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Asbestos Removal London Case Study – Community Centre Projects – Aspen Gardens

Asbestos News — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:19:19 +0000

Client: Ayerst Environmental Ltd
Stakeholder: London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham
Location: Aspen Gardens Community Centre, London W6
Contractor: Deconstruct UK Ltd
Completion Date: April 2011
Sector: Public Buildings

Decontamination of asbestos from boiler house in local community centre.

About the project:

The calorifier vessels and pipework within the boiler room had been subjected to damage over the years and an effective repair was necessary. The damaged pipework was cleaned using h-type vacuum cleaners and ‘tac’ rags before being repaired using calico wrap and elastomeric paint. The boiler house was thoroughly decontaminated and the timber enclosure to the calorifiers was made good.

Project challenges:

This project was undertaken adjacent to a live Community Centre that was in constant use, so it was imperative that our operatives carried out the works as discretely as possible and conducted themselves professionally at all times. The access to the working area was directly off the public highway, so a secure timber hoarding had to be erected around the entrance to the boiler room.

An operative was stationed outside the entrance to the enclosure at all times, during working hours, to ensure that no unauthorised people entered the work area.

Download the Asbestos Removal case study for Aspen Gardens Community Centre here

Our Services:
Deconstruction Services
Demolition Services
Enabling Works
Asbestos Removal Services
Ground Works Services
Piling Services
Steelwork Installations
Builders Works
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For further information about our Asbestos Removal and Deconstruction services, please call 020 7734 6655 or email enquiries@deconstructuk.com

Asbestos raids for businesses

Asbestos News — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:01:22 +0000

Over the next few weeks, targeted asbestos inspections of businesses will be carried out.

Huntingdonshire District Council’s environmental and community health team, will be inspecting firms to ensure that businesses are not exposing their employees to potentially harmful asbestos fibres.

Businesses will also be inspected to ensure that they are complying with their duty to manage any asbestos which is present in their premises.

National figures show that about 4,000 deaths each year are related to asbestos diseases.

Executive councilor for healthy and active communities, Councillor Tom Sanderson, said:

“A pilot project carried out in 2009 revealed that around 40 per cent of businesses may not be complying with their duties under important legislation.”

There are four main diseases related to asbestos exposure, to learn more about these diseases, to receive guidance on how to manage asbestos and comply with regulations, or for any other information, the Health and Safety Executive have information relating to all asbestos queries.
Asbestos Industry News is the online voice for UK Asbestos News. The site covers information about asbestos management, asbestos surveying, asbestos removal, asbestos recruitment, asbestos claims, asbestos waste, asbestos legislation, asbestos inspection, asbestos related disease, asbestos training and much more. Visit www.asbestosindustrynews.co.uk, and subscribe to the RSS feed. or Subscribe to Asbestos Industry News by Email

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Five tonnes of toxic waste dumped in family’s driveway

Asbestos News — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:58:30 +0000

A Plympton family were ‘trapped’ in their home after five tonnes of potentially lethal asbestos containing waste was dumped outside their farm.

Emma and Simon Turpin, have four children and keep a number of animals on their farm, as they returned home on Wednesday they were shocked to find dangerous, toxic rubbish dumped in the lane leading to their house.

31 year old Emma said:

“My husband and our friend were trying to move the rubbish but then we found out it’s asbestos. I’m so worried; this is all just a nightmare.”

“We had to try and move it because it blocked us in our house and trapped me and my family. If anything happened to the kids or animals we wouldn’t have been able to get out.”

They variety of animals they keep on the farm include, 10 horses, chickens, dogs and cats.

Simon, aged 36 said:

“Our driveway is half a mile off the road to the house.”

“They’ve dumped it in the gateway and blocked the lane completely. We can’t get in or out.”

The couple have said that they believe two men in a white transit van with mesh on the back reversed into the lane that leads to their house and waited till dark before they dumped the waste, the waste consisted of rubble, fridge freezers and office chairs.

