Archive for the ‘Asbestos Surveys’ Category
Major pub operator fined after asbestos exposure
A major UK pub operator has been fined after three electricians and two plumbers were exposed to asbestos during refurbishment works at a Darlington pub.
Mitchells & Butlers Retail Ltd was refurbishing the vacant White Horse pub on Harrowgate Hill in Darlington, when the construction workers were potentially exposed to deadly asbestos fibres.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that the company had commissioned a survey to check for the presence of asbestos in June 2007, but it was restricted to only those areas where the proposed refurbishment works were to be carried out. The refurbishment plans were then changed before work started.
Small business owners – does my property need an asbestos survey?
Asbestos was extensively used as a building material in the UK from the 1950s through to the mid-1980s. It was used for a variety of purposes and was ideal for fireproofing and insulation. Any building built before 2000 (houses, factories, offices, schools, hospitals etc) can contain asbestos. Asbestos materials in good condition are safe unless asbestos fibres become airborne, which happens when materials are damaged.
A large number of premises still contain some form of asbestos. Workers most likely to come into contact with asbestos-containing products are those in the construction, maintenance, refurbishment and related trades.
HSE Manage Asbestos Leaflet
When asbestos materials are damaged or disturbed they can release dangerous fibres which, if breathed in, can cause serious diseases. Around 4000 people in Great Britain die every year from asbestos related diseases making asbestos the single greatest cause of work related deaths.
The duty to manage asbestos is directed at those who manage non-domestic premises: the people with responsibility for protecting others who work in such premises, or use them in other ways, from the risks to ill health that exposure to asbestos causes.
Asbestos Surveys: Insurance implications of the introduction of HSG 264: The Survey Guide
Insurance for those undertaking any form of asbestos work has long been an issue as the insurance sector world wide are having to pay substantial sums of money to deal with claims from historic asbestos exposure. In the UK we have three types of insurance that are applicable to those who undertake asbestos inspection work.
The first Employers Liability cover (EL) is a legal requirement for all businesses and is designed to provide cover for employees in the event of accidents or exposure to materials such as asbestos. The levels of cover are generally prescribed and is typically £10,000,000 for each and every claim. This insurance is not capped and multiple claims can be made each having a maximum limit of £10,000,000. This is know as an ‘each and every claims basis’
The second type of insurance is known as Public Liability cover. As the name suggests this type of cover is in place to protect members of the public in the event of claims, for example a construction contractor dropping a hammer.
Many insurers who offer public liability cover include exclusions that mean asbestos related risks are not covered within the policy. So if the contractor disturbs asbestos within a shop for example, he would potentially be liable for any claim made by his employees, but not by any claim made by those working in the shop or indeed members of the public. Those working with asbestos as specialist contractors, asbestos surveyors and consultants have to “buy back” this cover at considerable cost. Typical levels of covers for asbestos specialists are £5,000,000 and again this is on an each and every claims basis.
Asbestos Surveys – HSG 264 Asbestos: The survey guide
Asbestos Survey Guide HSG 264 was published in January 2010 and was the long awaited replacement for MDHS100. This document, although guidance, is used by UKAS and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to measure the quality of asbestos surveys and sets out a number of key issues and checks that a client should consider before appointing an asbestos surveying organisation.