The results for the Great British Asbestos in Buildings Survey 2011 are now available.  The annual industry wide survey, carried out by the UKAS Accredited Asbestos Campaign www.asbestosinspectionbodies.co.uk , provides a comprehensive and accurate picture of the level of awareness of Asbestos in Buildings within the built environment industry.

Download the Asbestos Survey results here

The Survey was completed throughout 2011 by a wide range of professionals representing a range of business sizes and disciplines from across the UK.

Overall it would appear that many commercial businesses have asbestos management procedures in place but there are some significant gaps in terms of knowledge of responsibilities, provision of information and training and this is demonstrated by the number of people that have confirmed that they have disturbed asbestos during their activities.  For Residential buildings the management of asbestos doesn’t seem to be as strong and although Regulation 4 is not applicable to residential buildings the other regulations are.

For surveys there is still approximately 25% not being completed in line with guidance and this can lead to poor surveys, a lack of comeback in terms of complaints procedures and insurances and ultimately could increase the risk of personnel being exposed to asbestos where not identified properly.

It is clear from the survey that although some progress has been made in raising awareness of asbestos management procedures and getting personnel trained there is still a large amount of work that needs to be done to ensure people are not exposed to asbestos.

What do you think about the results?  We are keen to invite debate.  You can comment on the website at www.asbestosinspectionbodies.co.uk or join our LinkedIn Group (UKAS Accredited Asbestos Inspection Firms)

The full report is now available to download (PDF document) at www.asbestosinspectionbodies.co.uk

A primary school in Scotland will be closed until at least Monday after asbestos was found in the building.

Pupils at Edinburgh’s Flora Stevenson Primary School, in Stockbridge area, were evacuated in mid-morning yesterday after the substance was discovered in the walls during routine work. The asbestos had apparently been disturbed whilst builders were installing a new door.

Parents were contacted via text message to collect their children from Broughton High School where the 447 pupils were evacuated too.

Mike Rosendale, the council’s head of schools, said that a “small quantity of asbestos” had been disturbed, but that the health and safety of pupils was of “paramount importance”, so the decision had been taken to evacuate all pupils as a precaution.

The school’s nursery, which is housed in a separate building, remained open. Following a further inspection of the building, Mr Rosendale, said last night that the property had been deemed safe to re-enter:

“An independent inspection was carried out this afternoon and has indicated that the building is safe. A full clean will now take place with the aim of re-opening the school on Monday.

“We would like to thank all parents and staff for their co-operation and assistance.”

A spokeswoman from the council said that a final decision as to when the school will be opened would be made today; parents will be informed as soon as possible. Asbestos is now known to be potentially harmful if inhaled although it was previously used as an insulator.

One parent, who asked not to be identified, said they had not been told what the problem was when they arrived to pick up their children:

“I didn’t ask to be honest. I just picked up my child. It was very orderly; you were called in depending on your year group and just checking with the teacher to pick your child.”

She added that she was “not overly concerned” by the discovery and was sure the school would explain the circumstances in the near future.

Hugh Duffy, a member of the school’s parent council, expressed similar confidence: “I’m quite involved with the parent council, so I trust them. If they say it’s not safe, then it’s not safe.

“We’ve had days where ceilings have collapsed, toilets have been flooded, all sorts of things over the years, and we’ve just always known that they’ve got the kids’ interests at heart.”

The work had been undertaken outside of school hours, but the problem was raised after a morning inspection.

This report, from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health, exposes the level of danger from asbestos in Britain’s schools, and makes a compelling case for urgent action. It not only outlines the problem but makes six clear and simple recommendations on how future asbestos exposure in schools can be prevented.

Published by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Health and Safety the report makes six clear recommendations:

Report Recommendations

The All-Party Group recommends that:

• The Government should set a programme for the phased removal of asbestos from all schools, with priority being given to those schools where the asbestos is considered to be most dangerous or damaged.

• Standards in asbestos training should be set and the training should be mandatory. The training should be properly funded.

• It is recommended that the DfE and HSE jointly develop asbestos guidance specifically for schools and that current standards be reviewed.
• A policy of openness should be adopted. Parents, teachers and support staff should be annually updated on the presence of asbestos in their schools and the measures that are being taken to manage it.
• Pro-active inspections to determine the standards of asbestos management should be reinstated, with a view to reducing future costs.

• Data should be collected centrally on the extent, type and condition of asbestos in schools and this becomes an integral part of the data collection of the condition of the nation’s schools.

Commenting on a report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health (APPG) which exposes the dangerous levels of asbestos in schools Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union, said:

“We wholeheartedly welcome the intervention of the APPG on the issue of asbestos in schools. As the Chair of the Committee, Jim Sheridan MP, said, it is indeed a national scandal that asbestos continues to be present in our schools.

“The NUT was the first teachers’ union to campaign to have asbestos removed from schools and yet despite the problem being brought to the attention of successive governments, it is still the case that asbestos remains in most schools.

“Asbestos does not just harm, it kills, which makes it quite unbelievable that as a country we allow children and staff in schools to be exposed to it.

