What’re the chances of your property containing asbestos? The answer relatively high; we still find asbestos in over 90% of the buildings we survey.

There are thousands of asbestos-containing products used in buildings throughout the country.

Asbestos: First appeared commercially at the beginning of the 20^th century, used extensively throughout the 1950s to the late 1970s before being banned in 1999.

Asbestos is still killing people, with over 5000 deaths a year from Mesothelioma and Asbestosis caused by work-related exposure.

Legislation and the banning of asbestos in this country will eventually lower the number of people dying from asbestos-related deaths. Part of the legislation states that you must conduct a suitable assessment to determine if asbestos is present in your property.

If asbestos is present, you must put in place a written plan to manage it. The asbestos management plan must record the location, type of asbestos, and condition and be regularly updated.

Asbestos surveys form the basis of any asbestos management plan; the survey will identify asbestos products, their type and condition and are recorded on the colour coded building plan. The information contained within the survey makes it relatively straightforward to compile the asbestos management plan. We are happy to help or write the plan for you.

Get in touch if you need some advice on the type of asbestos survey you may need or if you need some general advice on asbestos.

Call us on 01274 959994 or 07703 203930; fill in the contact form, if you would like a cost, just put the property’s address on the contact form, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Asbestos surveys are they a legal requirement?

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 places a duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises on the duty holder, the person or persons responsible for the building’s management (Regulation 4). It requires them to identify any asbestos in the location and condition and have a risk assessment in place to prevent exposure to anyone who works on the building or building occupants from asbestos.

What’s involved in carrying out the surveys? And the different types

An Asbestos Management Survey

Asbestos management surveys are required to aid in the management of any asbestos products in the building. This survey is a visual survey where samples are taken of any suspect materials for analysis with minimum intrusion into the building’s fabric. The survey aims to provide a basis for an asbestos management plan to be in place, which will detail precautions to ensure that the materials are in a safe condition and inspection cycles to ensure they remain in this condition.

Refurbishment/Demolition Survey

As the title suggests, a Refurbishment/Demolition Survey must be carried out before refurbishment or demolition of any premises. These surveys are more intrusive and will look at all areas where the planned works are to take place. The purpose of the survey is to protect the people carrying out the property’s refurbishment or demolition.

Get in touch if you need some advice on the type of asbestos survey you may need or if you need some general advice on asbestos.

Call us on 01274 959994 or 07703 203930; fill in the contact form, if you would like a cost, just put the property’s address on the contact form, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Hospital asbestos ‘a ticking time bomb.’

The number of people who could contract cancer from asbestos exposure in London’s hospitals is a “ticking time bomb”, it has been claimed.

BBC London has found 94% of hospitals in the capital contain asbestos.

About 1,000 people have died from mesothelioma since 2011 in London, seven of which were doctors and nurses.

The government said many parts of the NHS estate date from an era when asbestos was widely used, but it is considered safe if left undisturbed.

The Health and Safety Executive says white asbestos, the type used in hospitals to protect piping, poses a risk if disturbed.

Jerry Swain, acting national instructor for Unite’s construction centre, and lawyer Isobel Lovett, who has dealt with asbestos cases for 17 years, have described the number of people developing mesothelioma as like a “ticking time bomb”.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning against KN95 facemasks as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Today, a safety alert has been issued Thursday 11 June 2020, urging all employers and suppliers not to purchase or use KN95 facemasks as PPE.

KN95 is a performance rating that is broadly equivalent to the EU standard for FFP2 facemasks. Products manufactured to KN95 requirements rely on a self-declaration of compliance by the manufacturer. There is no independent certification or assurance of their quality.

This respirator has been identified as suspect by HSE experts, and locally arranged testing has confirmed they would not meet requirements, including to protect against the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. About 90% of the PPE concerns and queries currently being received by HSE involve KN95 masks, often accompanied by fake or fraudulent paperwork.

HSE has quarantined around 1.5 million KN95 masks, prevented 25 million items claiming to be FFP3 respirators from entering the supply chain and prevented a further four lines consisting of many millions of items entering the supply chain

Rick Brunt, HSE’s director of operational strategy, said: “The KN95 facemask should not be purchased or used.

“KN95 has not been a principal source of PPE for the NHS, which has already made the decision not to supply this respirator to frontline clinicians fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

“We have found that the lack of independent testing has contributed to there being a substantial quantity of inadequate and poor-quality masks on the market, claiming to comply with the KN95 standard.

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HSE safety alert issued against KN95 facemask

Two Greater Manchester companies and their sole director have been fined after failing to manage asbestos safely during the refurbishment of a converted mill.

Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard that Titan MCR limited was the principal contractor refurbishing an old Mill complex at Greenfield in Oldham, owned by the Greenfield Centre Limited. Mark Hirst is the sole director of both companies.

