Asbestos Removal Management securing the safety, compliance and budget of your project

Asbestos repair and encapsulation projects fall into three categories:

• Non Licensed Asbestos Work
• Notifiable Non Licensed Asbestos Work
• Notifiable Licensed Asbestos Work

Regardless of the category, the asbestos contractor must be competent to undertake the work, the employees must hold appropriate training certificates and be able to prove competence for the tasks they are planning to undertake.

They must also hold appropriate and sufficient insurances for the tasks they will be undertaking. As a general rule, the majority of insurance policies specifically exclude working with asbestos. This can leave both you and the contractor open to litigation if works do not go according to plan as the requisite cover is not in place.

Don't worry we're on hand to assist and advise you on what you need, what contractor is suitable and we'll help with specifying the right job for you.

Depending on the type of asbestos works being undertaken, the notifications will vary.

• Non Licensed Asbestos Work – Usually does not require notification (dependent upon the project details)
• Notifiable Non Licensed Asbestos Work – Notification is required to the HSE prior to work commencing
• Notifiable Licensed Asbestos Work – Notification is required to the enforcing authority a minimum of 14 days prior to works commencing. In addition to all of the above and regardless of category, the works will require a risk assessment covering all site risks that may be encountered during the works.

This assessment will then be used to form the basis of a site-specific plan of work (method statement) which details exactly how the works will be undertaken, by whom, when and what actions must be undertaken and followed to reduce the risks identified.

Disposal of the waste asbestos is a major part of the asbestos removal project. Asbestos waste must be packaged appropriately and be transported by registered carriers to a limited number of registered waste sites that accept waste from asbestos removal projects. Staff undertaking removal and transportation of asbestos waste must be competent. They must also provide consignment notes both whilst the waste is in transit and upon completion of disposal of the waste at a licensed landfill site.

A license to work with asbestos is required if the project or the material falls into the licensed category. The company undertaking this type of work must hold a license that has been granted by the Health and Safety Executive. Work in this category is usually subject to a 14 day notification to the enforcing authority prior to works being allowed to commence.

Companies that carry out notifiable asbestos work are subject to health surveillance of their employees and must maintain comprehensive records detailing the nature, duration and likely exposures to asbestos. The regulations state that these health records must be kept for a minimum of 40 years.