So you've had an asbestos survey done of your property. Great another tick in the box, or is it? Actually no, a survey is only the start. To actually comply with the law you need to manage the asbestos you’ve now found you have.
A common an error, we see time and again, is building managers taking the asbestos survey and leaving it in a draw gathering dust, all the while thinking they’ve done what is necessary.
The asbestos survey should go some way to assessing the risks from the asbestos in your building, but you may need to have some input with regard to how likely the asbestos containing materials are likely to be disturbed by people who are using the building.
You’ll now need to think about what you are going to do to protect people from exposure to the asbestos in your building.
You may need to:
repair or seal the material to stop fibre release;
or, you may need to remove it completely;
perhaps you can use some measure to protect it from being damaged in future;
make sure anyone who needs to is made aware of its presence, particularly maintenance workers;
and much more.
You will likely also need to think how long ago did you have your survey done, if it was over 12 months you’ll need to look again at the materials to see if they have been damaged or deteriorated.
So in conclusion, the asbestos survey is only the start. It’s the first step in putting together an asbestos management plan that will ensure your asbestos containing materials stay safe and you stay compliant.
Independent Environmental are experts in writing management plans for all kinds of businesses and would be happy to give you a quote in this regard. We also provide UKATA Duty to Manage Training to help you write your own.
By Brett
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