Posted By Alias_Anonymous Hoping to get some responses on this one! I am an Asbestos Analyst/Surveyor with three and a half years experience. I have to say it is probably one of the worst jobs I have had. Long unsociable hours, and ridiculous time schedules thus creating unreasonable pressure. Asbestos "Strippers" very very rarley clean their enclosures to the required standards for the analyst to pass the visual, far from it to be honest (That is why we have analysts I hear you mutter?) and they are not at all co-operative when you try and tell them the situation! I assume they too have silly time schedules too, so do understand why this happens. It seems the surveyors and analysts are 'up against it' and the strippers too. Is anyone else out there in agreemant/same situation? Look forward to any replies! P.s I'm looking for a different kind of work

Posted By Saracen11 Hi Alias_Anonymous, if the 'stripping game' is so bad, why not look for another career path? BTW, if a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well... considering the fees you (strippers) charge and the consequences for cutting corners. Regards

Posted By Paul Oliver So your telling us that you issue clearance certs when the enclosures are not clear? If that's the case, I find it appalling..... If you do, where does the pressure come from, why can't you stick to your guns, and refuse to issue.

Posted By Dave Wilson As H,S&E Manager for and Environmental company who are HSE Licensed I find your comments are not really that constructive. An independent analytical company is employed to undertake the 4SC and I would find it most disconcerting if any strippers are cutting corners. We have a legal obligation to present the site to the analyst in a state to pass the 4SC. The site supervisor should have already done the 1st & 2nd stage as good practice to confirm to himself that the visual and dust raising will pass before you arrive, if this is not done I suggest your company takes this up with the contractor, as if they are constantly trying to hoodwink you then they might want to know, the HSE may also like to know as these cowboys can be got rid off. If it is not there is a cost implication as the job will take longer than planned and a knock on effect where we cannot commence on another job so that client is let down and so customer service is ooot the windae as well! I do agree that there are unsociable hours, however, Asbestos removal cannot always be done 8 till 4 Monday to Friday and your company gets paid a premium for this. So you fail the visual and say ' OK guys back in and re-clean and I will come back tomorrow' Double Cost for contractors and double income for you. There are good analyst out there and there are bad ones as well however when the CAR06 comes in, two weeks on Monday, and from may next year all analysts and surveyors will have to be UKAS accredited or equivalent so this may bring standards up. Never ever pass the 4SC if it does not come up to the standards required and you are 'pressurised' by the contractor then I suggest a call the the local ALPI is in order

Posted By NickW Alias, Im not sure what your exact angle is or what you are seeking in starting this thread. I am the H&S Manager for an analytical and supervisory license holding firm and worked my way up from the tools (pumps). When I started in 1997, every clearance involved an argument due to the disparity between me (the analyst) and the removal contractor as to them time is usually money. However im my experience, the removal contractors these days (at least those we work with) have more respect for the analysts opinion and are more conscious of their direct legal duties to ensure standards under the regs are acheived. From Dave's point of view as a removal contractor (hi BTW Dave, we met at the H&S Expo in May) yes I agree there are bad analysts out there who will stretch jobs out due to money issues, inexperience or sheer bloodymindedness. However these are rare as most, like yourself Alias also want to get home (but not be liable under S7 or 36 of HSWA so wont write our certificates from outside the airlock). There are few analytical firms who can guarentee short and sociable working ours but most of our lads and ladies at our place are practical people who like a bit of O/T in the packet at the end of the month. If I were you, like other disgruntled analysts I have met, I would use your experience and knowledge to get a softer job as an asbestos advisor for a local authority etc with flexi-time and capped 35 hours per week etc.

Posted By Andy Peters Hello Thankyou for all your comments! Yes, my name has changed from Alias...On orders of the IOSH web team! :)