Asbestos

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 came into force on 6 April 2012, updating previous asbestos regulations to take account of the European Commission's view that the UK had not fully implemented the EU Directive on exposure to asbestos (Directive 2009/148/EC).

In practice the changes are fairly limited. They mean that some types of non-licensed work with asbestos now have additional requirements, i.e. notification of work, medical surveillance and record keeping. All other requirements remain unchanged.

What has stayed the same?

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 will come into force on 6 April 2012, updating previous asbestos regulations to take account of the European Commission’s view that the UK had not fully implemented the EU Directive on exposure to asbestos (Directive 2009/148/EC).
In practice, the changes are fairly limited.

Some types of non-licensed work with asbestos now have additional requirements to include

 A demolition firm has been sentenced after knocking down a building in the Lake District containing hundreds of asbestos ceiling tiles, putting the lives of workers and local residents at risk.

IBT Contracting Ltd was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after carrying out the work at a former photography factory in Staveley near Kendal during August and September 2011, despite not having a licence to remove asbestos.

HSE Construction inspectors are carrying out an intensive inspection initiative during February and March 2012, focusing on the refurbishment/building site risks that make construction one of Britain’s most dangerous industries - working at height safely, good order on site, and the risks associated with the removal of asbestos.
Falls from height remains one of the most common causes of fatalities and major injuries in the construction industry, with more than five incidents every day.

 A WIFE who washed her husband's asbestos-covered work clothes for a decade died because she was exposed to the deadly dust – even though he was not affected.

Every week, Jill Bolstridge would shake off the dirt from overalls worn by her husband James – who worked at Derby engineering firm S Robinson and Sons – before putting them in the washing machine.

​Jill Bolstridge died of mesothelioma after washing her husband's asbestos-covered overalls for 10 years.

Avon Freight Group Ltd (AFG) and its managing director Simon Poole, together with builder Ronald McPhee,  were proscecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)  over the exposure during work to convert the unit in Hemming Road, Redditch, into a new storage centre and headquarters for AFG.

AFG's architect commissioned a survey that identified asbestos insulation board in a number of partition walls, which the company wanted to demolish, and obtained estimates for its removal from three licensed contractors.

A court in Italy gained worldwide attention this week when it convicted two wealthy foreign executives of involuntary manslaughter for exposing thousands of people to asbestos.

The defendants, billionaire Stephan Schmidheiny of Switzerland, former owner of the Eternit conglomerate, and Baron Louis de Cartier de Marchienne of Belgium, a major shareholder in the firm, were sentenced to 16 years in prison after the court concluded the men were responsible for the deaths of at least 3,000 people.

A property manager from Cardiff has been fined for failing to properly manage the risks from asbestos at one of his premises.

Richard Hayward of Cardiff Bay was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) over failings at the former Rhondda Pressing building, located on the Penygraig Industrial Estate.

Mr Hayward, trading as Richard Hayward Properties, managed the property on behalf of a company called Guinevere Holdings Limited.

 The Trade Union GMB is calling for a full investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after receiving allegations that council sub-contractors working on properties in Holloway, in December broke strict rules.

The union claims that the workers disposed of white asbestos floor tiles in ordinary bins – potentially exposing refuse collectors and members of the public to the dangerous substance.

The council insists that the tiles, which are known to be of low contamination risk, were bagged up and correctly disposed of at a licensed site.

 A building company in Bradford-on-Avon has been fined after it removed an asbestos insulation board (AIB) ceiling in an unsafe manner, leaving workers and residents at risk of exposure to asbestos fibres.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) told Chippenham Magistrates' Court that D B Construction (West Wilts) Ltd carried out unsafe work while refurbishing a house in Bradford-on-Avon between 29 November and 10 December 2010.