As experienced installation engineers, at Robinsons MEA we have on many occasions discovered asbestos in old buildings or on old plant, and we are certainly well placed to warn of the dangers of asbestos exposure.
Despite legislation being well publicised and the issue of asbestos removal becoming a central feature of facilities management in the 21st century, there are still many organisations who are not aware that their premises might contain asbestos.
Of course, most forms of asbestos are harmless if left untouched, but you still need to be aware of its presence, and you also need to design a periodic inspection schedule to ensure it is not damaged, disturbed or exposed from the point you identify its presence. This can often happen when a business undertakes installation work and areas of a building are accessed for the first time in a number of years, or items of plant are removed after several years.
Failures in asbestos risk management can be fatal
Exactly this scenario occurred recently at a natural gas storage facility called SSE Hornsea Ltd in East Yorkshire. The company was fined over £300,000 after 13 employees and contractors were exposed to asbestos fibres while working on a compressed air system.
Three mechanical maintenance personnel were taking out a non-return valve from a compressed air distribution system, which involved removing the material used to seal a gasket. There were asbestos fibres in the gasket material and the action of using a wire brush mounted on an electric drill in trying to remove the stubborn material, spread the fibres widely through the workshop and also onto clothing. A sample of some airborne fibrous dust was tested two days later and found to contain white asbestos fibres. The workshop was closed immediately.
The case was heard at Beverley Magistrates’ Court where the Health & Safety Executive told the court that SSE Hornsea were guilty of:
- Failing to identify asbestos presence in their risk assessments for the job
- Having inadequate records on site for the presence of asbestos
- Having inadequate training of personnel for asbestos awareness
It was found that these offences constituted a breach of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and carried a £300,000 fine and costs of over £12,000.
Robinsons’ asbestos awareness risk management
At Robinsons we have very robust procedures where our engineers insist on full risk assessments being carried out, we check all on-site records prior to starting work and our engineers are all fully trained in asbestos awareness. While dormant, asbestos can be harmless, but it is clear that incidents such as this can happen during routine installations in distant corners of the building that may not have been inhabited for many years, or involving pipework or other plant that hasn’t been touched or disturbed.
Such a failure in risk management can needlessly expose employees and contractors to immediate and future health issues. Asbestos was widely used in building and engineering materials in the past as it has strength, heat and chemical resistance properties. However, exposure can be fatal but not immediately diagnosed. Therefore, information and education of employees and contractors on its presence, appearance, properties and identification is critical for all installation organisations.