Asbestos and Imperial College 0. Introduction slide

Transcription

1 Asbestos and Imperial College 0. Introduction slide Welcome to this online introduction to the Management of Asbestos at Imperial College. This course is for all staff and students and is only mandatory for staff working in Estates Facilities, Security, Campus Services Nevertheless, asbestos is present in most buildings in the College, and we strongly advise everyone to take 20 minutes to view this training course. Once you have reviewed the course content, you will be required to complete a short online test. Staff for whom this course is mandatory will need to complete the test with a score of 50% for their training to be validated. 0.1 Index slide The course will cover the following areas Introduction this will capture the landscape of the College in terms of building age etc, their propensity to contain ACM s (Asbestos containing material) and the ongoing health threat that exposure to asbestos continues to present in the UK. Registers and Duties this will very briefly outline the duties imposed by the Registers and their scope e.g. applying to staff, students, contractors and others. Discharging the duties this will touch on the appointment of a competent person, Asbestos Management Plan, surveys / inspections, register, communication and labelling, Additional Training this will flag up the need to provide additional training for those staff whose role potentially exposes them to risk or where they have a specific duty / responsibility as in the Asbestos Management Plan. Removing Asbestos this will illustrate the paraphernalia associated with removal and refer to the programme of works / strategy the college has in place. 1. Asbestos Legislation - Introduction Imperial College London takes its responsibilities very seriously and particularly when it comes to compliance with Asbestos Legislation. This naturally occurring mineral fibre was a common component in many building materials and was widely used from the late 1800 s right up to its essential ban in Looking around the buildings, there are a wide range of building ages and consequently this material was incorporated in to a number of those buildings. As the biggest single occupational killer in the country, as you can imagine, there is a lot of legislation surrounding it. Legislation that applies to Imperial College! Why was it used so widely? 1

2 Doesn t catch fire so good for protecting structures Good insulator used on hot water pipes, steam pipework, boilers, cylinders etc. Does not conduct electricity used in fuse boxes and switchgear Has strong fibres so was woven in ropes, cloth and added to other materials to give them strength Asbestos is not affected by water or chemicals. Predominantly it was cheap and very plentiful and lent itself readily to be added to a wide range of building products. So, why do we need all this Legislation? Health Problems. Asbestos is a set of 6 naturally occurring silicate minerals which all have in common the form of long thin fibrous crystals, with each fibre being composed of millions of microscopic fibres that can be released by abrasion and other processes. The fibres are too small to see with the naked eye! The fibres split longitudinally into thinner and thinner fibres. The shape of the fibre means that once it is inhaled, the fibres tend to get trapped down in the air sacs of the lungs. Normally if we enter a dusty environment our bodies detect dust and particulates and we often sneeze or cough as a result. Asbestos fibres are so small the body won t produce this cough and sneeze response so we are unaware that these fibres may be in an atmosphere. These fibres get absorbed by the scavenging cells but cannot be digested and irritate the tissue which will scar up and eventually undergo cancerous changes. Health problems associated with Asbestos have been known about for a very long time. Notably: Asbestosis excessive scarring of the lung tissue from inhalation of Asbestos fibre Lung Cancer generally those with higher exposure with increased potential to develop cancer amongst those that smoke Mesothelioma a tumour of the pleura or, less frequently the stomach lining. Only caused by Asbestos and can appear years after the fibres have entered the lungs. Many cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage as symptoms are non-specific and appear late in the disease development. Mesothelioma is almost always fatal with most dying within 12 months of diagnosis. There is no cure for Mesothelioma although Surgery, Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy are used to slow the disease progression. 2

3 Around 4,000 people a year die in the UK at least 10 every day as a result of Asbestos related diseases. For those working in the construction and buildings maintenance industry the following measures are recommended to prevent exposure to Asbestos fibres Don t smoke Avoid exposure Follow procedures Check before undertaking task Report suspect Asbestos material Don t prolong potential exposures Change clothes & wash as soon as possible Contact Security and Asbestos Manager Don t panic It is essential that people are NOT exposed now or in the future. Where are ACMs Found? Asbestos was used in construction materials and other products for more than a century, its earliest known uses dating back to the 1880 s before finally being banned in Import of the material peaked between College has a range of buildings constructed during these periods and the nature of the material meant it was routinely used in: Plant & Maintenance areas Offices Laboratories Equipment Communal areas In other words: Just about anywhere! How do I recognize ACMs? They are probably labelled but NOT ALWAYS They may not be labelled if they are: Inaccessible Low risk External Or the Asbestos Manager doesn t know about them! 3

4 The attached images are only a selection of ACMs at Imperial College Insulation & Lagging Materials Asbestos Insulation Board (AIB) Asbestos Cement 2. Imperial & The Asbestos Management Plan Registers & Duties It is a legal requirement under the Control of Asbestos Regulations (CAR) 2012 for nondomestic premises to manage Asbestos. Regulation 4 duty to manage Asbestos in non-domestic premises How does Imperial manage this? Imperial has formulated an Asbestos Management Plan (AMP) which sets out how Imperial College will manage the risk arising from the presence of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) in its buildings. The AMP defines the formal policy, measures and arrangements which, when fully implemented, ensures the College provides a safe and healthy environment for all. The AMP is relevant to all who work, study and visit Imperial College Campuses. It applies to ALL buildings across all Campuses. College policy is: Ensure all ACMs are managed and that college minimises Asbestos related health risk Progressively remove any high risk ACMs To take every opportunity to remove ALL ACMs from project areas in tandem with major maintenance works 4

