Council Workers Exposed to Asbestos in Birmingham

Three men were exposed to asbestos while they undertook work on a school in Birmingham.  As a result of the direct exposure the Birmingham City Council and Solihull Supplies Ltd have been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive.

One of the first things you will learn from health and safety consultants is the importance of carrying out workplace risk assessments and planning any job before hand to help prevent accidents from occurring.  Unfortunately not all employees and contractors follow this advice, which is why three men have had their loves put at risk from the diseases caused from inhaling asbestos fibres.

Ceiling Tiles in School Contained Brown Asbestos

Birmingham Council hired Solihull Supplies Ltd to do some work on the William Cowper Primary school in Birmingham. Solihull Supplies then sub contracted the work. The refurbishment involved removing ceiling tiles from seven rooms in the school.  When the HSE investigated they discovered that the tiles which were removed contained brown asbestos.

The workers took many hours over the work and they were exposed to the fibres along with the school caretaker.  During the clean up a normal vacuum cleaner was used rather than a specialist one which could have stopped the fibres from being expelled into the air.

No License to Remove Asbestos

It was discovered that the subcontracting firm did not hold a license to remove asbestos safely and that their workers had no training in how to safely handle or remove asbestos.  No specialist protection gear was worn and the wrong equipment was used. This means that the three workers involved now have to prepare for the possible future which may involve them obtaining lung related diseases caused by the work carried out at the school.

Guilty Pleas Heard in Court

Birmingham Council pleaded guilty for their breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act.  These were Sections 2(1) and 3(1) for which they were fined £5,000 and also ordered to pay an additional £1091 in costs.

Solihull Supplies pleaded guilty and were fined £1750 for breathing Regulation 6(1) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006. They too will have to pay coasts of £1091.  The principal inspector from the HSE, Jo Anderson, said that as the health problems associated with asbestos are well publicised, incidents of this nature are not acceptable.

Health and Safety Services Provide Training and Surveys

Health and safety consultants are able to supply training, asbestos awareness training and health and safety training to ensure that no workers are put at risk from asbestos. The hidden killer is the biggest cause of work related deaths in the UK.  It is estimated that 4000 people die from asbestos related diseases each year.

Veritas Consulting offer a wide range of health and safety services which includes risk assessments, asbestos surveys and training.  If you feel that you would like to know more in order to protect your workers or yourself then talk to the health and safety consultants today.  Call 0800 1488 677 and make sure that you are doing everything demanded by the Health and Safety laws and the Control of Asbestos regulations.

Famous High Street brand due for sentencing over Asbestos Safety failings

Asbestos needs to be taken seriously and unfortunately many companies are failing their employees and the public when it comes to this deadly substance.  In the news this week there was a piece about Marks and Spencer, the hugely well-known retailers, who exposed people to asbestos.  If you talk to your health and safety consultants about asbestos surveys they will help you to create a safe plan of operation to remove the asbestos if any is found on your premises. They are due to be sentenced on 26 September 2011.

Removal of Asbestos Containing Materials Was Unsafe

Marks and Spencer have been found guilty for failing to safely remove the material from two of their shops.  One of the Marks and Spencer shops is located in Bournemouth and the other in Reading.  The Health and Safety Executive decided to prosecute the retailers along with two other contractors who they hired to remove the asbestos.

At Winchester Crown Court the judge was informed about the lack of time given for the removal of a material from the Marks and Spencer stores which contained the asbestos. The contractors had to work during the night so that by the following morning the shops would be able to be opened to the public as usual.  Small enclosures were made and the aim was to complete small sections until the entire job had been completed.

Own Rules Were Followed At Reading

Rather than following the correct procedures the Health and Safety Executive claimed that Marks and Spencer made up their own rules.  One of the health and safety services offered by Veritas is the asbestos survey and if you have any doubts as to what the rules are when it comes to the removal of the material you should make contact with the health and safety consultants right away.

Marks and Spencer paid no attention to the guidance in place, and the contractors, PA Realisations, followed the requests of the retailers rather than the laws.  The contractors put the public at risk as they did not try to stop the asbestos from being left on the floor leaving lots of asbestos contamination.

Bournemouth Store Had Poor Plans in Place

In Bournemouth the job of removing the material containing asbestos was given to Willmot Dixon Construction.  The Health and Safety Executive found that when they worked they failed to put any sort of plan in place and did not carefully monitor or manage the removal process.  The other point raised was the lack of an asbestos survey such as the ones offered by health and safety consultants.

These issues raised showed that both the contractors and Marks and Spencer were at fault.  They have all been found guilty for putting the lives of the public and the employees at serious risk.  Around 4000 deaths are attributed to asbestos every single year, which is why it is so important to make use of the health and safety services offered by firms such as Veritas Consulting. Call 0800 1488 677 to find out about the asbestos surveys service.

