HSE Drafts New Guidelines for Asbestos Surveying and Sampling
The new guidelines drafted by HSE have put additional obligations on duty holders, who are responsible for ensuring that residents and employees are protected against harmful effects of asbestos. The guidelines have also entrusted responsibilities on surveyors, who conduct asbestos surveys and collect samples from homes and factories for assessment of asbestos containing materials (ACMs).
A law firm has warned people conducting surveys to take care of all aspects of the guidelines including assessment, surveying and sampling. The duty holders have been placed under obligation to provide information on the number of buildings, mode of inspection and access, usage of building, dangers involved, as well as survey plans. Duty holders shall also verify the credentials of the surveyors and appoint only those who are competent enough in terms of insurance, references as well as proposed course of action.
The guidelines also propose meetings between surveyors and duty holders, not only before the plan commences, but also after it has been executed. The post-execution meeting requires the duty holder to assess the success of the program, as well as to ensure that the work has been done in accordance with the requests made and that proper sampling has been carried out. To ensure your organisation is aware of its health and safety obligations and remains compliant with the latest Construction (Design and Management) Regulations for major building, maintenance or refurbishment work; click on CDM training for course details.
Shoosmiths partner Angela Taylor, who is also an asbestos specialist, said that the new guidelines symbolise the beginning of a new era in the surveying of asbestos materials. She added that it requires the surveyors to make sure that they know the magnitude of the task before them and not be inclined to produce sub-standard work to make high profits. Further, the duty holders are obliged to select surveyors purely on competence basis, as well as monitor the whole process at every stage.
