Rank: Forum user 
|
Hi all, great forum! Your thoughts please? I have produced a generic RA for our handyman who carrys out minor works at our various company properties. My question relates to the hazard Asbestos. With no control measures i have rated it as 5x5=25 highest risk. After control measures of Asbestos Awareness training and some site surveys i kept the severity as 5 but the likelihood as 3, possible, 5x3=15=still high risk! My thoughts behind this are, without all properties surveyed i cannot guarantee no Asbestos is present therefore contact is possible? Subsequent discussions with our advisor have made me doubt myself. They have questioned my liklehood ratings. As the handyman only carrys out intrusive work on a very infrequent basis they rate the liklehood as the lowest meaning the residual risk would be 5x1=5=low? I had recommended all sites are fully surveyed, only then had i planned to reduce the liklehood to 2 which would result in a residual risk of 5x2=10=medium. I do not want to undersell this risk rating, it seems easy to rate everything as low to make the paperwork look good! I would really appreciate your opinions on this. Regards Gazbut
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user 
|
Hi Gaz
First of all, I do not like this type of RA format which can raise various issues like yours. I prefer a format where there is no residual risk i.e. only one section to complete.
As for the severity I would not get too hung up on the numbers, it's the controls in a RA which are the important bit. That said, for what's it worth I agree with your scoring but there may be other h&s practitioners who disagree such is the subjective nature of RAs. So you need to ask yourself does it really matter whether the residual risk is 5x3 or 5x1?
|
 1 user thanked RayRapp for this useful post.
|
|
|
|
Rank: Forum user 
|
Hi Gaz
Don't get too hung up on the score. What matters is that you have sufficient control measures in place. The HSE have a lot of resources for those handyman type roles that would only occasionally be doing intrusive works. You must provide asbestos awareness training (can be done online). Have a look on the HSE website for 'asbestos essentials'.
PM me if you would like more information
Edited by user 10 November 2016 16:24:21(UTC)
| Reason: Spelling error
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Forum user
|
In order to fulfil your duty of care, the only answer is to survey the buildings where the works are to be carried out. Otherwise you have no basis of probability for intrusive works.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user
|
Gaz - you mention that you can not guarantee you sites are free of asbestos without a survey-unless you have a fully intrusive demolition survey carried out and all asbestos removed you won't achieve the inpossible.
Remember surveys are not always required. However, an asbestos management plan is. This should include what happens if unknown asbestos is found and then disturbed during minor works.
If you have more intrusive works, ensure you carryout an intrusive refurbishment survey or demolition survey and record this in your management plan.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user 
|
There's a suggestion here that a very low exposure to asbestos fibres is likely to (or will absolutely) result in death or major injury, which is patently untrue.
Forget the numbers, consider the controls. Are your surveys/ management information complete and reliable? Does the handyman understand how to access and properly interpret and use that information? Has he been properly trained in the range of tasks expected of him? Does he understand the limitations of his competency and scope of authorised work?
Asbestos Awareness training doesn't cover most of the above, but he will need that too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Super forum user
|
Stick your Facilities Management person on a UKATA Asbestos Awareness course. Put your Asbestos Register on the front desk on the main reception next to the signing in book.
You don't need to have a matrix risk assement, you simply need to know where this horrible product is. If your organisation has any sense, they will undertake to have all the asbestos removed now whilst removal costs are fairly low.
I am sure, the HSE will push for the manditory removal of all asbestos in the not too distant future -- I am in total support of this. When this comes into play, I'm sure the costs for removal will go up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.