ASBESTOS. What you need to know PREPARED BY:- HEAD OFFICE FIRST FLOOR OFFICES MARKET STREET GAINSBOROUGH LINCS DN21 2BL

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1 ASBESTOS What you need to know PREPARED BY:- HEAD OFFICE FIRST FLOOR OFFICES MARKET STREET GAINSBOROUGH LINCS DN21 2BL Tel Fax

2 Contents Page number History of Asbestos 3 Types of Asbestos 4 Applications for Asbestos and its possible Locations 5 Persons at risk from Asbestos 7 Health effects of Asbestos 7 Guidance for employees 10 Disposal of Asbestos 14 Further information 17 2

3 History of Asbestos The word Asbestos is derived from the Greek adjective meaning inextinguishable. The Greeks termed Asbestos the miracle mineral because of its soft and pliable properties, as well as its ability to withstand heat. Asbestos became increasingly popular among manufactures and builders in the late 19 th century due to its resistance to heat, electricity and chemical damage, its sound absorption and tensile strength. The first commercial Asbestos mine opened in Appalachian foothills of Quebec in 1879 and is still mined to the present day. Statistics for 2005 show that 2.2 million tons of Asbestos was mined worldwide. Russia was the largest producer with approximately 40% word share followed by China and Kazakhstan. All types of Asbestos are now banned from the United Kingdom, Crocidolite (blue asbestos) had strict guideline issued regarding usage in 1969 and along with Amosite (brown Asbestos) became was banned from use and importation in This was subsequently followed by Chrysotile (white Asbestos) for which a general ban was introduced 1999 (there were slight exceptions where white Asbestos could be used for a very small number of specialist uses, however a total ban was introduced in January 2005) 3

4 Types of Asbestos There are six types of Asbestos five of them belong to the Amphibole group these are Amosite, Crocidolite, Anthophyllite, Tremolite and Actinolite and one belongs to the Serpentine group which is Chrysotile. Only three types of Asbestos were generally used in industry these are shown in the chart below in their groups, the others need not be discussed any further. Asbestos Serpentine Amphibole Chrysotile (White) Amosite (Brown) Crocidolite (Blue) Chrysotile or white Asbestos as it is more commonly known is obtained from serpentine rock which is common throughout the world and has fibres that are curly, White Asbestos accounts for approximately 95% of all Asbestos used Worldwide. Amosite (brown) and Crocidolite (blue) are mined in southern Africa and Australia they have fibres that are needle like and so pose the greatest risk to health. Asbestos is commonly referred to by its colour however because it is normally mixed with many other substances to create a single product and its colour changes when exposed to heat, it is not possible to identify which type of asbestos a product may contain by simply looking at the colour, it may be possible to have a good idea what type of Asbestos a product contains by its location and usage. Figure 1 shows Asbestos fibres in their raw state. Pipe lagging will normally be blue/brown asbestos and Asbestos-cement roof products will normally be white Asbestos but to be 100% sure a detailed laboratory investigation will be required. 4

5 Figure1: Asbestos fibres in their raw state Applications for Asbestos and its possible locations Before the health effects of Asbestos were known it was used for many purposes and even in cigarette filters. Kent the first filtered cigarette on the market used Crocidolite (blue Asbestos) in its Micronite filters from 1952 to Other more common uses for Asbestos and their possible locations are listed below. Chrysotile (white) Chrysotile or white Asbestos accounts for approximately 95% of all Asbestos used world wide its availability as mineral through out the world and its insulating and heat resisting properties made it the ideal material for many jobs these would include joint compounds, it is more flexible than Blue or Brown Asbestos it can also be spun of woven in to fabric, insulating boards, brake pads for cars, floor tiles. Oven gloves, ironing boards, decorative paints and plaster products. But by far the greatest use for white Asbestos was in Asbestos-cement products these ranged from fire surrounds to corrugated roofing sheets. Figure 2 shows Asbestos cement sheeting used for roofing and floor tiles containing Asbestos. White Asbestos products are readily found in houses and factories built before the mid 1980 s where Asbestos cement products were used for roofing, guttering, drain pipes, as well as other Asbestos containing products being used for floor tiles, roofing tars, felts, decorative finishes (paints and plaster) electrical insulation, fire barriers in walls and fire protection for steel framed buildings some of which would be hidden out of sight. 5

6 Amosite (brown) and Crocidolite (blue) Brown and Blue Asbestos were most commonly used for heat insulating purposes because of there ability to withstand very high temperatures and still remain in tact and their excellent insulating properties they will be readily found in insulating lagging for pipes and boilers, gaskets, limpet spray (fire protection for steel buildings), fire rated doors and low density insulation boards and ceiling tiles. Asbestos is likely to be in building if It was built or refurbished between 1950 and the mid 1980 s and particularly, If it has a steel frame construction. It has boilers with thermal insulation. Figure 2: Asbestos cement sheeting used for roofing and floor tiles containing Asbestos 6