Emma continued:

“I can’t believe someone would have the audacity to do this. It’s such a pain.”

“The council have refused to move it because it’s asbestos so we’ve got to find a specialist company.”

Simon is a builder himself and said that he understands the removal process.

He said:

“I’m in the building trade. I know waste removers but no-one that would fly tip. I know what it costs to take the waste to a tip as well but now we’ve got to pay for it to be removed. People just don’t think. It’s selfish, stupid and all to save money.”

Emma, said this was not the first time fly-tipping had happened in the area.

“A few weeks ago a similar thing happened. A mile onto the moor rubbish was dumped. It could be a coincidence but I think it’s the same people.”

“There’s such lovely scenery here – why should it be ruined by rubbish?” The couple are appealing for anyone who may recognise the rubbish to come forward so no-one else is affected by fly-tipping.”

Simon added: “If anyone recognises the rubbish and knows who they paid to have it removed, they should ring the police so we can make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

A spokesman from South Hams District Council said:

“An inspector is investigating the fly-tipping at the farm. We have certain leads we are following up.”

Asbestos Industry News is the online voice for UK Asbestos News. The site covers information about asbestos management, asbestos surveying, asbestos removal, asbestos recruitment, asbestos claims, asbestos waste, asbestos legislation, asbestos inspection, asbestos related disease, asbestos training and much more. Visit www.asbestosindustrynews.co.uk, and subscribe to the RSS feed. or Subscribe to Asbestos Industry News by Email

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Developer fined for not securing construction site

Asbestos News — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:18:08 +0000

A partner in a Kent based development company, Allan Smith, has been prosecuted for ‘cutting corners’.

Allan Smith has been prosecuted after dangerous conditions were found on a demolition project in Dover; he had failed to carry out an asbestos assessment and did not secure the site.

Children were not prevented from accessing the site where asbestos may have been present.

The Canterbury Magistrates heard that in April of 2010 a former public house was purchased for development. Mr. Smith from ATS Developments was the principal contractor to demolish the building.

The Health and Safety Executive received a complaint when an inspector visited in October 2010. According to the inspector there were children playing on the site whilst the building was partially demolished and the site unfenced.

A public footpath also ran across the land.

HSE investigations found that there had been no asbestos survey undertaken prior to demolition and this remained the case even after the HSE sent a letter to the partners stating that, a survey needed to be carried out.

On the 8^th of October 2010 an Improvement Notice was served about the site security.

This failure to follow the correct guidelines about risks to workers and the public is caused by ‘cutting corner’.

Allan Smith, of Deal, Kent, pleaded guilty to Regulation 5 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 and Regulation 27(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007. He was fined £7,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,000.

Caroline Penwill, a HSE Inspector, spoke after the hearing:

“Mr Smith did not think about the risks he may have exposed his workers and members of the public to by cutting corners.

Before anyone undertakes any demolition works they must consider whether asbestos is present and take precautionary steps such as carrying out an asbestos survey.

The site was also very unsecure and exposed local children to the hazards of a building site. What makes this case all the more disappointing is that Mr. Smith continued to work after the HSE advised him to undertake an asbestos survey.”

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Asbestos in schools “A national scandal”

Asbestos News — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:25:18 +0000

An all-party group is calling for a scheme to remove asbestos from schools.

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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Waltham Forest council leaves residents in the dark about asbestos findings

Asbestos News — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:20:23 +0000

Walthamstow residents were in uproar last week after asbestos warning signs were posted.

The residents were angry and concerned after signs were put up across the road, warning people about asbestos in the area.

Asbestos warning signs were erected after construction workers, who were rebuilding the Lloyds Park next to the William Morris Gallery, found a slab containing the dangerous material underneath a demolished bowls alley.

The council decided to remove the asbestos but did not notify the residents living in Winns Terrace, the road opposite the construction site.

