Asbestos Hub Magazine - Issue 4

Asbestos 4 HUB MAGAZINE #

THE PREMIER INDEPENDENT, QUARTERLY MAGAZINE FOR THE UK AND GLOBAL ASBESTOS INDUSTRY

March 2022

ASBESTOS HUB LAUNCHES INDUSTRY AWARDS

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY from George C Keefe

CELEBRATING A FULL YEAR OF ASBESTOS HUB Part of the Demolition Hub media brand

Asbestos Hub is in media association with

E

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Our single source solution includes

• Asbestos Removal • Decontamination • Reinstatement • Management and Disposal For more information, please contact 0370 950 8800 or visit www.erith.com Due to continued growth, we are currently recruiting nationally for Contracts Managers, Supervisors and Operatives. Please send your CV to bd@erith.com

PUBLISHER Ben Chambers ben@chambers.media 01903 952 648

EDITOR Toby Wilsdon toby@chambers.media 01903 952 645

SALES Wayne Bristow wayne@chambers.media 01903 952 642

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Asbestos Hub is in media association with Asbestos Control & Abatement Division (ACAD)

ASBESTOS HUB | ISSUE 4 Welcome to issue #4 of this now established quarterly magazine.

It felt like we had had a lot of time to get things together since the last issue at Christmas, but we really didn’t as with the magazine semi-prepared, at the eleventh hour we have been bombarded with new, interesting and pertinent content. Among these, you’ll find George O Keefe, author of Just Encase They Think You’re Stupid, who has offered us a look into three differing ways to deal with asbestos, namely, the good, the bad and the ugly.

This issue marks a full year of Asbestos Hub magazine, four issues in total, and we are so grateful for the support of the industry. We can now boast that we work with and alongside a huge number of industry member and trade associations, training and awareness providers and charity. I really do want to thank you all for your continued help in making this magazine pertinent to your members, subscribers and clients.

Earlier this year we announced that we would be launching the British Asbestos Awards, which will be co- located with the British Demolition Awards in Leicester on 2 September. Many of you reading this now have already booked your seats. Read more inside.

I want to make it clear that this is your magazine and therefore I want you the reader even more involved. Let me know via ben@chambers.media.

Hope you enjoy this issue

Ben Chambers Publisher, Asbestos Hub ben@chambers.media

Asbestos Hub is published four times a year. Subscription records are maintained at Global News Media Ltd, Suite 5 & 6, Chapel House, 1-6 Chapel Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 1EX. Articles and information contained in this publication are the copyright of Global News Media Ltd and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publishers. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss of, or damage to, uncommissioned photographs or manuscripts.

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CONTENTS

MARCH 2022

RR1176 - Asbestos exposures to workers in the licensed asbestos removal industry

6

George C. Keefe/ Encasement Guy explains...

8

Asbestos – The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

In Great Britain there are around 5,000 cancer deaths a year attributed to asbestos, mainly due to past industrial exposures. The import and use of all types of asbestos was banned by 1999...

Roof restoration – stopping leaks – sealing in asbestos and turning surfaces solar reflective Asbestos - three options

Top asbestos expert urges firms not to ignore hidden killer A company director who has spent two decades protecting people from the dangers of asbestos is giving organisations the chance to take advantage of his expert advice for free...

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Managing the risk: Ensuring safety and compliance with SOCOTEC’s UKATA-accredited training

14

Going Global: Supporting a major infrastructure development overseas

16

In April 2020, the Falkland Islands government commissioned the design of a new port facility in Stanley Harbour. Work originally commenced on the project the following August, with the overall aim of the works to completely replace the existing port with a brand new facility that would benefit the fishing, tourism and shipping sectors...

Concerns raised about safety of buildings for users as government restrictions are lifted

Spotting the difference – asbestos surveys in the rail sector

With thousands of public buildings and offices now reopened following the government no longer asking people to work from home, UKATA would like to remind employers to check that staff training records are up to date...

Due to the age of some of the depots, stations and other associated buildings/structures on the railway infrastructure, it is highly likely that asbestos will be present (in some form). Where these structures are due to undergo renovation, repair or demolition work, they will require an asbestos survey in order for planned works...

The Institute for Asbestos Management Professionals

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Welcome to the Asbestos Management Institute (AMI), the professional body for the asbestos management industry to recognise and promote best practice in all aspects of asbestos management...

Thousands of multiacademy trusts urgently need asbestos industry’s help

28

by Andrew Paten, cofounder UKNAR CIC...

20

Should we, could we remove all asbestos for an asbestos free nation?

22

by Paul Beaumont

Palace of Westminster restoration could take over half a century and cost £22bn

30

Work to restore the Palace of Westminster to its full glory could take up to 76 years to complete and cost as much as £22bn, a new report has revealed...

Alert Technology heads down under

32

Bylaugh Park Woods asbestos survey

34

Dr Yvonne Waterman, LLM, MFAAM, President of the European Asbestos Forum

36

Asbestonomy 22 is the first international event related to asbestos challenges...