“The APPG has made six eminently sensible recommendations. Now is the time for the Government to stop burying its head in the sand, acknowledge the extent of the problem and begin to address it.”

The report can be downloaded from the NUT website:

http://www.teachers.org.uk/node/14925

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MPs and peers have said that the presence of asbestos in most UK state schools constitutes a “national scandal”.

After studying estimates which suggest the material was present in more than 75% of state schools, an all-party group now wants to implement a scheme to remove the asbestos.

In the past 10 years more than a 140 teachers have died from the asbestos-related cancer, mesothelioma, which is primarily caused by exposure to asbestos.

Education chiefs are saying that it is unacceptable for schools to ignore guidance but that undamaged asbestos should not be disturbed.

In 2010 the Department for Education (DfE) revealed that its “best estimate” was that more than three-quarters of schools contain asbestos.

Chairman for the Parliamentary group on Occupational Safety and Health, Jim Sheridan said:

“This is a national scandal.”

“Urgent action is needed to prevent more pupils, teachers and other staff being exposed to this deadly killer dust.

He went onto say:

“We need both far greater awareness of the risks that this material poses and a programme for its phased removal.”

The group also recommended that parents, teachers and staff should be updated annually about asbestos in their schools, and the inspections into asbestos management should be reinstated.

The Department for Education said:

“If asbestos is not disturbed or damaged, then it is safer to leave it in situ, with strong systems in place to contain and monitor it”

Asbestos was often used in fireproofing and insulation from the 1950s until the mid – 1980s. It becomes dangerous when disturbed and if the fibres are inhaled it can cause fatal mesothelioma and debilitating asbestosis.

US researchers have found that for every death of a teacher from asbestos-related disease, nine children will die. Children are more vulnerable as they have longer than adults to develop diseases related to the material.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have said that, inhaling asbestos is the single greatest cause of work-related deaths in the UK, accounting for 4000 deaths annually.

A DfE spokesman said the welfare of pupils and staff was paramount.

“It is unacceptable for any school not to comply with the strict statutory asbestos guidance – no ifs or buts,” he said.

But he added:

“HSE’s expert advice is based on the best current evidence.”

“It is absolutely clear that if asbestos is not disturbed or damaged, then it is safer to leave it in situ, with strong systems in place to contain and monitor it.”

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The hospital failed to implement effective controls to manage asbestos after a survey in 2004 found the substance in stairwells and lift shafts. The unsafe practices, which required maintenance workers to operate in these areas, continued until 2009, when they were quickly identified by the hospital’s new Health Board and reported to the HSE.

However, the HSE was powerless to pursue a prosecution over the asbestos breaches because of a legislative error, which failed to ensure that issues of previous corporate criminal responsibility were transferred to the Hywel Dda Local Health Board when it was created – along with six others – in 2009, as part of NHS reforms in Wales.

The chief executive of NHS Wales, David Sissling, has now commissioned an independent review into the management of asbestos at the hospital, so that lessons can be learned for the wider organisation. The review will be undertaken alongside the ongoing investigation by the HSE and the internal inquiry by the Health Board.  

Announcing the Government’s review yesterday (24 November), Mr Sissling said: “I felt that it was important to instigate this review to see if there are lessons that can be learnt in the handling of asbestos, both specifically for Bronglais Hospital and also, more broadly, for the NHS in Wales.”

“Once we have the findings and recommendations, I will consider what further action will be required if any.”

The independent review will seek to:

• identify the key events between 2004 and 2009 that contributed to the issues in relation to the management of asbestos;
• evaluate the key events and identify any significant shortcomings in relevant actions, or inactions;
• review the actions of Hywel Dda Local Health Board in its response to the HSE’s investigation, and consider if further actions are required to ensure that appropriate systems and processes are in place;
• recommend the key lessons to be learned by NHS Wales; and
• consider further appropriate processes or actions on any significant corporate or individual managerial failings.

A spokesperson for Hywel Dda Health Board said: “We will fully cooperate with this review, as we have done with the HSE since this matter came to light. Significant work has already been undertaken to ensure asbestos is effectively managed across all our premises.”

The review will be conducted by Clive Grace, former director-general for the Audit Commission Wales and chief executive of Torfaen County Borough Council. A final report on the findings and recommendations of the independent review will be submitted to the Mr Sissling by 30 January 2012.

Source: SHP

Traces of asbestos were found at Belvedere Infant School, in Mitchell Close, on November 17 and the school was closed as a safety precaution the following day.

All lessons have been suspended until December 1 and the school itself is not expected to open again until February next year.

Bexley Council is working with the school to provide alternative arrangements for children while the school remains closed.

The school assures parents children will be taught in the same class groups and by the same teachers when the school re-opens.

Headteacher Linda Mulley said: “This is an unexpected period of disruption for our children and I appreciate the patience that children, parents and carers have shown while we are putting final arrangements in place.

“I can assure parents and carers that while this is going on their children will continue to receive the same high level of education from their own teachers and teaching assistants.”

Tests were initially carried out on a small quantity of dust found in the hall but specialists have confirmed no trace of asbestos has been found in the air.

