Manufacturing firms reminded of their asbestos duties
- Hello_YCDI
- Mar 20
- 2 min read
As we approach Global Asbestos Awareness Week (April 1 – 7), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is reminding those running businesses occupying buildings built before 2000 to properly assess, manage and monitor asbestos risks in line with the law.
Older manufacturing facilities may house multiple asbestos containing materials (ACMs). Asbestos was widely used in buildings and in some equipment between 1950 and 1980; however, any building built or refurbished before 2000 could contain an ACM.
Asbestos can be found in: pipe lagging, insulation board, asbestos cement products such as profiled roof sheets and wall panels, floor coverings and asbestos sprayed coatings. ACMs such as gaskets and rope seals can also be found within old plant and equipment such as industrial ovens and pipework.
Asbestos-related diseases remain the highest cause of work-related deaths in Great Britain, these often fatal diseases, typically take decades for symptoms to occur following exposure.
There is a legal duty to manage asbestos and failing to do so can result in penalties ranging from fines to prison sentences. The implications of an asbestos incident can also be far reaching in terms of reputation, staff morale, attracting new staff and overall costs.
There are six steps for how those responsible can comply with their legal duty:
Find out if asbestos could be present in your building.
Arrange an asbestos survey by a competent person or accredited surveyor.
Make a register and assess the risks from your asbestos.
Write your asbestos management plan.
Put your plan into action.
Continually monitor and communicate the plan.
For further information on asbestos-related disease statistics visit:
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