An unannounced visit during a refurbishment campaign by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on 4 July 2018, found that no asbestos survey had been carried out prior to work commencing. A Prohibition Notice was subsequently issued preventing any access into the building until an asbestos assessment had been made.

The HSE investigation found that chrysotile asbestos had previously been identified in concrete panels removed from the front of the building. Despite this, Mark Hirst and both companies allowed the work to continue without any asbestos assessments being carried out. An asbestos assessment following the HSE inspector’s visit found chrysotile throughout the site and the presence of amosite asbestos. An asbestos removal company was engaged to ensure that these were removed safely.

The Greenfield Centre Limited of Two Acre Drive, Oldham pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(3) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1758.41.

Titan MCR Limited of Two Acre Drive, Oldham pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 6, 11(a), and 16 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. The company was sentenced to £4,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1758.41.

Company Director Mark Hirst of Two Acre Drive, Oldham pleaded guilty of breaching regulations 6, 11(a) and 16 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.   He was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1758.41.

HSE inspector Rose Leese-Weller said after the hearing:

“Mark Hirst and his two companies failed to identify the risks involved and put appropriate measures in place to prevent exposure to asbestos. This case highlights the importance of surveying a property for asbestos to prevent risk to anyone working in that building and to reduce the risk of exposure to asbestos.

“When asbestos is disturbed, fibres are released into the air where they can be inhaled and may penetrate the lungs. This can cause serious diseases including mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. These diseases do not have an immediate effect, they often take a long time to develop, and are often fatal.”

Read more

Two companies and director fined after failing to prevent exposure to asbestos

Companies Directors Fined After Worker Exposed to Asbestos

RJW Building Solutions Limited, a contractor carrying out refurbishment work at the Sea Hotel in South Shields, and Hotel 52 (Sea) Limited, the client company who arranged this work, were sentenced after workers disturbed asbestos.

South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard that while workers were refurbishing the bar area of the Sea Hotel in September and October 2018, they disturbed asbestos.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that both companies had failed to ensure an appropriate assessment was carried out to check for the presence of asbestos in the areas of the Sea Hotel where refurbishment work was taking place.

RJW Building Solutions Limited of Bridge End Industrial Estate, Hexham pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 5 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and was fined £20,000 with £1,084.59 costs.

Hotel 52 (Sea) Limited of Stockbridge, Newcastle upon Tyne pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, etc, and was fined £16,000 with £1,246.90 costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Loren Wilmot said:

“Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fibre which was widely used in both building and engineering materials for its strength, heat, and chemical resistance.  There are several different types of asbestos however they all share similar properties. When asbestos is disturbed, fibres are released into the air where they can be inhaled and may penetrate the lungs. This can cause serious diseases including mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. These diseases do not have an immediate effect, they often take a long time to develop, but once diagnosed, they are often fatal.

“Asbestos-related disease is responsible for the premature deaths of approximately 5000 people annually. Whilst the supply and manufacture of asbestos has been prohibited in the UK for approximately 20 years it can still be present in any building or industrial process plant built or refurbished before the year 2000.

“In this case both the client and contractor failed to protect workers from the risks to their health by failing to prevent their exposure to asbestos.

HSG Surveys carry out asbestos surveys from £175.00. If you don’t need an asbestos survey but just need to know if a material contains asbestos, we will attend your property and sample the material and have it tested for asbestos for £125.00, including two samples (you pay £125.00).

Are you looking for  Asbestos Sampling for a domestic property? If you are looking for a professional asbestos surveying company to take a sample of suspected asbestos, then HSG Asbestos Surveys can help.

If you don’t need a full asbestos survey but need to know if a specific material contains asbestos, we carry out asbestos sampling for a domestic property. You may have a ceiling, wall, or a garage roof you are unsure of. We can take a sample of the suspect material to determine if asbestos is present. The results from the sampling are normally available from the UKAS accredited laboratory in 24 to 48 hours

You may require an asbestos management survey before buying or selling a property For a domestic property or you may have a responsibility to manage a non-domestic property, where you will have a duty to manage as set out in regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.

If you are planning any refurbishment, demolition, or maintenance and repair work for a domestic property you may require an asbestos refurbishment demolition survey. It is a legal requirement to establish if you have any asbestos products in your building before any refurbishment or demolition.

HSG Asbestos Surveys conduct Asbestos management surveys, Asbestos refurbishment demolition surveys and, Asbestos sampling in domestic properties and the surrounding areas.

If you would like to enquire about an asbestos survey For a domestic property or you just need some advice

Call us on 01274 959994 or 07703 203930 fill in the contact form, if you would like a cost just put the address of the property on the contact form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Some of the asbestos surveys our surveyors have carried out in domestic properties are shown below.