Chair of the Winns Terrace Residents Association, James Pitman, said:

“I was absolutely furious when we found out what was going on. The only reason we knew that there was asbestos at all was because an asbestos van turned up outside.”

“On further inspection we then discovered the signs on the fencing of the park that clearly read ‘WARNING: ASBESTOS. KEEP OUT’. Of course, none of us know anything about asbestos so we immediately presumed the worse.”

He went onto say that:

“Open dumper trucks come down our road on a regular basis and they are full of concrete waste and rubble. We were very concerned that a JCB seen removing rubble from the fenced asbestos area was a possible danger to residents as it went down our road.”

“We have an old aged pensioner who lives only 40 metres from the site, and the fact that no one thought to inform us of the find is disgusting.”

A Cabinet Member for Leisure, Arts and Culture, Geraldine Reardon, said:

“The council has written to local people apologising for any concern that was caused regarding the asbestos removal work that was safely carried out in Lloyd Park last week.”

“In retrospect the council should have advised residents that contractors would be removing asbestos from the site prior to work taking place. “

“That said, our contractors have taken all precautions necessary to ensure the safety of the surrounding public and of operatives working on the construction site and the council is entirely confident that the work was carried out successfully and that no one was put at risk.”

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Blind eye turned on Asbestos in Schools

Asbestos News — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:56:20 +0000

Asbestos, the workplace killer, has been a around for years and the danger of it has also been known.

In 1985 it came about that the use of blue and brown asbestos was no longer allowed, and the two type of asbestos was banned. It was only white asbestos which was allowed to be used until 1999; it then received the same treatment as the other types of asbestos.

Unfortunately, asbestos has caused numerous for many years now, the main deaths being caused by mesothelioma or asbestosis.

In 2011 the Supreme Court heard that Diana Williams had been negligently exposed to asbestos at school which led to her tragic death from mesothelioma in 2009. The court accepted evidence in which is said there was no safe level of exposure to asbestos.

Despite this, a report by The Independent on Sunday has shown that in the forthcoming audit of our 23,000 school buildings around the country, an investigation to determine the use of asbestos and also the risks it may pose is not going to take place.

The main reason for the investigation not taking place is that these surveys which will be compiled, after the investigation has been done, will give rise to the need to remedy numerous buildings at great cost.

A very frightening thought, will the government turn a blind eye or will these surveys take place? It would be a wise thought for the government to re-think this important detail.

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Coroner said: Asbestos was like “capital punishment for being a hard worker”

Asbestos News — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:58:19 +0000

An investigation into the asbestos related death of a former Crewe Works employee has revealed horrifying truths.

William Martin, worked as a fitter and turner on the railway between 1956 and 1988. He had been taken on as an apprentice, following in the footsteps of both his father and brother.

He died on the 4^th of August,2011, at the age of 70, he was suffering from lung disease. At his inquest on Friday the coroner heard how the workers were exposed to the dangerous fibres daily, linked to a number of diseases.

In a ‘life statement’ read out in court, William spoke about workers attitude towards asbestos, he also mentioned how often they were exposed to it.

His ‘life statement’ read:

“Asbestos was in the atmosphere all the time. You couldn’t help but inhale it.”

“You could see it, the dust particles in the rays of sunlight. Some of the asbestos would still be clinging to the boilers. It would be on my hands. But it was a job I enjoyed.”

“I do recall having blue asbestos on my sandwich – it was everywhere. At the end of the day my overalls would be covered thick with asbestos dust. We would not be provided with any masks.”

William took redundancy in 1988 and went onto work as a steward at Coppenhall WMC.

Dr Janet Napier, deputy coroner for Cheshire described the exposure to asbestos was like “capital punishment for being a hard worker”.

She said his death was caused by a combination of natural and industrial diseases. His post mortem revealed asbestos had contributed to his lung disease.

