As well as providing advice on how you should manage your asbestos - from conducting surveys to creating a management plan and training - the key talking points from the podcast is the need for a good management plan that forms part of a holistic approach to the management of a building portfolio and not a standalone area of compliance.
It is important that all those involved in the management of your buildings are aware of the presence of asbestos and where it is. The HSE remind us that the requirements of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 is to manage asbestos (and this does not necessarily always mean removal) by putting in place a programme of regularly reviewing the condition of your known asbestos containing materials and keeping an up to date asbestos register that is available to all who need to see it.
They also remind us that the most likely persons to disturb asbestos are those working on the buildings, particularly contractors, who should be given information on your asbestos register before they arrive on site and it’s not enough to just rely on the register being available on the day.
The podcast is a useful reminder of the importance of managing asbestos, which is still the biggest cause of industrial death and disease in the UK and many other parts of the world, and the tools available from the HSE to support you in putting in place and implementing a management plan.
A link to the podcast is - The duty to manage asbestos in buildings | The HSE Podcast (podbean.com)
So, it’s a good opportunity to listen to this informative podcast and ask yourself:
- Do I know where all my asbestos is and what condition it is in?
- Does everyone else who may come into contact with asbestos in my building know where it is?
- Have I got a suitable management plan and is it being effectively implemented?
- Has everyone who needs it received adequate asbestos training?
For support with all the above and more, Assurity Consulting have a team of asbestos consultants who can provide expert advice on all areas of your operational asbestos management.