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Posted By p winter
Good evening,
I will be facing a battle at work tomorrow and wonder if anyone with detailed knowledge of this could share on their experience.
Mr Wilson where are you? Just hoping you are online.
A client (a Local authority) has a plant room which houses equipment we maintain in the basement of their main building and have warned us there is "low level" asbestos contamination in the entire basement and that we should take precautions when we attend (disposable masks, one piece throw away overalls have been mentioned).
We have declined to attend ( this potentially could close a 10 story office complex, and shut down their operations).
I have asked how they have defined low level and it transpired last thing on Friday that they have not had an air test carried out - so how they can say No, Low or High contamination it's beyond me.
My gut feeling is (I don't profess to have a black belt in Asbestos) - that they must tell me how bad it is, and we will decide what precautions we will take, or, if we will steer well clear until the place has been sorted.
Unfortunatly its a big important customer so the pressure will be on.
Answers on a postcard please
Thanks
Pete
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Posted By Adrian Watson
Dear P,
You are quite right in your stance. As you know there to be a risk of exposure to asbestos as there is asbestos contamination present, you have to carry out a "risk assessment" and prepare a written plan of work, before you carry out works.
To prepare this plan of work you need to identify the type of asbestos and the degree of exposure, to determine what precautionary measures are necessary. If you go ahead and carry out the works without a plan of works in place both you and your client can be prosecuted.
If you need further info contact me on 07944 789632.
Regards Adrian Watson LLM MSc Dip Occ Hyg
Registered Occupational Hygienist
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By Dave Wilson
you can email me or phone 01548 831404 and will endeavour to give you some advice
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By Dave Wilson
Just been thinking about this,
has a survey been done?
Is as asbestos management Plan in place?
What type of Asbestos Material is it!
AIB / Lagging / Limpet?
Is it damaged?
Is it likely to release Fibres?
Is there any debris?
Has a background Air test been undertaken?
Will your employees disturb or come into contact with it?
If you have to are your people trained and been Face fit tested for RPE?
Be very careful here!
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Posted By Robert K Lewis
Totally in agreemnt with DW.
It is going to be a long hard road to get clients to be more responsive to the issues involved. One crumb of comfort on 6th April the revised CDM make clear that such information is specifically required for both notifiable and non-notifiable work. Yes it is only a repitition of what should be there but perhaps the HSE will be more active in attacking the small works now they have the twin weaponry under both CAR2006 and CDM2007 to use against recalcitrant clients. The unfortunate thing is that many of these are often Public Sector, including NHS.
Bob
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By p winter
Many thanks to all of you who responded, the storm developed during the morning then blew it'self out about lunch time when it emerged that the damaged material which triggered the scare was identified (by an asbestos specialist)as plasterboard. An air test also showed no problem.
Unfortunatly we have also had a computer system failure today so have only just picked up your advice.
Thanks again for taking the trouble to respond.
Pete
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