Employees Exposed to Asbestos, Health Seriously Jeopardised

One of the health and safety services which can help to prevent health conditions and even save lives are the asbestos surveys. Asbestos is responsible for thousands of deaths every year.  It is the duty of the building owner/occupier to ensure that no one comes into contact with asbestos that is not specially trained to remove it, and has all the correct safety gear.

Rotherham Firm Puts Lives at Risk

One firm who neglected to make use of an asbestos survey delivered by a health and safety consultants firm has recently been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive.  They were found to allow their workers to be exposed to this toxic material, even though they had been given advice from their local council on how to deal with the problem.

The Health and Safety Executive were forces to ban anyone from entering two of the warehouses which were owned by Rotherham Bonding Company. The firm runs a storage business and they only took their workers out of the dangerous warehouses once the prohibition notices was served.

The storage firm ran the warehouses but they were owned and the sold by their sister company, known as Fosters of Thrybergh , to the council.  The council had ordered a complete asbestos survey from health and safety consultants.  However the warehouses were being cleared using the staff from Fosters of Thrybergh as organised by Rotherham Storage Firm.

Asbestos Found In Both Warehouses

All around the warehouse were broken pieces of asbestos, and the workers were constantly in the presence of the nasty material as the worked and operated fork lift trucks. Despite the council informing both the companies about the asbestos, they still permitted their staff to work in the environment.

Rotherham magistrates’ court heard that the HSE saw that there were both the white and brown types of asbestos in the warehouses. A complete asbestos survey was then carried out and this showed that eighteen of the samples taken from the buildings had a large amount of asbestos present.

The storage firm’s sister company Fosters of Thrybergh were fined £5,500 and ordered to pay £6,250 in costs after pleading guilty for two of the charges from the Control of Asbestos Regulations.  These were regarding the need to assess if asbestos was present, and to not allow workers to be exposed to asbestos.

The asbestos surveys from health and safety consultants are able to help duty holders and employees meet the demands of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006.  Once the report has been made the proper removal of the substance can be arranged.

Veritas Health and Safety Consultants provide Asbestos Surveyor Surveys in the West Midlands and the UK. It is a tragic fact that 20 tradesmen die from the effects of being exposed to asbestos every week.  It is your legal duty to deal with this substance responsibly and help protect your workers and the public from this killer. Call 0800 1488 677 to ask about the health and safety services available, including the asbestos survey.

Construction Site Safety Major Concern Says Health and Safety Executive

Reports released today showed that during the period of 2009-2010 four workers died in the East Midlands in Construction related accidents and a further 645 were injured. These alarming figures come as the HSE will be beginning their unannounced visits to construction sites in Lincoln, Leicester, High Peak and Northampton.

Surprise Visits Aimed at Located Sources of Errors

During the surprise visits inspectors will be looking out for problems involving the maintenance and refurbishments on sites.  Another area which will be focused upon is site repairs.  These have been highlighted as key areas as these are the causes of most of the accidents which have occurred.

Asbestos is still a huge problem which poses serious health risks, and this will be investigated thoroughly at all of the locations the HSE are due to visit.  Height is another issue which needs attending to.

Last Year’s Inspections Showed Multiple Failings

During the visits across Lincolnshire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire last year approximately one third of the sites which were visited failed the inspections.  In total 145 construction sites were visited and during those visits over 45 enforcement notices were issued.  These meant that contractors had to make changes to the way they worked or in some cases they were demanded to stop the dangerous work until the problems were fully attended to.

Some of the problems which were discovered included structural parts of buildings being removed without the proper safety measures being adhered to, and a failing to wear the proper safety gear to protect the workers from falling when working at heights.

Would you be prepared for an Unscheduled Visit from HSE?

AT Veritas our health and safety consultation services and designed to make sure that your company is following the law and regulations set out to protect workers and the public from harm caused by your company’s activities.  We can help to make sure that your site is kept up to date and within the law of Health and Safety.

One of the main focus points on the visits which are currently being carried out in the East Midlands is the presence of asbestos.  Here at Veritas our consultants carry out many Health and safety checks and one area in which we specialise in is Asbestos Survey Services within Birmingham and the surrounding areas.

Asbestos is one of the most lethal dangers which can be found within the work place.  And any building which was built before the year 2000 could contain the substance.  You are legally required to make sure that you manage the risks involved with asbestos which is extremely dangerous when it is disturbed in anyway.  You need to be aware of The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006, and we can make sure that you are doing everything which is required of you.

We have three types of Asbestos surveys available which involve location, management and the refurbishment and demolition surveys.  To find out more please call us free on 0800 1488 677 to make sure you are prepared for the unexpected.

