed.
Deciding what to do
Asbestos in good condition
If the asbestos is:
- in good condition; and
- is not likely to be damaged; and
- is not likely to be worked on;
It is safest to leave it in place and introduce a management system.
Asbestos in poor condition
If the asbestos is in poor condition or is likely to be damaged or disturbed you will need to decide whether it should be repaired, sealed, enclosed or removed. If you are unsure of the condition of the asbestos and cannot decide what action to take, seek specialist advice.
Taking action
Managing asbestos left in place
If you decide to leave asbestos that is in good condition in place, make a note of where it is, for example on your building plans or other records and keep this information up to date. Setting up a register of the location of asbestos materials in buildings is a good idea. But be aware that some hidden asbestos may still be present.
Label asbestos materials clearly with the asbestos warning sign, or use some other warning system (for example colour coding) so that those who need to know about the asbestos are effectively alerted to its presence. If you decide not to label the asbestos, you need to make sure that those who might work on the material know that it contains asbestos.
It can save time and confusion if you make a note of the location of non-asbestos material which could be mistaken for asbestos materials.
Repair and Removal
Some damaged asbestos can be made safe by repairing it and either sealing or enclosing it to prevent further damage. If you can do this safely, mark the area after you've repaired it and make sure it is on your list of asbestos locations.
If asbestos is likely to release dust and cannot be easily repaired and protected, or is likely to be disturbed during routine maintenance work remove it. Remember work on asbestos insulation and lagging, including sealing and removal, must normally be done only by a contractor licensed by HSE.
Checking what you've done
Make sure that you have an effective plan for inspecting asbestos materials left in place, including those you have sealed or enclosed, to ensure that the condition of the material has not changed. The period between inspections will depend on the type of material, its location and condition.
DISPOSAL OF ASBESTOS
Asbestos waste, whether it includes small amounts of waste or large scale removal by contractors, is subject to waste management controls set out in the Control of Pollution (Special Waste) Regulations 1980. From 1 September, these Regulations will be replaced by the 1996 Special Waste Regulations. Asbestos waste should be double-bagged in heavy duty polythene bags and clearly labelled with the label prescribed for asbestos before it is transported to the disposal site. The waste can only be disposed of at a site licensed to receive it.
WHAT THE LAW SAYS
The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 require employers to prevent the exposure of employees to asbestos. If this is not reasonably practicable the law says their exposure should be controlled to the lowest possible level. Before any work with asbestos is carried out, the Regulations require employers to make an assessment of the likely exposure of employees to asbestos dust. The assessment should include a description of the precautions which are to be taken to control dust release and to protect workers and others who may be affected by that work. If you are employing a contractor to work in your building make sure that either the work will not lead to asbestos exposures or that they have carried out this assessment and identified work practices to reduce exposures.
The Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 require that a contractor doing more than two hours work with asbestos lagging or asbestos coating must be licensed. But in view of the high risk associated with these materials HSE recommends that you use a licensed contractor regardless of the length of time the job is likely to take. You will able to get a list of HSE licensed contractors from your local HSE area office. (HSE offices are listed in the phone book.)
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 require the client to provide the planning supervisor with information about the project which is relevant to health and safety. This information might, for instance, include previous surveys of the building for asbestos. Not all projects come within the scope of these Regulations. For more information see the CDM Regulations leaflet.
WHAT YOU SHOULD TELL YOUR WORKERS/CONTRACTORS
Make sure that employees involved in building maintenance work and any contractors working on the premises know that the building contains or may contain asbestos, its type and location, and make sure they know the risks to their health if they disturb it. Make them aware of the asbestos register if you have one and the possibility of coming across hidden asbestos materials which might not be recorded on the register.
If workers/contractors do have to work on materials containing asbestos you must make sure that they know they are working with asbestos and what precautions they should take.
Make sure that they do:
- keep all unnecessary personnel out of the work area;
- take care not to create dust;
- keep the material wet, whenever possible;
- wear a suitable respirator and protective clothing;
- clean up with a vacuum cleaner which complies with BS 5415 (Type 'H').
Make sure they don't:
- break up large pieces of asbestos materials;
- use power tools - they create more dust;
- expose other workers who are not protected;
- take protective clothing home to wash.
Make sure workers and contractors know when they need to call in a specialist contractor licensed by HSE.
SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES
It is your duty to ensure the health and safety at work of your employees. They will often be able and willing to help you develop measures to do this. So it makes sense to consult them and find ways in which you and they can co-operate on health and safety.
If safety representatives have been appointed under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committee Regulations 1977, you must consult them on health and safety matters. The Regulations also require you to give them access to information relevant to the health and safety of the workers they represent, including any relating to potentially hazardous conditions.
OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION
HSE publications
- Asbestos Alert - A Workers Information Card for building, maintenance, repair and refurbishment workers IND(G)188(P) 1995
- Asbestos Dust - The Hidden Killer: Essential advice for building maintenance, repair and refurbishment workers IND(G)187(L) 1995
- CDM Regulations: How the Regulations affect you! PML 54 1995
- Construction Information Sheet No 39 Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994: The role of the client
- The Control of Asbestos at Work: Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 Approved Code of Practice L27 1993 ISBN 0 11 882037 0
- Work with Asbestos Insulation, Asbestos Coating and Asbestos Insulating Board: Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 Approved Code of Practice L28 1993 ISBN 0 11 882038 9
- Guidance on work with asbestos cement and asbestos insulating board is in preparation.
Department of Environment publications
- Asbestos Materials in Buildings 1991 ISBN 0 11 752370 4
- Special Waste Regulations 1996: How they affect you WP147 (available in England and Wales from Local Environment Agency offices and in Scotland from local Scottish Environmental Protection Agency offices)
HSE priced and free publications are available by mail order from:
HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 6FS
Tel: 01787 881165 Fax: 01787 313995
HSE priced publications are also available from good booksellers.
For other enquiries ring HSE's InfoLine Tel: 0541 545500
or write to HSE's Information Centre, Broad Lane, Sheffield S3 7HQ
This leaflet is available in priced in packs of 10 from HSE Books, ISBN 0 7176 1179 5. Single free copies are also available from HSE Books.
This leaflet contains notes on good practice which are not compulsory but which you may find helpful in considering what you need to do.
This publication may be freely reproduced, except for advertising, endorsement or commercial purposes. The information is current at 4/96. Please acknowledge the source as HSE.
IND(G)223(L) 8/96 C500
This article is also available in the following formats:
- Microsoft Word (72 kB)
- Adobe Acrobat (PDF) (343 kB)
Source: HSE
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