Residents of an asbestos-riddled tower block will be asked to leave their homes, as Southwark Council considers plans to sell the building off to private developers.

The Bermondsey block is being considered for sale because the £12.2million cost of making it “decent” is “very difficult to justify,” according to a report.

The ‘News’ revealed in March this year how council officers had prepared a report that advocated that the block be sold to private developers, but they had crucially “failed” to consult with the residents who would be affected by such a move.

Extensive consultation has since taken place with most of the occupants living in the 144 flats. Though no decision has been taken on the future of Maydew House, Abbeyfield Estate, a report to be considered by the Cabinet next week makes it apparent that the favoured option is to sell the building as quickly as possible.

The report states that the cost of the alternative – bringing the block up to standard – represents more than a quarter of the total £40million budget for all housing refurbishments across the borough.

If the Cabinet does decide to refurbish the block, the five leaseholders could also be landed with bills of more than £80,000. The report states: “Investment of this level represents a significant and disproportionate pressure for the decent homes budget and given the housing investment gap is considered to be very difficult to justify.”

As a result of the large amount of asbestos found prior to the report, the building would have to be emptied to allow its removal, so residents will have to leave their homes whether the council decides to sell it or refurbish it.

On Tuesday, the Cabinet is expected to agree with the officers’ recommendation that all residents are immediately re-housed, with all secure tenants being placed on Band One – top priority – of the council’s housing search scheme. The ‘News’ also understands that a new development, Montreal House, at Canada Water, will be ringfenced for the secure tenants to move to if they wish.

Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Ian Wingfield, told the ‘News’: “For this meeting the main priority is the residents. They must come first before any decision on the block is taken.”

A decision on the future of the block, whether to sell or not, is expected to be taken after the council receives a report from the London Fire Brigade. Work on the prospects for the entire Abbeyfield Estate is also currently underway, with an appraisal being conducted by architects Levitt Bernstein and cost consultants BPTW.

This stems from the original report in January, which stated that Maydew’s neighbouring blocks, Damory and Thaxted Courts, “could be included in a sale” as “risk mitigation” – making the deal more attractive for developers.

Image and Editorial Source: Oliver Pugh Southwark News

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Breakdown of schools containing asbestos by Unitary Authority in Wales; 2009 figs:

• Anglesey: 55/57
• Blaenau Gwent: 30/36
• Bridgend: 55/70
• Caerphilly: 75/89
• Cardiff: 122/130
• Camarthenshire: 126/132
• Ceredigion: 62/76
• Conwy: 60/69
• Denbighshire: 56/61
• Flintshire: 58/86
• Gwynedd: 112/120
• Merthyr: 27/30
• Monmouth: 34/39
• Neath Port-Talbot: 69/82
• Newport: 54/55 – 54 out of 55 schools in the county may contain asbestos: “Type 2 asbestos surveys have been carried out on all Newport schools, which show the presence of asbestos in readily accessible areas.
• Only a Type 3 survey, which involves intrusive investigation and considerable damage to the fabric of the building, would be likely to identify all asbestos. For this reason, it is not possible to say with certainty how many schools contain asbestos.”

Pembrokeshire: Unknown – There are 74 schools in the county. The council said it does not hold information on how many schools contain asbestos. “However, we can confirm asbestos is present, in some form, in schools built prior to 1980.”

• Powys: 99/120 – Only Type 2 surveys have been carried out in the county.
• Rhondda Cynon Taf: 132/146
• Swansea: 99/103
• Torfaen: 38/39
• Vale of Glamorgan: 55/60
• Wrexham: 63/74

You can watch the full news report by clicking here: ITV Wales News

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Plans for a massive revamp of the council-owned venue – one of the mainstays of the Fringe – have suffered a series of funding problems since they were unveiled in 2006.

The £12 million project was hit by a major blow when it failed to win £2.7m of lottery funding earlier this year but council chiefs held crisis talks to find a way of getting work going and have now downsized the plans.

The new proposals – due to be submitted to planners this week – will cost £9.3m and funding is in place. Council chiefs have also started the hunt for a contractor to carry out the work.

Work is due to start in January – with potentially lengthy asbestos removal one of the first tasks – and council officials insist it is “essential” the work is completed by June 2012, to allow the city to play an important part in the government’s “cultural olympiad”, which will run alongside the 2012 Olympic Games.