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Tributes to mum killed by asbestos cancer

Asbestos News — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:44:19 +0000

A devastated husband whose wife died of an asbestos-related cancer has called for more awareness of the disease.

Brenda Foxley, 65, of Elm Grove Drive, Dawlish, is believed to have come into contact with asbestos during her working life as an accounts clerk in Stockport.

She died in Dawlish Hospital on April 11, 2011.

An inquest in Torquay heard how Mrs Foxley regularly visited a factory floor where asbestos lagging was present to deliver wage packets to staff when she worked as an accounts cleric from 1961 to 1967.

The mum of two died just five months after being diagnosed with mesothelioma at the end of 2010.

Coroner Mr Ian Arrow recorded a verdict of death by industrial disease.

Brenda’s distraught husband, Bill, is calling for more awareness, particularly for those whose profession was not directly linked to the deadly substance but could have come into contact with it.

Bill, 72, said: “Brenda was a lovely woman, she was my wife and my best friend. We had been together for 48 years and married for 45 of those.

“I think many people believe asbestos only affects those who came into direct contact with it, such as removing it, but as my wife’s case shows, that is not always the case.

“Brenda only had five months after she was diagnosed and she suffered terribly.

“It was a massive shock and devastated the whole family. Myself and my two children are struggling to come to terms with the fact Brenda is no longer with us.”

Helen Grady, a workplace injury expert at Irwin Mitchell’s Bristol office, is representing the family.

She said: “Even in the 1960s employers knew of the risks associated with asbestos and the dangers of inhaling lethal fibres.

“Mesothelioma is an asbestos-related cancer for which there is, sadly, no cure.

“Although it can take upwards of 20 years from exposure to onset of the illness, once diagnosed it can be very aggressive and painful.”

Source: This is South Devon

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Asbestos Surveying and Consultancy Services Manchester – Redhills Regional Capability Profile

Asbestos News — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:41:18 +0000

LOCATION

Address:

2nd Floor
Holinwood Business Centre
Albert Street
Oldham
OL8 3QL
Contact: 0161 684 2333

manchester@redhills.co.uk

BACKGROUND

Redhills first opened an office in the North of England in 2006. The office was developed in Leeds and due to client base and staff home locations the office was moved to Manchester in 2008. Due to expansion of the client base and workforce and our Manchester Office becoming the regional centre for our other Northern Offices in Newcastle and Scotland in 2011 we moved the office to a larger location with space to set up a laboratory which facilitates further expansion.

In May 2011 we achieved UKAS Accreditation for our bulk analysis laboratory. The office is run by an experienced team and continues to grow, servicing both a mature existing client base and a new developing client base.

SERVICES

We deliver the following services from the Manchester Office:‐

Asbestos Management / Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys in line with our UKAS ISO 17020 Accreditation and HSG 264
Asbestos Compliance Monitoring and Four Stage Clearance in line with our UKAS ISO 17025 Accreditation
Asbestos Bulk Analysis in UKAS ISO 17025 Accredited laboratory
Asbestos Bulk Sampling (reactive and programmed) in line with our UKAS ISO 17025 Accreditation (Laboratory Analysis in our own UKAS accredited laboratory)
Asbestos Compliance ‐ Re‐inspection Surveys, Management Plans, Policy and Procedures, Gap Analysis, Awareness Training
Asbestos Project Management and Consultancy ‐ Client Meetings, Scope and Specification Production, Project Management of Abatement Works.

To view the complete Capability Profile for Redhills – Manchester, click here:

Redhills is part of the Silverdell PLC Group of companies We work with major organisations in the UK whose executives have a duty to protect people, assets and reputation. Redhills provides peace of mind through its Specialist Environmental Support Services, majoring on asbestos management and compliance monitoring. Which means that our Clients know their interests are always protected.

For further information please visit www.redhills.co.uk

Further information on Silverdell Plc can be found at www.silverdell.plc.uk

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