Wednesday, 2 April 2008
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires an employer to provide a safe workplace. Work with asbestos is covered by its own set of regulations - the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations. There are duties to prepare an asbestos risk assessment and to make written arrangements to protect those at risk in the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and to maintain workplace buildings/premises to protect occupants and workers under the Workplace Regulations 1992. Arrangements to deal with asbestos during refurbishment may also be required by the Construction Regulations 1994. It is intended that CAWR6 be amended by introducing a specific duty to manage the risk from asbestos-containing materials in premises. This specific duty will be supported by an approved code of practice and associated guidance. Our specialists will run an asbestos risk assessment and judge which is the best way to remove and dispose of the asbestos safely.The new regulation will create an explicit duty to assess and manage the risks from asbestos in premises. The risks will vary with circumstances, ranging from normal occupation of a building to the repair, refurbishment and demolition of the premises, and they will each need to be assessed. This assessment will be used to produce a management plan which details and records the actions to be undertaken to manage and reduce the risks from asbestos, so this is where the asbestos risk assessment team comes into play.
6 In order to have an effective asbestos management programme, it is necessary to establish clear lines of responsibility for the programme's management and implementation. A survey of the premises must be undertaken to locate and assess the ACMs. The results of the survey must be recorded in an easily retrievable form, which can then be used to make a risk assessment and draw up an asbestos risk assessment plan.
Labels: Asbestos Risk Assessment