Councillor Deidre Brock, the city’s culture and leisure leader, said: “The sad truth now is that the Assembly Rooms are in desperate need of full refurbishment in order to guarantee their future. “The plans which have been submitted for planning approval will do just this.”

Among the features of the original project to be dropped to save money is the replacement of the balcony in the music hall, with the existing balcony now to be refurbished.

Plans to fit secondary glazing in all windows in the ballroom have also been dropped, and materials to be used for floor finishes and specialist decorations have also been reviewed to strip out costs. An extension on to Rose Street that would have seen an existing toilet replaced by a kitchen has also been scrapped.

Most of the major parts of the original scheme are still included in the new proposals, including plans for better acoustics and new seating in the main Music Hall, new bars throughout the building, new lifts and a fine dining restaurant in the existing Supper Room.

Opposition councillors welcomed the news, but warned that delays and overspends must be avoided. Councillor Gordon Buchan, culture and leisure spokesman for the city’s Tories, said: “We had a step back by not getting the full funding but it is encouraging to know that there is a way to get some enhancement, even if it is disappointing that we can’t get the full scheme.

“If there is a reduced spec, it is important to ensure that the project does not overrun and that the budget remains fixed.”

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Source

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The HSE estimates that asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are still present in some 500,000 commercial properties in the UK. No one really knows how much asbestos still remains in UK buildings but those built before 1999, when asbestos was finally banned, are likely to still contain some, with those pre-dating 1985, when blue and brown asbestos were banned, causing the most concern.

The fact that some of the 6 million tonnes of imported asbestos remains in UK premises is the reason why the ‘duty to manage’ was introduced under the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. Now Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006, this requires duty-holders, i.e. those who own and/or occupy premises, to manage the ACMs in those premises.

Fundamental to the need to manage asbestos is the need to find it. Since the duty to manage came into force in May 2004, the number of people claiming to be able to find asbestos has increased exponentially. This, in turn, led to an increase in demand for training – in particular, the British Occupational Hygiene Society’s Proficiency Module P402 (Buildings Surveys and Bulk Sampling for Asbestos). This is one of a number of Proficiency Modules run by BOHS, all of which provide a basic minimum knowledge in the relevant topic area, but they do not (and have never claimed to) demonstrate competency.

Surveyors who gained this basic qualification were then expected to work with more experienced Asbestos surveyors for a minimum of six months. Despite this, some of those obtaining P402 were claiming to be competent and offering their services as a lead surveyor based on this qualification but with little, or no experience.

Accreditation – that’s what you need

There are now approximately 8500 P402-holders in the UK; many of these surveyors work in organisations that are accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) to ISO/IEC 17020, the international standard for inspection activities.

These organisations have demonstrated to UKAS that they operate impartially, have a robust and effective quality management system in place, employ competent individuals, implement a robust quality-control programme, including routine site audits and resurveys, and follow current industry guidance. That guidance was HSE publication MDHS100 up to January 2010 but is now HSG264.

UKAS accreditation provides duty-holders with the confidence that their surveyors hold qualifications such as P402 and that they have progressed to be competent, and that the organisation has a suitable quality-management system in place. With regard to UKAS accreditation, HSG264 says it is “suitable for organisations of all sizes, where the scale and volume of surveying work dictates not only individual competence but also the need for more formal and well-defined quality-management systems”. More than 130 organisations in the UK are now accredited, which has helped improve standards of competency.

However, many P402-holders do not work for UKAS organisations. Some no longer survey and some work for duty-holders who obtained the qualification for in-house reasons, but many others are sole traders, or work in small surveying businesses. This is not to suggest that these individuals are not competent; some have been surveying for many years and are very able.

For these individuals their only easily-recognised demonstration of competency is the P402 qualification (other than their CV). Any “statement of competence” that these competent individuals make is essentially the same as those individuals who also hold P402 but don’t have their experience. In other words, the competent surveyors don’t hold any easily-recognised badge that identifies that they have the necessary knowledge and experience to survey.

The HSE recognised this problem many years ago and, in February 2009, UKAS accredited a personal certification scheme. The Asbestos Building Inspectors Certification Scheme (ABICS) now certifies asbestos surveyors against ISO 17024, providing a means for those individuals who do not work in UKAS-accredited surveying companies to demonstrate their competence. HSG264 says of the scheme: “Personal certification is designed for individuals who may operate as sole traders, or in small organisations with only a few surveyors. The scheme focuses on individual competence.”