7 Persons at risk from Asbestos The most likely persons who may come in to contact with Asbestos are people involved in the construction industry as this is where Asbestos has had the greatest usage. The list below identifies some of the trades that may be exposed to Asbestos in their normal working environment; this list however is not exhaustive but simply shows the vast number of people who may be potentially exposed to Asbestos. General maintenance staff Electricians Plumbers Gas fitters Painters and decorators Joiners Plasterers Demolition workers Construction workers Roofers Heating and ventilation engineers Telecommunication engineers Fire and burglar alarm installers Computer installers Shop fitters Scaffolders Architects, building surveyors and other such professionals Waste carriers Employees of waste recycling plants and land fill sites. Health effects of Asbestos Blue and brown Asbestos are considered the most dangerous Asbestos because of the shape of the fibres (needle like) which readily become embedded in the lining of the lung, white Asbestos fibres are curved at both ends and so are more difficult to get lodged in the lungs, However there is no such thing as safe Asbestos all types of Asbestos will cause serious illnesses if sufficient quantities are inhaled. Asbestos fibres becomes so readily embedded in the lining of the lungs because of the size of the fibres they will typically be between 3.0 and 20.0 microns in length and can be as thin as 0.01 microns, human hair ranges from 17 to 181 microns thick. Figure 3 Shows Asbestos fibres under a microscope. Because of their size they are not visible to the human eye and by-pass all our body s natural defence against dust and fibres and become embedded in the lining of the lungs never to be exhaled. It is also worth noting that people who do not have direct contact with Asbestos such as family members and friends may be exposed to Asbestos fibres present on the clothing worn by workers, and sadly family members have died of Asbestos related illnesses caused by exposure to Asbestos fibres on clothing of husbands etc. having never worked with Asbestos themselves. 7

8 Asbestos exposure becomes a health concern when people are exposed to Asbestos fibres on a daily basis; Asbestos related diseases are unlikely in people who are exposed to single high level exposures or from a short period of low level of exposure. Figure 3: Asbestos fibres seen through a microscope. This image clearly shows the tiny needle like fibres which become so easily embedded in the lining of the lungs once breathed in. Asbestos may cause any of the following conditions. Asbestos warts. These are caused when sharp fibres are lodged under the skin and are overgrown causing benign callus like growths. Pleural plaques These are Discrete fibrous or partially calcified thickened area which can be seen on X-ray of individuals exposed to asbestos. They do not become malignant or cause other lung impairment. Diffuse pleural thickening Similar to the above and can sometimes be associated with Asbestos. Usually no symptoms shown but if extensive can cause lung impairment. Asbestosis This is caused when a large amount of Asbestos fibres have been inhaled in to the lungs causing irritation to the tissue of the lung lining they then become imbedded in the lung lining causing thickening and scarring. This generally makes it more difficult for oxygen to enter the blood stream and carbon dioxide to exit the blood stream. Many years of exposure are required to develop Asbestosis. However people who smoke heavily can develop lung cancer in periods as short as six months to two years, after being exposed to Asbestos, but in most cases it will take 20 years or more to develop. It is not possible to reverse or cure Asbestos although if caught early enough the condition can be slowed or even stopped. 8

9 Mesothelioma Mesothelioma is a rare and virulent form of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs, and causes pleural thickening (the lining of the lung is thickened and hardened) in many cases it may take between years after exposure to a sufficient amount of Asbestos fibres to develop, Mesothelioma is nearly always fatal. It is estimated that 250,000 workers in Western Europe alone will have died from Mesothelioma alone by At least 4,000 people die in Great Britain each year from Mesothelioma and Asbestosis related lung cancer as a result to past exposure to Asbestos fibres and the number is set to rise for many years to come. Figure 4 shows other areas of the body that can be affected by Asbestos. Figure 4: Shows areas of the body that can be affected by Asbestos. 9

