• Business Link in the East of England
• Peterborough Chamber of Commerce
• Opportunity Peterborough
• Envirocluster
• Peterborough Regional Economic Partnership

Managing Asbestos

• Is the material being/likely to be disturbed?
• Is the surface damaged, frayed or scratched?
• Are surface sealants peeling or breaking off?
• Is the material becoming detached from its base?
• Are protective coverings missing?
• Is there asbestos dust or debris in the immediate surrounding area?

Deciding what to do depends on the condition and type of the material:

1. Good condition/not likely to be damaged/not likely to be worked on:

• It is safest to leave the material in place and introduce a management system. For this to be effective the owner/occupier of the premises must be in a position to exercise control over access by workers, contractors etc. and be prepared to exercise that control.

2. Poor condition/likely to be damaged or disturbed:

• It will need to be repaired, sealed, enclosed or removed.

Taking Action Offers A Number Of Options

Asbestos left in place

• If it is in good condition establish an asbestos management system i.e. keep records and/or a register of where the asbestos is;
• Periodic visual inspection is required to ensure the condition has not deteriorated;
• It is good practice to label materials with warning signs or colour coding so that those who need to know are alerted to its presence;
• Damaged materials can be repaired and either sealed or enclosed to prevent further damage.   You will still need to label such areas as part of an asbestos management system.

Removal of Asbestos

This should take place where dust release is likely, repair or protection is not practical or where the material is likely to be disturbed during routine maintenance work. Remember that work on asbestos insulation board, coating & lagging (including sealing & removal) must normally be done only by a contractor licensed by the HSE.

Disposal of Asbestos

Asbestos waste should be double-bagged in heavy-duty polythene bags and clearly labelled with the prescribed label before it is transported to an appropriately licensed disposal site.  All asbestos waste, whether in small or large amounts, is subject to the Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005, which is enforced by the Environment Agency.

What You Should Tell Your Workers/Contractors

Details about any asbestos materials (location, type etc.) and make them aware of any asbestos register. Referral of any enquiries etc should be to an appropriate nominated person identified in the management system.

Precautions to be taken if necessary

1. Never strip out asbestos insulation - the law requires a specialist contractor to do this to strict rules.
2. Where minor work on materials containing asbestos (e.g. asbestos cement) is to be carried out by workers/ contractors, make sure that they know they are working with asbestos and what precautions they should take
3. In brief:
   • keep all unnecessary personnel out of the work area
   • take care not to create dust
   • keep the material wet whenever possible
   • wear a suitable respirator and protective clothing
   • clean up with a type 'H' vacuum cleaner
   • not to break up large pieces of asbestos materials
   • not to use power tools
   • not to expose unprotected workers
   • not to take protective clothing home to wash.