ABICS certification is a three-stage process: a review of the individual’s survey reports and CV; an assessment of their practical skills; and a panel interview, covering building design and survey complexities. ABICS certification is a badge of professional competence for individual surveyors who have demonstrated that they have both the knowledge and experience to survey any type or size of premises. It is not a new P402, nor an advanced P402, but a true recognition that the individual has achieved competency in all areas of asbestos surveying for the grade for which they have applied (Class 1 – management-type surveys only, and Class 2 – management and pre-refurbishment/demolition surveys).

Everything to prove

The overarching aim of both the HSE and the industry is that all surveyors and surveying organisations can demonstrate competency, and that those who cannot are not employed by duty-holders.

Most people would not engage the services of an electrician, plumber, or accountant without the relevant qualifications and time served, and so it should be in the case of asbestos surveyors.

This is not to suggest that UKAS and ABICS are mandatory – they are not, but competency is! There are competent surveyors outside UKAS-accredited organisations, and/or who do not have ABICS certification but these individuals will have to work much harder to demonstrate their competency. And, of course, duty-holders can make their own judgements of competence by assessing the expertise and experience of the individuals or organisations themselves – the UKAS and ABICS schemes obviate the need to do so.

Ensuring that contractors are competent to carry out asbestos surveys should be a top priority for those responsible for managing the risks from asbestos. Employing a contractor with accreditation and/or certification means duty-holders can better and more easily meet their legal requirements.

The consequences of employing an incompetent contractor, who fails to find all the asbestos in a premises, can be significant. What the contractor missed is, all too commonly, found by an unsuspecting tradesperson, who inadvertently disturbs it in the course of their carpentry, electrical, or plumbing work. Around a thousand such workers die every year from asbestos exposure.

A less deadly though still costly outcome of such disturbances is a delay in the project and an expensive clean-up operation. Loss of product, stock or furniture, as well as the safe removal of the asbestos itself, can run into millions of pounds. Civil litigation, a HSE prosecution and bad publicity can all follow, bumping up the costs even further.

If asbestos is missed and the HSE becomes involved, the duty-holder will be asked about the checks of competency they made. HSG264 states that: “Where an external ‘surveyor’ (organisation or person) is appointed, they should be competent.” The duty-holder needs to be able to demonstrate that anyone to whom they delegate duties is competent to fulfil those duties.

HSG264 built on the lessons learnt since MDHS100 was published in 2001 and strongly advocates the need for the duty-holder and surveyor to work together to ensure that the survey type and scope directly match the needs of the duty-holder.

Surveyors need to understand building construction, building services and building types, as well as how and when to gain access to cavities, voids, risers, undercrofts, etc. The surveyor should be able to advise on when a licensed asbestos-removal contractor is needed as part of the survey, and they should also have a good knowledge of legislative requirements – otherwise they will be unable to provide competent risk and control advice for any ACMs that are discovered.

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What you need to know

The dangers presented to tradesmen working with asbestos are well known, and the Health and Safety Executive’s Hidden Killer campaign has done much to highlight the issue and raise awareness even further amongst those who are now most at risk – building and maintenance trades.

However, asbestos is not just an issue for tradesmen to consider, and it’s vital that those with responsibility for premises know what their duties are in relation to asbestos.

Who has the duty to manage?

If you are responsible for the maintenance or repair of non domestic premises, you will almost certainly be responsible for managing any asbestos present on the premises.

Retailers need to know if they are responsible, whether they have retail premises, a farm machinery dealership or warehouse. For rented properties, such responsibility may be set out through a tenancy agreement or contract – outlining the extent of a tenant’s responsibility, and explaining what happens in the case of premises with more than one occupier (if you rent retail premises in a shopping centre, for example).

Unfortunately, experience would suggest that this is not usually the case. If responsibility for asbestos is not made clear within a tenancy agreement or contract, Retailers are advised to seek clarification with their landlord as soon as possible.

Bear in mind that there may be an element of shared responsibility for asbestos, with the owner taking responsibility for any communal areas and tenants being responsible for the areas they occupy.

In some cases, responsibility may be passed to an agent although the legal responsibility remains with the tenant and/or the landlord. (The legal duty cannot be transferred from the duty holder although a third party can be appointed to manage the duty on their behalf).

What does the duty to manage mean?