10 Guidance for Employees As an employee you will be most at risk when Working on a unfamiliar site The building you are working on was built or refurbished before Asbestos containing material was not identified before the job was started. Asbestos containing material was identified but this information was not passed on by the people in charge to the people doing the work. You don t know how to recognise and work safely with Asbestos. You know how to work safely with Asbestos but you choose to put yourself at risk by not following proper precautions, possibly to save time or because no other person is taking precautions. The following is a list of Do s and Don ts that you should take note of and act on to protect yourself and others from exposure to Asbestos fibres. Do Ask if you think a building was built or refurbished before 2000 to see if an Asbestos survey has been carried out and ask to see it before you start any work that may disturb any Asbestos present. Ask if Asbestos is present does the work need to be carried out by a licensed contractor. Make sure you make full use of any personal protective equipment made available to you; never work with Asbestos with out the correct level of training and PPE. Clean up as you go to prevent a build up waste materials and loose Asbestos fibres. Dispose of all Asbestos and Asbestos contaminated waste in the correct way. Wash before breaks and going home. If in doubt about anything ask for clarification before you start work. Ask for training or refresher training if you think you need it. Co-operate with your employer at all times. Don t Use methods that create a lot of dust such as using power tools, use hand tools if possible. Sweep up dust using brushes; use a Type H vacuum cleaner and /or wet rags soaked with fibre suppressant to prevent fibres becoming airborne. Take home any clothing such as overalls which may have been contaminated with Asbestos fibres during your working day. Reuse any disposable clothing or dust masks Smoke Eat or drink in the working area. Take shortcuts when working with Asbestos. Ignore any safe working methods, procedures, signs or information designed to safeguard your Health and Safety and that of your work colleagues. 10

11 Uncontrolled release of Asbestos In the event of an uncontrolled release of Asbestos or the discovery of an Asbestos containing material the following steps should be followed. Procedure 1 If undamaged Asbestos is discovered during the working process. Discovery of Asbestos containing material, stop work immediately Keep everyone else out of the working area. Report the discovery to supervision immediately Display Asbestos warning signs. However if you discover damaged Asbestos containing material or actually damage the Asbestos containing material during your work activity the following procedure will need to be followed Procedure 2 Discovery of Asbestos containing material, stop work immediately Keep everyone else out of the working area. Is there dust or debris on clothing (if no follow procedure 1) Remove the clothing a place in plastic bags and label Asbestos contaminated clothing Wash thoroughly, if possible shower. Report the incident as soon as possible Display Asbestos warning signs Remember Asbestos fibres can not be seen by the naked eye in the air. You can not smell Asbestos fibres in the air. The effects of Asbestos take many years to show up avoid breathing it in now. Smoking greatly increases the risk of developing Asbestos related diseases by many times. Asbestos is only a danger when it is air borne. 11

12 Safe Working with Asbestos The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 sets categories of asbestos products based on how easily the fibres contained in the product could become airborne. Products which are highly friable and therefore could release fibres easily such as Loose Fill Asbestos Insulation, Sprayed Coatings, Pipe Insulation etc, are identified as Licensed Products requiring a specialist contractor to deal with them on all occasions and who is specifically licensed to do so, by the HSE. However, the HSE have made a clear distinction that very many common placed products which contain asbestos and that is held in a firmly fixed matrix which poses a low friability risk, can be dealt with, without recourse to a Licensed Asbestos Removal Contractor such as the removal of Asbestos Containing Floor Tiles, Profiled Cement Roof Sheets and Textured Decorative Coatings (Artex). Note: A full list of Non Licensed Work Activities can be found on the HSE website within the Asbestos Section; see the Equipment & Method Series and associated Asbestos Essentials Task Sheets for work with Non Licensable Products. Training for Employees Regulation 10 of CAR 2012 sets out clearly 3 requirements for training; 1. Asbestos Awareness Training should be given for those persons who may come across Asbestos Containing Materials in the course of their normal duties including materials within their own workplace. 2. Non Licensed Training should be given for those employees who will knowingly be expected to disturb Asbestos Containing Materials bonded in a firmly fixed matrix (low friability) including during works at their employers premises. 3. Licensed Training should be given for those employees who will knowingly disturb Asbestos Containing Materials not held within a firmly fixed matrix (high friability). This is predominantly only undertaken by Operatives employed within the Licensed Asbestos Removal Industry. 12

13 Safe Working with Asbestos The Control of Asbestos Regulations The European Union delivered a reasoned opinion in February 2011 that the previous asbestos regulations of 2006 did not wholly implement some of the directives issued by them, in particular to work with products at non-licensable level. The British Government agreed with the EU s opinion and in doing so issued the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 which came into force on 6 th April of rectifying the agreed anomalies. It is important to note that the vast majority of the previous edition of regulations set out in 2006 has not been considerably altered. However, in respect solely to the category of Non Licensed Works set out in detail on the previous page, 3 further enhanced requirements have been placed upon employers and the self employed by the revised. Should employers undertake refurbishment works involving asbestos containing materials which have low friability as they are contained within a firmly fixed matrix, such as Textured Decorative Coatings, Floor Tiles, Asbestos Cement Sheets etc and as such the works will significantly degrade the product concerned, then the employer must; Make an online notification to the HSE using form NNLW ASB1 Commence medical examinations of employees who undertake the Non Licensed Work Activity by 31 st April 2015 and then repeat this every 3 years for the duration of their continual exposure Keep a record of the work activity, type of asbestos and length of exposure each employee will face and archive these records for 40 years. Note: Refer to HSE Guidance contained in Appendix 1for further information 13

