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.
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.
Asbestos Surveying Simplified
Asbestos Surveying – The grand scheme of things
In January this year, the HSE published new guidance on asbestos surveying, which explicitly advocates the need for Asbestos Surveyors to be able to demonstrate and ensure competency.
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.
Learn more details here Asbestos Management and Refurbishment / Demolition Surveys
Tips before buying a house with deadly Asbestos in the property
Do you have Asbestos in your Domestic home?
When buying or selling a house, or even contemplating renovation or DIY tasks, you should be fully aware of the potential harm ful risks posed by any deadly Asbestos-Containing materials that may be present.
If you are a buyer or seller, the presence of Asbestos-Containing material has the potential to substantially adversely affect the value of the property.
Did you know that over 70% of UK homes potentially contain asbestos in some form.
Increasing numbers of mortgage lenders and conveyance solicitors are advising prospective buyers to obtain Specialist Reports on Asbestos prior to exchange of contracts.
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Asbestos Management the Duty Holders Responsibility
Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations (CAR 2006) contains an explicit duty to assess and manage the risks from the presence of asbestos. The risks will vary with circumstances and can arise from normal occupation of a building or from inadvertent disturbance during the repair, refurbishment and demolition of the premises. The assessment will be used to produce a management plan which details and records the actions to be undertaken to manage and reduce the risks from asbestos. The requirements are placed on “duty holders” who should:
Asbestos Surveyors Risk Assessment and Health and Safety Issues
Firstly, The Health and Safety Issues
Undertaking an asbestos survey will present health and safety issues to the asbestos surveyors and others. Therefore before carrying out a site survey, it is important that an assessment of the risks to the health and safety of surveyors, sampling personnel and other occupants is carried out.
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