9/11 – The ongoing threat from Asbestos

On the 11th September 2001 a terrorist attack on New York City brought the World Trade Center crashing down.  On that day thousands of people died inside towers, including rescue workers who went in to help.

10 Years On:

Now it is almost ten years after the event, and still people are dying and becoming ill from the aftermath of the falling of the towers.

The Twin Towers were built from 1968 to 1972 and had large amounts of asbestos fireproofing including a slurry mixture of asbestos and cement that was sprayed on.  This practice was banned by the New York City Council in 1971 but large amounts had already been used within the towers.  It is estimated that the cost of removal of the asbestos within the World Trade Center would have rivalled the value of the buildings themselves, had they still been standing today.

When the Twin Towers fell, a region of several square miles was blanketed by fine powder, consisting of the pulverised remains of non-metallic components and contents of the towers, including significant amounts of asbestos.  Three days after the attack, an analysis found that some of the dust was four percent asbestos.  This could prove to be a huge risk to public health as thousands of people breathed in the dust from the collapsed towers.

Many of the people affected by the asbestos dust are likely to be the police, fire and voluntary rescue workers who risked their lives on September 11th to save the lives of others.  Countless people exposed to the pollution are already suffering from symptoms of respiratory illness today.  These range from difficulty breathing, coughing, asthma and even lung cancer and mesothelioma.

While still considered to be rare, instances of mesothelioma have undoubtedly increased in number. Asbestos, an organically occurring mineral, is the only known cause of mesothelioma. Once mined and used industrially because of its resistance to heat and flexibility, the health effects of the mineral were not fully understood until the later part of the twentieth century. Because of this, asbestos was used throughout the 1900′s in building and construction materials, shipyards, and automobiles. Additionally, because asbestos is a mineral found on most continents worldwide, very small quantities exist in our atmosphere naturally. However, after the World Trade Center collapsed, the levels of airborne asbestos found in New York City were approximately 93,000 times higher than the typical amount of asbestos found in the air, making the risk of both exposure and illness extremely high.

Though much of the asbestos initially used during building was removed from the World Trade Center, it was still one of the most common materials used in the erection of the towers. Because of this, the attack caused over 2,000 tons of microscopic asbestos fibres to be released into the air. Workers were advised that the fibres are invisible to the naked eye, and to wear protective equipment which would help keep them safe from exposure. However, many of those who were at ground zero, including volunteers, on lookers, first responders and rescue workers, were not wearing safety equipment and were exposed to asbestos fibres without their knowledge.

When ingested or inhaled, asbestos fibres become lodged in the mesothelial tissue in the body, or the protective membranes that line the body’s internal organs. While mesothelioma is most commonly found in the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), it can also affect the lining of the heart (pericardial mesothelioma), and the lining of the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma). When exposure to asbestos occurs, the fibres enter the body and act like splinters in the mesothelial membranes. Over time, as scarring and irritation occur, symptoms of respiratory illness will also become present. These symptoms include difficulty breathing, coughing, fever, and chest pain.

The New York State Department of Health released a study in the beginning of 2008, stating that in the seven years since the attacks on the World Trade Center approximately 200 of those initially exposed to the pollutants at ground zero have passed away. The study also states that at least 55 of these workers were victims of lung cancer, and of all those exposed to the dust and debris after the attacks, at least 62% of people report trouble breathing and other respiratory complications.

Many respiratory diseases such as mesothelioma caused by asbestos can take years to present any symptoms, so we can only imagine how many lives will eventually be claimed by the attack on New York City, September 11th 2001.

We can help you?

Despite the knowledge that Asbestos is highly toxic, it has been used for years in all types of materials.  Most ACMs are safe as long as they are not disturbed, but it is not always possible to leave them or stop them degrading.

Veritas Health and Safety Consultants has many years experience in the field of asbestos surveying and consultancy. We are fully licensed, insured and highly competent with many supporting references from small domestic contracts to larger industrial applications.

We offer an emergency service to our clients, which includes identification, advice, removal, encapsulation and reinstatement; keeping all contracts in line with the latest Health & Safety regulations and legislation.

Please get in touch using the contact details above or visit our website

The dangers of asbestos – harmful to health and deadly

Asbestos has become synonymous with danger. Ever since the safely concerns of Asbestos were brought to light, there has been a nationwide clampdown on the management and removal of asbestos, and it’s not difficult to see why.
What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a silicate mineral which has a number of very desirable properties. When it comes to heat, it’s one of the best in the industry. It’s completely flame retardant and very thermally stable. Its tensile strength is higher than that of steel. It’s also completely non-conductive and very resistant to chemicals.