The duty to manage asbestos is a legal duty contained within regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006. As stated on the Health and Safety Executive website, under these regulations, duty holders are required to:

• take reasonable steps to find out if there are materials containing asbestos in non-domestic premises, and if so, its amount, where it is and what condition it is in
• presume materials contain asbestos unless there is strong evidence that they do not make, and keep up-to-date, a record of the location and condition of the asbestos containing materials – or materials which are presumed to contain asbestos 
• assess the risk of anyone being exposed to fibres from the materials identified
• prepare a plan that sets out in detail how the risks from these materials will be managed
• take the necessary steps to put the plan into action
• periodically review and monitor the plan and the arrangements to act on it so that the plan remains relevant and up-to-date
• provide information on the location and condition of the materials to anyone who is liable to work on or disturb them. e.g. contractors or maintenance workers.

 I am a duty holder. What do I need to do?

The Health and Safety Executive has identified three essential steps which duty holders must follow.

1. Find out if asbestos is present within your premises, and establish what condition it is in. If you are in any doubt, materials must be presumed to contain asbestos
2.  Assess the risk – this can be done by carrying out a risk assessment (for more information on risk assessments please contact Angela Chouaib)
3.  Make a plan to manage any risks and ensure that the plan is followed at all times.

Your plan should make it clear that any tradesmen working on your premises are informed of the presence of any asbestos in advance of them carrying out any work.

The HSE has developed an on-line guide for small firms which takes you through the process of understanding your legal responsibilities. A set of questions will enable you to identify whether you are a duty holder and take you through a series of steps to help you decide if there is asbestos present and if so, how to manage it.

It is visual and easy to follow, but it takes several visits to complete. This is accessible guidance, intended to be user friendly and will save you time in understanding your duties.  

Asbestos surveys

If you presume asbestos is present in your premises then you must still keep an up-to date record of the location and condition of the materials which are presumed to contain asbestos.

However before carrying out any refurbishment or building work on your premises you must confirm whether the materials contain asbestos by having samples tested by a UKAS accredited laboratory.  Alternatively, you can commission an asbestos survey, which in most cases need not be costly. Give Angela Chouaib a call on 07825 369 381 to get a quote or click here to email her directly.

It’s also important to identify asbestos containing materials prior to refurbishments or shop-refits (this can be through an Asbestos Refurbishment or Demolition Survey) as this is generally the time when asbestos materials are most likely to be disturbed.

Retailers should note a specific requirement in the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 (Regulation 7) for all asbestos containing materials to be removed as far as reasonably practicable before major refurbishment or final demolition.

The HSE strongly recommends the use of competent surveyors. Surveying competence can be demonstrated through either accreditation of the organisation conducting the surveys and/or the use of individual surveyors that hold accredited personal certification. 

Whether you carry out your own survey or commission a specialist company to do the work for you, it’s important to record any findings.

Remember that if asbestos is identified in your premises, this doesn’t necessarily mean that it needs immediate removal. In most cases, asbestos does not present a health hazard providing it is in good condition, managed and contained. Indeed, removing asbestos unnecessarily can create more risks than leaving it in place and managing it.

If asbestos does need to be removed, you must employ either a licensed contractor (for high risk materials like pipe insulation or insulation panels) or a competent contractor (if the materials are lower risk, such as asbestos cement).  

Further information

The HSE website has a dedicated section on asbestos and the duty to manage. Visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/campaign/duty.htm for further information and guidance.

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An inquest heard that evidence of mesothelioma was found in most of Stephen Ward’s vital organs, including a tumour that was wrapped around his heart. The 49-year-old died in April, 10 months after being diagnosed.

Deputy coroner Louise Pinder read out part of a statement that father-of-two Mr Ward had prepared before his death. In it he said he believed he became exposed to asbestos while working in a small garage between 1982 and 1985.

Miss Pinder said: “One bit that struck me was how Mr Ward recalls blowing asbestos dust off the parts he was handling and how the dust came from brake pads and shoes he was filing.”

Mr Ward, of Hill View, Repton, was diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma in June last year and had one of his lungs removed.

Giving evidence, Mr Ward’s wife, Sally Ward, said he husband first started to show signs of breathlessness in autumn 2007. She said: “I remember we would take the dog for a walk and Steve would always be the one marching at the front with us all following him.

 ”Then quite quickly, he could not get up the stairs.

 ”He started to become breathless and developed chest infections which he went to his GP about.”