14 Disposal of Asbestos All Asbestos and Asbestos contaminated waste should be disposed of in the correct way. Any Asbestos product or material that is ready for disposal is defined as Asbestos waste. Asbestos waste also includes contaminated building materials, tools that cannot be decontaminated, disposable personal protective equipment and damp rags used for cleaning. If in doubt always treat waste as Hazardous or Special waste. Asbestos waste is Hazardous Waste when it contains more than 0.1% Asbestos Do not mix Asbestos waste with other general waste to get it below 0.1% Waste must be packed in UN approved packaging with a CDG (Carriage of Dangerous Goods Act 2004) hazard sign and Asbestos code information visible. Double wrapped and labelled Asbestos waste. Standard practice is to use a red inner bag with Asbestos warnings, and a clear outer bag with the CDG sign. For firmly-bound Asbestos- Asbestos cement and articles with Asbestos reinforcement- that does not release hazardous or respirable fibres easily CDG (Carriage of Dangerous Good Act 2004) does not apply. They should be wrapped in 1000 Gauge Polythene, suitably labelled as Asbestos waste and disposed of at a licensed site. Do not over fill bags and beware of sharp objects that may puncture plastic bags. Transportation of waste to be done by a registered waste carrier. Complete a waste consignment note and keep for a minimum of three years. 14

15 The Duty to Manage Asbestos The duty to manage is directed at those who manage non-domestic premises or 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. What is the duty? The duty to manage asbestos was created under Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 and remains as statutory responsibility under the 2012 revision. It requires the person who has the duty (i.e. the "duty holder") to: Take reasonable steps to find out if there are materials containing asbestos in non-domestic premises, and if so, its amount, where it is and what condition it is in; Presume materials contain asbestos unless there is strong evidence that they do not; Make, and keep up-to-date, a record of the location and condition of the asbestos containing materials - or materials which are presumed to contain asbestos; Assess the risk of anyone being exposed to fibres from the materials identified; Prepare a plan that sets out in detail how the risks from these materials will be managed; Take the necessary steps to put the plan into action; Periodically review and monitor the plan and the arrangements to act on it so that the plan remains relevant and up-to-date; and Provide information on the location and condition of the materials to anyone who is liable to work on or disturb them. There is also a requirement on anyone to co-operate as far as is necessary to allow the duty holder to comply with the above requirements. Defining the Duty Holder In many cases, the duty holder is the person or organisation that has clear responsibility for the maintenance or repair of non-domestic premises through an explicit agreement such as a tenancy agreement or contract. The extent of the duty will depend on the nature of that agreement. In a building occupied by one leaseholder, the agreement might be for either the owner or leaseholder to take on the full duty for the whole building; or it might be to share the duty. In a multi-occupied building, the agreement might be that the owner takes on the full duty for the whole building. Or it might be that the duty is shared - for example, the owner takes responsibility for the common parts while the leaseholders take responsibility for the parts they occupy. Sometimes, there might be an agreement to pass the responsibilities to a managing agent. 15

16 In some cases, there may be no tenancy agreement or contract. Or, if there is, it may not specify who has responsibility for the maintenance or repair of non-domestic premises. In these cases, or where the premises are unoccupied, the duty is placed on whoever has control of the premises, or part of the premises. Often this will be the owner. What premises are affected? The duty to manage covers all non-domestic premises. Such premises include all industrial, commercial or public buildings such as factories, warehouses, offices, shops, hospitals and schools. Non-domestic premises also include those 'common' areas of certain domestic premises: purpose-built flats or houses converted into flats. The common areas of such domestic premises might include foyers, corridors, lifts and lift-shafts, staircases, roof spaces, gardens, yards, outhouses and garages - but would not include the flat itself. Such common areas would not include rooms within a private residence that are shared by more than one household such as bathrooms, kitchens etc in shared houses and communal dining rooms and lounges in sheltered accommodation. How do duty holders comply? There are three essential steps: 1. Find out whether the premises contain asbestos, if so, where it is and what condition it is in. If in doubt materials must be presumed to contain asbestos; 2. Assess the risk form those materials identified as being present 3. Make a plan to manage that risk and act on it. Further details of these steps can be found via the HSE Information Leaflet 'A short guide to managing asbestos' available via as a downloadable file. Stallard Kane Associates Ltd offer a full Asbestos Consultancy Service including Building Surveys and Bulk Sampling of Asbestos. Tel

17 Further Information If you require any further information on Asbestos it is available from the following web sites

18 APPENDIX 1 HSE Asbestos Essentials A0 Advice on non-licensed work with Asbestos 18