5 3. Discharging the Duties The AMP is reviewed annually & updated in line with good practice and regulatory changes. Management measures include: Having an Asbestos Register Providing training Formal regular inspection of College ACMs Formal procedures for project and building works Labelling of ACMs Appointing an Asbestos Manager to co-ordinate Asbestos issues and provide technical assistance and consultancy services Imperial also manages its responsibilities by ensuring the Asbestos Manager conducts surveys in line with current guidance. Management Surveys Standard survey. Its purpose is to locate the presence of any suspect ACMs in the area for general building management Refurbishment & Demolition Survey Before any refurbishment and demolition work. The survey is intrusive and should open up areas as required and is intended to identify all ACMs. The Asbestos Manager has a permanent office on South Kensington Campus and can be contacted via EF Customer Services Centre. The College Asbestos Management Policy sets out specific duties for key members of staff as well as Contractors. Staff and Students also have responsibilities under the policy. Key members of staff include: Director of Estates Facilities Director of Estates Development & Projects Head of Maintenance Project Managers Building Managers Contractors and Staff & Students i.e. Everyone! 5

6 4. Information & Training The College has a duty, as set out in the AMP, to provide information and training to all persons who could come in to contact with ACMs or potentially be exposed to Asbestos fibres. The College therefore acknowledges that certain individuals who have responsibilities as defined in the AMP will require specific information and training. Included are: Head of Maintenance College Safety Director Director of Occupational Health Building Managers/Project Managers Hall Wardens Faculty and Campus Safety Managers ICT staff/contractors Maintenance operatives & Contractors The College has developed a training strategy to ensure appropriate training is provided. The majority of training is provided in-house covering the following key areas: Asbestos Management Plan - Purpose, general arrangements, availability and location - Responsibilities of employees and key groups Asbestos Register - It s location, use and availability ACMs - Health effects - Their range and distribution at Imperial College - Their range and distribution in other countries Work Practice - Safe systems and arrangements - Emergency procedures - Working on other landlords sites survey, Asbestos Register, AMP & Emergencies The College undertakes Day One induction training for all of its staff members and its embedded contractors. This includes information on the a for asbestos warning sign, that ACMs are present in the College, and what the risks from ACMs are. Students are given a similar induction session on joining the College, and in addition Campus Services provides them with written information on the risk of asbestos in accommodation. In addition to this the Month One Safety Training (MOST) and test is undertaken by all College employees; it contains further more detailed instructions on managing asbestos, 6

7 and recommends attendance at the College Asbestos Awareness training. This is a halfday training course which includes how to recognise asbestos. Finally, key groups, contractors and sub contractors are given brief on site Tool Box talks, this will include issue of the College asbestos poster and Emergency contact card where relevant. 5. Removal of Asbestos Containing Materials The Regulations do not stipulate that all ACMs have to be removed from a building. It is, however, an aim of the College that all ACMs should ultimately be removed. The College undertakes annual inspections of the condition of ACMs. Where the materials are in good condition they can remain as they would be considered safe. Where they are in poor condition they can either be encapsulated with a protective coating or they can be removed. They can also be removed prior to a project. The term removal is used to describe both the removal of bulk materials and the decontamination of areas where debris or trace asbestos contamination has been identified or as a precursor to project works. Removal of ACMs is an operation with inherent risks and requires effective management. Consideration of building occupation, co ordination with other projects, effective use of budget, etc. will be taken into account when arranging remedial works. Remedial works will be carried out by a Contractor holding a License under the Asbestos Licensing Regulations. Licensed Asbestos works will be carried out under Negative Pressure by constructing an enclosure around the area of works. As from the image (left), operatives are required to wear full face mask and coveralls and will utilise a Decontamination unit similar to that pictured. Strict procedures have to be observed to transit to and from the enclosure. Works are monitored utilising an external Analytical company to monitor work and ensure there are no breaches and also to ensure the quality of work and the robustness of the safety measures. This will include regular air testing and sampling. The Analyst will also subject the area to a 4 stage clearance (procedures set out in official HSE guidelines) before handing any works areas back. This ensures the area is fit for re-occupation and safe to be handed back. Not all Asbestos has to be removed although ideally the College tries to! 7

8 Generally Asbestos works are carried out weekdays, but can be weekends or night shifts with controlled conditions and regular inspections by the Analyst. Services Centre: Ext ( ) Thanks for your attention. 6. Conclusion slide Well done, you have now completed this online training. We hope that you have found this introduction to Asbestos helpful and informative. If you need further information or assistance you should raise this with your line manager/ Hall Warden etc. or contact the Asbestos Management Team as below via the EF Customer Please click on the link below to start the final assessment. When you submit your replies, you will instantly receive an with your score. If this course is mandatory for you, you will be required to achieve a score of at least 50% for your training to be validated. (multiple attempts will be granted). If you have any questions, please contact a member of the Asbestos management team. 8