Because of this very useful combination of properties, it has been used throughout history in a number of applications, including:

• Fireproofing buildings

• Heat insulation in buildings

• Interior fire doors

• Fireproof clothing

• Thermal pipe insulation

• Roofing

• Plaster

• Drywall

• Fire blankets

• And more

The application most commonly heard of is the use of asbestos in buildings as a thermal insulator and flame-retardant. Before the safety concerns of asbestos were realised, the substance was perfect for the job. It was cheap, readily available and provided more than adequate heat resistance.

What are the dangers of asbestos and why is it so dangerous?

Asbestos is made up of millions of very thin and long fibrous crystals known as asbestos fibres. It is these fibres which makes asbestos such a dangerous substance and also a killer.

Because the asbestos fibres are so small, they are easily airborne and can remain so for many hours, where they are easily absorbed into the lungs. Once in the lungs, they can cause a range of serious diseases and illnesses, such as:

• Asbestosis

• Lung cancer

• Mesothelioma

These illnesses are caused due to the toxic and physical properties of asbestos. Once asbestos fibres enter the lungs through inhalation, they can cause inflammatory lesions and scar tissue. These lesions can result in breathing difficulties and can also become cancerous, leading to disease and potentially death.

Before the health implications of asbestos were fully understood, the substance was commonly used in a range of industries. This meant that, without proper protection, thousands of workers across the globe were exposed to asbestos. Many of them have gone on to deal with serious life-threatening illnesses and complications.

The truth behind dangerous workplace asbestos exposure…

Natural and safe environmental exposure to asbestos can be as high as 0.0001 fibres per millilitre of air. However, working within certain industries up to the 1980’s painted a different picture. For example, hand sawing asbestos sheets and pipes exposed workers to 1 asbestos fibre per millilitre. Jig sawing asbestos boards exposed workers to 1-5 fibres per millilitre, and even sweeping up asbestos insulation board debris exposed some workers to over 10 fibres per millilitre.

Many workers often did this without any sort of protection, and the figures are available to see the results. It is believed at least 3,500 people in Great Britain die each year due to long-term past exposure of asbestos dust and fibres. In the United States, this figure is as high as 10,000 people per year.

Asbestos in the modern world…

Asbestos is now heavily controlled in most developed countries. Laws are in place which prevents the use of asbestos, and efforts are being made across the globe to decontaminate asbestos within buildings and substances. When asbestos is discovered, it can either be removed by a regulated professional, or it can be managed and monitored if it poses no health risk in its undisturbed state.

Is there anything we have to do?

When asbestos remains undisturbed, it often poses little threat. However, if a building has been built or refurbished before the year 2000, there is a chance that it could contain asbestos. If this asbestos were to be disturbed, it could cause serious health dangers.
Because of this, there is now a legal duty to manage the risk of asbestos exposure if you own a property. If there’s a chance of asbestos, then an asbestos survey should be carried out to determine if the substance is present, determine the danger and then implement a plan to manage the risk of any asbestos found.

Without a survey and proper control, many are at risk. Tradesmen are at risk if they work on the property, workers are at risk if the asbestos is disturbed, and even family members of workers are at risk when cleaning dirty work clothes.

If you’re interested in an asbestos survey, then Veritas Consulting can help. We have legally certified expert asbestos surveyors who can assess your property and provide the help needed to manage any risks found.

For more information about asbestos surveys, please click here.

Asbestos Survey Services

Did you know that any buildings built or refurbished before the year 2000 could still contain asbestos?

This lethal substance kills up to 20 tradesmen every week, and causes up to 4,000 deaths from asbestos related diseases each year.

That’s why it’s so important that your building is completely surveyed for asbestos if there is even the slightest chance that the substance can exist within your premises. In fact, the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 makes it a legal requirement to ensure that any risk from asbestos in your premises is fully managed. It also makes it a requirement to assume that asbestos is present until proven otherwise.

Our asbestos survey services means that you can carry out this vital task for an affordable cost. We have a thorough and professional asbestos survey team which will assess your premises and provide professional records of any asbestos found. If asbestos is found, in most cases it may not need to be removed if it remains undisturbed. It may simply have to be carefully recorded and monitored to comply with regulations and ensure complete safety for you and your staff members. This is known as a register of any Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMS).

Our expert asbestos survey professionals will be able to help and advise you both before and after the survey is carried out.

We have a range of asbestos survey types available, so you can select the right survey and avoid spending more than you need to for the type of test your premises requires.

The Survey Types; Asbestos Management Survey and the Refurbishment / Demolition Asbestos Survey.

As well as complying with law, these surveys are here mainly to protect anyone who may disturb asbestos within the building. That includes plumbers, electricians, decorators and more. It also alerts staff to the presence of asbestos in case anyone inadvertently disrupts asbestos within concrete walls, ceilings, pipe work insulation, fire doors and more. We’ll to everything to ensure that your staff are safe and your premises fully complies with the law.

Find out more about our asbestos survey service.