Extensive building work will see all damaged materials removed from the school and replaced with asbestos free alternatives.

The school teaches 240 youngsters aged between 4 and 7.

Source: News Shopper

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The survey was developed in conjunction with the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) the organisation that currently accredits over 100 asbestos inspection bodies to carry out asbestos surveys.

The survey was promoted across all industries via the UK’s leading trade associations and trade unions, membership organisations and industry institutions.  Tradesmen, building occupiers, dutyholders, clients, FM’s, property managers of non-domestic buildings were encouraged to take the survey.

We had an overwhelming response and would like to thank all of those that took the survey.

Survey findings and results are being collated and these will be available in the next couple of weeks.

Please subscribe to this blog to receive updates and announcements from UKAS Accredited Inspection Firms.

You can also contact us on 0870 199 4044 if you have any questions or would like to learn more about the AIB (Asbestos Inspection Bodies) blog.

The failings came to light on 24 February 2010 when a lecturer became trapped in a room after a door lock broke. She enlisted the help of a colleague to release her and once freed, they noticed debris around the door handle.

They notified the university’s health and safety department which examined the door and others in the area, and discovered most were lined with asbestos insulating board (AIB), and that some were damaged.

The university notified the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which carried out its own investigation. It was found that a number of areas across the university’s estate had been subject to asbestos surveys over a number of years and many areas were found to contain asbestos-containing materials or even asbestos debris, yet no remedial action had been taken.

Lincoln University Higher Education Corporation, of Brayford Pool, Lincoln, pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching Regulation 5(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court today. The university was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £12,759 costs.

After the hearing at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court HSE inspector Edward Walker said:

“Exposure to asbestos fibres is a well known health hazard that results in approximately 4,000 deaths a year.

“The university had an asbestos management plan but had failed to follow it and failed to take appropriate steps to manage the risks associated with asbestos over a number of years, putting staff, students and contractors at risk of potential exposure.”

Source: HSE

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The compliance checks were carried out at 164 voluntary aided and foundation schools and also academies. The 17% failure shows that 28 out of the 164 schools had inadequate management plans, however, another 110 schools received formal advice on how there was room for improvement with regards to their management plans.

Enforcement action taken against the 28 schools was not due to the danger of exposure for teachers and pupils, it was the failure to provide adequate training to staff and also not being able to produce and show inspectors management plans, which caused these failings.

Head of HSE’s public services sector, Geoff Cox said:

“Most schools were able to demonstrate good levels of awareness and compliance with the asbestos regulations and that’s encouraging, but this inspection initiative did highlight that there is still confusion in some schools over roles and responsibilities.”

Compliance with the control of asbestos Regulations (2006) in England, Scotland and Wales was broadly similar to that found in a survey and inspection program involving local authority controlled schools in 2009-10.

The HSE went onto say:

“We took action where schools had fallen below acceptable standards and we are working across the education sector to raise awareness and find ways to make it clearer for schools to understand their legal responsibilities. It is important to stress that asbestos which is properly managed, remains undamaged and is not disturbed is not a cause for concern. Those most at risk of disturbing asbestos are tradesmen or general maintenance workers so it is essential they know where asbestos is and that there work is carefully planned and managed.”

The HSE have not said that they experienced any schools to be in an unstable position with asbestos management and exposure, according to the HSE asbestos which is in a good condition and remains undamaged will not pose as any significant threat to health.

Asbestos which is in a good condition should not become a significant risk if it is handled by a licensed contractor in compliance with the legal requirements.

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The project involved the demolition of a building which had a restaurant on the ground floor and flats above; the project was being supervised by a Fadil Adil from South East London. The HSE have prosecuted the contractor for running a construction site which led to workers being exposed to asbestos-containing-material.

The demolition took place between the 21^st to the 29^th of June 2010, where asbestos insulating boards were present in the ground floor restaurant ceilings. The ceilings were broken up by three workmen using sledgehammers and hand-operated breakers meaning there is a strong possibility that the workmen were exposed to asbestos fibres.

An investigation by the HSE found that the defendant did not have a licence permitting him to work with asbestos nor was he trained in construction management.

HSE regulations state that an asbestos survey needs to be carried out on construction sites where asbestos might be present; this will ensure that guidance and training is provided to the workmen in order to make them aware of asbestos containing areas. Investigation found that there was no survey and that workers were not informed.

Ian Seabrook, an HSE Inspector said:

“Sadly, this kind of incident is all too familiar because the defendant’s actions meant that his colleagues were more than likely exposed to asbestos fibres. The dangers of asbestos are well known; it is the single greatest cause of work-related deaths in the UK with around 1,000 tradesmen dying each year from asbestos-related diseases.”

He went onto say:

“Anyone working with these sorts of materials has to commission an asbestos survey to ascertain the level of work needed and then have asbestos removed in a controlled manner by a licensed contractor.”

At the City of London Magistrates’ Court today, Fadil Adil pleaded guilty to breaching the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006, and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007. He was fined £19,300 and ordered to pay costs of £7,654.

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