Asbestos in the 21 st Century

Transcription

1 Asbestos in the 21 st Century A short presentation for GOSH March 2012 Prof R J Willey BSc (Hons), PhD, FInstP, FIOSH, RSP, FRSA Roger Willey 2012

2 Asbestos A little bit of revision What has happened to death rates? The 21 st C versus the 20 th C What happened in 2006, 2010? What is going to happen next month?

3 What is Asbestos? A FAMILY NAME GIVEN TO THE FIBOUS FORMS OF A GROUP OF NATURALLY OCCURING MINERAL SILICATE FIBRES.

4 Why was it used? Good insulator against: Heat, electricity, noise, vibration. Impervious to attack by: Acid, weather, vermin Cheap to produce and import

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13 Clydebank Blitz, March 1941 Over two nights, the 13th and 14th of March, the town suffered the worst destruction and civilian loss of life in all of Scotland. 528 people died, 617 people seriously injured. Approximately 12,000 houses, only seven remained undamaged with 4,000 completely destroyed and 4,500 severely damaged.

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15 COMMON LOCATIONS IN PUBLIC SECTOR HOUSING COMMON LOCATIONS PUBLIC SECTOR HOUSING

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25 Who is most affected? Not often a problem in privately built houses/buildings A significant problem in publicly funded housing stock/buildings. Therefore, a significant problem for L.A., H.A. NHS in particular - especially when built in 1960 s, 70 s and early 80 s.

26 What are the risks? INHALATION OF ASBESTOS FIBRES CAN LEAD TO: ASBESTOSIS MASSIVE OVER EXPOSURE LUNG CANCER MESOTHELIOMA LOW LEVEL LATENT PERIOD BETWEEN YRS, typically 25/35

27 Asbestos: how dangerous? HSE PROJECTIONS FOR ENGLAND & WALES TYPES OF DEATH NUMBERS HEART DISEASE CANCER RESPIRATORY DISEASE HOME ACCIDENTS SUICIDES ROAD ACCIDENTS WORK ACCIDENTS 174 ASBESTOS DEATHS 2 000

28 The 21 st Century Problem

29 Asbestos related deaths Deaths were relatively constant at about 2000 per annum for many years. Death rate has more than doubled in the past few years. Up from 2000 to just over 4100 last year (2010)

30 Deaths THE PETO PREDICTION The PETO prediction NUMBER OF MESOTHELIOMA DEATHS WILL RAPIDLY INCREASE OVER THE NEXT DECADE THE NUMBER PEAK IS EXPECTED OF ASBESTOS BE DEATHS AS HIGH WILL AS 7500 RAPIDLY P.A. INCREASE (UP FROM 2000 P.A.) OVER THE NEXT DECADE. PEAK COULD BE AS HIGH AS 7500 P.A. (UP FROM 2000 P.A.) Year

31 Who are these people? The additional deaths occur NOT in the conventional group e.g. heavy industry. Deaths occur primarily in tradesman e.g. electricians, plumbers, carpenters. Largest single group is tradesmen working for L.A. s We need new asbestos regulations to protect these people.

32 HSE Asbestos Campaign 2008 on

33 HSE Asbestos Campaign 2008 on

34 HSE Asbestos Campaign 2008 on

35 Roger s Mesothelioma Cycle

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37 Roger s Mesothelioma Cycle break here

38 The Asbestos Regulations Nov 2002 (no difference in substance in CAR 2006) Exactly same as old Regulations (1987), except for Regulation 4 - effective May Reg. 4 : duty to manage asbestos in premises. Duty is for non-domestic premises only except common areas (do not forget Duty of Care of the HASAWA)

39 What needs to be done? management plan to give the information to tradesmen before they start work. management plan to prevent work without the information

40 The Response policy and procedures. asbestos surveys of all suspect buildings asbestos register produced for each building. register on disc and/or hard copy.

41 When would you access the data base/register? Will the work interfere with the fabric of the building? (a) Planned works (b) Requested works

42 PRO-ACTIVE WORKS At an early planning stage consult the asbestos register. Decide whether work is major or minor asbestos works. Decide on type of contractor, pass on information. EASY???? But ONLY if the asbestos register is consulted FIRST.