Gerry Van Schalkwyk, the consultant pathologist who carried out the postmortem examination, told Derby and South Derbyshire Coroner’s Court that he found mesothelioma in Mrs Ward’s liver, lungs, stomach and small bowel.

He said: “A tumour was wrapped around his heart and there was a large amount of fluid around the lung. “The heart sits in a sac that protects it and this tumour had infiltrated the sac making it rigid so the heart could not move freely.  ”The disease had just spread everywhere.”

Dr Van Schalkwyk gave the medical cause of death as disseminated (or widespread) malignant mesothelioma.

In returning a verdict that Mr Ward had died as a result of industrial disease, Miss Pinder said: “It is clear from the evidence from Mr Ward’s statement that he was exposed to a substantial amount of asbestos while working as a mechanic.”

Speaking after the inquest, Mrs Ward said the verdict gave her and his family “some degree of closure.” She said: “Steve and I were married for 28 years and when we were first married he played football three times a week, as well as golf and even the raft race that is held in the village. ”He was always at the front of everything and to see him go downhill was so debilitating for him.

“The family had been in limbo until the inquest, so it is good it is now over and things seem to be sorted.”

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Source

A new report shows the number of cancer deaths in Derby was below the England average in 1998, but the lack of improvement over the following decade caused it to fall behind the national picture. GP John Grenville (pictured above), secretary of Derbyshire Local Medical Committee, said this may well be due to a combination of deprivation and industrial disease.

His comment followed a report in the Derby Telegraph last week that asbestos-related deaths had become so common they were the subject of more than one inquest a week in South Derbyshire.

Dr Grenville said: “We could be looking at industrial-related disease because a lot of Derby people worked with asbestos. “I think it is an interesting question which should be considered.” The figures have been revealed in a new report from the Department of Health about a whole range of health issues in the city.

The Health Profile 2010 states that in Derby there has been “little change in the rates of early deaths from cancer in the past 10 years”. And it described Derby as an area with “high levels of deprivation”, which Dr Grenville said was another reason for cancer deaths because it was linked to a lack of understanding about leading a healthy life and getting the right care. He said: “You have the lifestyle problems of smoking, drinking alcohol and poor diet, and you also have the problem that people don’t access the health care they need.”

His views were supported by Mary Insley, chairwoman of the Derby Burton Patient Forum, part of the East Midlands Cancer Network.  She said: “In different areas different cancers will cause problems. “I would have thought our breast cancer rates are as good as anywhere else but in Derby we have a lot of people who used to work in heavy industry with asbestos. “And Derby is considered to be quite a deprived area.”

The report looks at the number of cancer deaths per 100,000 people in 2007 compared to 1998. Nationally, the figure fell from 135 to 114. But in Derby that drop was much smaller, from 125 to 120. That was in contrast with the rest of Derbyshire, where deaths fell from 131 to 111.

Catherine Thomson, head of statistical information at Cancer Research UK, said: “In Derby, the death rates from cancer for under-75s don’t seem to have followed the national trend. “But it is important to remember that, in comparison to England, Derby has a small number of deaths in a small population so we need to be careful about drawing any conclusions.” No one from local health authority NHS Derby City was available to comment.

The health profile also highlighted Derby’s on-going problems of below-average life expectancy and high levels of diabetes, smoking deaths, alcohol-related hospital stays and childhood tooth decay. This stands in contrast to the rest of Derbyshire, where health is better than the national average, particularly in terms of childhood health.

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Source

The roadshow is being held to increase awareness of the devastating effects of asbestos exposure and to educate the public to be aware of  the risks.

From 9am to 4pm anyone is welcome to access free information about asbestos-related diseases, legal advice and support services provided by the NAH and the British Lung Foundation, as well as information from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Portsmouth has been chosen as a roadshow venue because asbestos was widely used throughout its shipbuilding, manufacturing and industry sectors.

Portsmouth has the worst mortality rate in South East England for mesothelioma, which in almost all cases is caused by asbestos exposure.

Richard Clarke, from the National Asbestos Helpline, said: ‘Portsmouth had to be top of our list of scheduled stops because of its devastating industrial legacy.

‘We really hope the roadshow will spread awareness of the terrible risks of asbestos exposure and provide essential help to patients and their families.

‘We’re also very grateful to have the assistance of the British Lung Foundation during our roadshow.

‘In turn we are committed to supporting this vital charity in its research to improve treatment, care and support for people affected by mesothelioma.’

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