Blog

Asbestos Awareness Campaign

1 December 2003

We are continuing to support HSE, by publicising their Asbestos Awareness Campaign. This is part of our remit to improve health & safety in the construction industry with audited management information systems. The article "The Duty to Manage Asbestos", written by the HSE, contains much advice and guidance for everyone involved in the subject.

A key issue is that many buildings managers are both unaware that they have responsibilities for Asbestos and are not briefed on how they should approach the issue and do not understand the restricted timescale the new law will give them to carry out their duties. This, coupled with the inadequate resources for surveying Asbestos in the UK, adds up to a mix that is likely to go badly wrong for a majority of building managers unless they tune into their new duties quickly. The HSE have a briefing programme to help manage this.

Asbestos Articles

Please see related Asbestos articles:

• Asbestos Awareness Campaign - Brian Trevette - Special Edition, February 2003
• Asbestos Awareness Campaign - Brian Trevette - December 2002
• Asbestos Awareness Campaign - Brian Trevette - July, 2002
• Asbestos Awareness Campaign - Brian Trevette - May, 2002
• Asbestos Awareness Special - Brian Trevette - April, 2002
• Asbestos Awareness Campaign - Brian Trevette - February, 2002
• Asbestos Awareness Campaign - Brian Trevette - August, 2001
• Asbestos Awareness Campaign - Brian Trevette - March, 2001
• Asbestos Dust Kills - HSE - April, 1999
• Working with Asbestos in Buildings - HSE - April 1999
• Managing Asbestos in Workplace Building - HSE - August, 1996

Supporting Guidance Material from the HSE

For more information on the following material, please contact Brian Trevette, HSE's Campaign Manager on 020 7717 6443, or email brian.trevette@hse.gsi.gov.uk.

Asbestos Essentials

A two part publication, issued 30 April 2001, providing the tools necessary to ensure that building maintenance work involving asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) is carried out safely and in accordance with the law.

MDHS 100
'Surveying, Sampling and Assessment of Asbestos-Containing Material'

Provides guidance on how to survey workplace premises for asbestos, and how to record the results. Launched on 30 July 2001 the publication has been produced as a standard for people carrying out – or commissioning – asbestos surveys in buildings.

Managing Asbestos in Premises

A free booklet, replacing 'Managing Asbestos in Workplace Buildings', is scheduled for publication in September 2001. It will provide practical guidance to small and medium sized enterprises on the means of complying with the new duty to manage the risks from asbestos in premises.

Asbestos Awareness Campaign Website

The HSE's Asbestos Awareness Campaign Website can be found here.