43 RE-ACTIVE WORKS No asbestos Request Help db Asb (minor) Desk Asb (major) Small nos.. hard copy Large nos.. computer system

44 Information & Management CRITICAL that information is given to tradesmen PRIOR to start of works. Give as part of purchase order or works requisition order or, in larger jobs, as part of the tender documentation. If you have no information and you are suspicious.. STOP

45 A little bit of legislation

46 Asbestos Categories Asbestos insulation Asbestos insulating board Asbestos cement Asbestos vinyl tiles Textured coatings (artex) Asbestos rope Asbestos gaskets

47 Classification of Materials

48 THE RISK RESULT EXPRE Risk depends on the amount of fibres you can breath in i.e. the airborne fibre concentration in f/cc. The Clearance Indicator is less than f/cc

49 THE RISK Limpet f/cc HIGH AI f/cc HIGH AIB 2 20 f/cc MED AC usually less than 0.5 f/cc LOW AVT usually less than 0.1 f/cc LOW

50 Working Procedures Asbestos Insulation must use a licensed contractor. must notify regulator at least 14 days in advance (and supply method statement).

51 Working Procedures Asbestos insulating board major works: licensed contractor plus notification (as above). minor works: 1 hour in 7 days, any contractor, no notification, safe working.

52 Working Procedures Asbestos cement any contractor, no notification, no time limits, safe working systems

53 Changes in November 2006 AI lic. contr, notification AIB >1hr lic. contr., notification AIB <1hr any contr., NO notification AC any contr., NO notification, AVT no time limits Rope Gaskets Artex some times, not always

54 Insulation, board, cement?

55 Insulation, board, cement?

56 Insulation, board, cement?

57 Insulation, board, cement?

58 Insulation, board, cement, or?

59 Insulation, board, cement, or?

60 Types of asbestos Surveys (replaced in Jan 2010) Type 1 visual inspection only Type 2 sample suspect materials Type 3 intrusive sampling Virtually all people have Type2 surveys

61 What happened in 2010? MDHS 100 was replaced in January 2010 by HSG 264 Asbestos: The survey guide Types 1, 2 and 3 have disappeared, replaced by Management Survey and Demolition or Refurbishment Survey. No other significant change for surveyors

62 HSG 264 The Surveyors Guide This is really aimed at the client i.e. the body who commissions the survey. Why? HSE very concerned by the standard of surveys and surveyors

63 A poor example of a survey Loc. No. Sample No. Location Area Surveyed Position Asbestos Type Quantity 1 1 G Floor Gym Ceiling Tiles Amosite 50 SQ M 2 As 1 G Floor Hall Ceiling Tiles Amosite 100 SQ M 3 2 G Floor Kitchen Red Floor Tiles Amosite 100 SQ M

64 An asbestos management system An example of asbestos management system Loc Sample Location Area Position Product Asbestos Quantity Surface Vuln. Damage Mats Priority No No Surveyed Type RA 1 1 G Floor Gym Ceiling AIB Amosite 50 M² Unseal High Good 6 1 Tiles 2 As 1 G floor Hall Ceiling AIB Amosite 100 M² Unseal Low Good 6 3 Tiles 3 2 G Floor Kitchen Red Floor Tiles AVT Chryso 100 M² Good Med Good 1 2 This is a management system. It can be used as a smart management system.

65 HSG 264 Client must ensure the contractor is competent. Competent, better guidance on what this means.

66 Competent? The dutyholder should not appoint or instruct an independent surveyor to carry out a survey unless the surveyor is competent. HSE strongly recommends the use of accredited or certified surveyors for asbestos surveys.

67 Competent? Organisations can demonstrate that they are technically competent through accreditation to ISO UKAS is the sole national accreditation body in the United Kingdom

68 What is going to happen next? Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 Made 27 February 2012 Laid before Parliament 5 March 2012 Coming into force 6 April 2012

69 What is going to happen next? Major Change Change to classification system Currently: Major works: notifiable, licensed contractor Minor works: not notifiable, non- licensed contractor, trained, SWP.

70 What is going to happen next? High Risk: notifiable, licensed contractor, 14 days Medium Risk: notifiable (< job starts), non- licensed contractor, trained, SWP. Low Risk: not notifiable, non-licensed contractor, trained, SWP.

71 The DETAIL CAR 2012 is available now to download. As always, rather woolly and very difficult to read. The detail (in understandable format) will come in the Approved Code of Practise Promised any time, soon

72 If it goes wrong 1. Birmingham, Summer Removal of asbestos from a factory. 300 bags of asbestos insulation found in lay by. 2. Charges use of unlicensed contractor fly tipping 3 Result 3.1 Rollco Screw & Rivet Company Fine: Costs: Clean up: weeks lost production during clean up. 3.2 Mr Joyce: fine , holiday of 2 years

73 New Enforcement Policy Enforcing authorities should prosecute individuals if they consider that a prosecution is warranted. consider the management chain and the role played by individual directors/managers take action against them where inspection reveals the offence was committed with their consent, connivance or neglect (n.b. Barrow Case)

74 It is not about legal defence: THIS is what it is about!

75 Questions?