Asbestos Sampling: Fisher Way: Heckmondwike

Asbestos Sampling: Boothgate Drive Howden, Oldham

Asbestos Sampling: Tinshill Road, Leeds

Asbestos Sampling:  Clayton Road, Bradford

Asbestos Sampling: St Marks Place, Blackburn

Asbestos Sampling: Tom Lane, Huddersfield

Asbestos Sampling: Salisbury Street, Skipton

Are you looking for Asbestos Sampling Near Me? If you are looking for a professional asbestos surveying company, then HSG Asbestos Surveys can help.

HSG Surveys carry out asbestos surveys from £175.00. If you don’t need an asbestos survey but just need to know if a material contains asbestos, we will attend your property and sample the material and have it tested for asbestos for £125.00, including two samples (you pay £125.00).

You may require an asbestos management survey before buying or selling a property Near Me or you may have a responsibility to manage a non-domestic property, where you will have a duty to manage as set out in regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.

If you are planning any refurbishment, demolition, or maintenance and repair work Near Me you may require an asbestos refurbishment demolition survey. It is a legal requirement to establish if you have any asbestos products in your building before any refurbishment or demolition.

HSG Asbestos Surveys conduct Asbestos management surveys, Asbestos refurbishment demolition surveys and, Asbestos sampling Near Me and the surrounding areas.

If you would like to enquire about an asbestos survey Near Me or you just need some advice

Call us on 01274 959994 or 07703 203930 and fill in the contact form, if you would like a cost just put the address of the property on the contact form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Some of the asbestos surveys our surveyors have carried out in domestic properties are shown below.

Asbestos Sampling: Fisher Way: Heckmondwike

Asbestos Sampling: Boothgate Drive Howden, Oldham

Asbestos Sampling: Tinshill Road, Leeds

Asbestos Sampling:  Clayton Road, Bradford

Asbestos Sampling: St Marks Place, Blackburn

Asbestos Sampling: Tom Lane, Huddersfield

Asbestos Sampling: Salisbury Street, Skipton

College Fined for Asbestos Failings

Newnham College has been fined for failings that exposed employees and subcontractors to asbestos during the refurbishment of a flat owned by the college.

Cambridge Magistrates’ Court heard that in March 2018, Newnham College employees and subcontractors were carrying out a refurbishment of a flat on Grange Road, Cambridge, when asbestos insulation debris was discovered in the floor voids after contractors had carried out work in them. No asbestos refurbishment survey was carried out before insulation debris being found. One employee, who contaminated his gloves and clothing with loose asbestos debris, did not have asbestos awareness training and spread asbestos from his clothing outside the flat.

An investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found that there were inadequate planning and management of the refurbishment work of a flat on Grange Road, Cambridge, when asbestos insulation debris was discovered in the floor voids after work had been carried out in them.

Newnham College of Sidgwick Avenue, Cambridge, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 5 and 16 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. It has been fined £12,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,450.28.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Sandra Dias said: “Asbestos surveys need to be carried out before refurbishment works which disturb the fabric of a building. Asbestos is still present in hidden locations in buildings and needs to be located before work starts that could potentially expose individuals.

“Asbestos-related diseases are currently untreatable and claim the lives of an estimated 5,000 people per year in the UK.”

BBC Report: Canadian town of Asbestos, Quebec, looks for a new name

 The small Canadian town of Asbestos has decided it is time for a rebrand – and that means it is doing away with the name derived from its mining heritage.

The Quebec town, home to some 7,000 people, was once the location of the world’s largest asbestos mine.

It was given after the English name for the mineral – rather than the French “amiante” – in the late 19th century.

The town’s council now says the connotation hinders its ability to attract foreign investment.

Asbestos, about 150 km (95 miles) east of Montreal, will announce its new name next year.

It thrived for over a century on the chrysotile asbestos manufactured at its open-pit mine.

The mine suspended operations in 2011. A year later the Quebec government canceled a multi-million dollar loan guarantee that would have allowed it to reopen.

Now, after years of debate, Asbestos has decided to do away with a part of its legacy.

On Wednesday, the council said it was moving ahead with the name change, saying it was serving as a “brake on the city’s desire to develop economic relations abroad”.

The town will consult with residents when it comes to picking a new name, saying the region’s history and heritage will be taken into account.

Once considered a miracle mineral, asbestos was used in construction industries for strengthening cement, in insulation, roofing, fireproofing, and sound absorption.

• The ‘dirty’ village that wants a new name
• School changes name from Haight to Love

By the mid-20th century, concerns about its use were growing as more and more studies linked asbestos to deadly illnesses.

Breathing in asbestos fibres has been linked to cancer and other diseases.

Global demand for the product plummeted as countries around the world began banning it. Canada was a latecomer, only banning its manufacture, import, use and export last year.