38

Introducing the British Asbestos Awards from Asbestos Hub magazine...

40

By Nick Davenport

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ACAD

RR1176 – Asbestos exposures to workers in the licensed asbestos removal industry

information on asbestos exposures to licensed removal workers in Great Britain and to assess compliance of work practices with HSE guidance.

HSE scientists visited eight removal sites during 2016 to 2019. Removals included asbestos insulating board (AIB), insulation and sprayed coating. The researchers monitored airborne fibre concentrations using samplers and observed work practices.

The removal contractors and workers participated on a voluntary basis. The findings are therefore likely to indicate exposure levels and working practices for contractors and workers undertaking licensed asbestos removal who are attempting to adopt good practice. The findings are not intended to be representative of the removals industry as a whole.

In Great Britain there are around 5,000 cancer deaths a year attributed to asbestos, mainly due to past industrial exposures. The import and use of all types of asbestos was banned by 1999.

However, asbestos can be present in any building built or refurbished before 2000 and continues to be removed as part of ongoing risk management.

Higher-risk removal work can only be undertaken

by HSE licensed contractors. Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, exposure must be prevented or effectively controlled.

The aim of this research was to provide

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There are three main research findings: • Asbestos fibres were present in the airborne fibre samples; • Some airborne fibre concentrations measured in the study were above the limit; • There is scope for further exposure reduction, for example by ensuring that workers wear respiratory protective equipment (RPE) during setup and dismantling of the enclosure used for removal activities.

These findings are being used to inform HSE communication with stakeholders and updates to HSE guidance.

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Asbestos – the three options

by George C. Keefe / Encasement Guy Asbestos – The three options when addressing asbestos in building materials are first, full blown removal; second, do nothing and leave it alone; and third, in-place management.

I’ve been involved with the asbestos industry for over 40 years. Started out being trained and certified as an Asbestos Supervisor, followed with being certified as a project designer for asbestos and other hazardous materials. Later, I used all my experience, knowledge and expertise in both extensive coatings and solid hazardous material to help people understand the complicated issues and make sound, informed decisions in dealing with them.

In the beginning, there was a lot of information on how bad asbestos is and how to deal with it.

The information you would receive depended on who you were speaking with, how ethical they were and what was motivating them. Sometimes that information may not be complete. As time went on, more information has been made available for making better decisions.

This is an industry that lends itself to half-truths at best and lies or omissions at worst. Many of those that were making money off removal and replacement, trucking hazardous material and the dumps had interest in pushing full on removal.

The two options that were

always presented to clients when considering what to do with asbestos were to either fully remove it or do nothing. The leave it alone option always came with the ominous warning that leaving it in place, even if it was in good shape, might expose occupants to its deadly fibre. Many times, this warning was stated to promote the removal for creating business and in turn earning more profit.

Fully removing asbestos in building materials is often difficult because it is made up of microscopic fibres that can be easily released when disturbed.

Considerable precautions need to be taken when removing the material, especially in occupied buildings where the potential for exposure is greater than unoccupied buildings that are slated for demolition. These added

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precautions required in dealing with asbestos drive up the overall cost as opposed to treating normal building materials. The extra cost is often the deciding factor of how to deal with asbestos.

Even though there are many who pushed for full removal and replacement, I have worked with sophisticated and ethical professionals that have directly spelled out that even though they can make more money removing and replacing asbestos they would state, "That’s not the best for my clients." Quite often, the best and most economical option is to simply manage it in place. This can entail completely enclosing the material with hard barriers, by framing around it and then covering with plywood, drywall/

sheetrock, etc. The other option and the easiest way to go is with a coating. Basically, any coating will work initially, although a cheap coating would only be a temporary fix and could end up causing more trouble down the line as it ages and begins to fail. A cheap coating is never a good option, especially on an exterior application where all types of attacks from the weather and UV rays can accelerate a breakdown.

I’m one who believes that one size doesn’t fit all and that every situation is different, deserving a case-by-case analysis. That evaluation needs to take into account all aspects of a job and situation, including the client’s personal needs such as timelines, cost factors and long-term goals with the property and its occupants. All these factors can come into play in different ways depending on things such as the property classification – whether it is residential, commercial or industrial. There can be big differences in considering building downtimes, personnel relocation, production loss and completion dates.

This is why the third option of in-place management is the most practical and, most often, a much simpler method than full-blown removal and replacement.

Asbestos has a long history of both being a great building material for its incredible fire resistance and then a dangerous health hazard for its microscopic fibres that is extremely harmful when inhaled. Because of its building properties, it is in and on millions of building surfaces worldwide and still widely in continued use.

Although all circumstances are different and should be treated accordingly, in place management with the right coating is often the best way to deal with asbestos in buildings, roofing, and on other structures.

To learn more about how to deal with your particular asbestos situation contact me at: ask@encasementguy.com +001 800 228-5507

Roof restoration – stopping leaks – sealing in asbestos and turning surfaces solar reflective I arrived in California after being on a large roofing encasement project at the ICE centre in Port Isabel, Texas. The first stop I made was at a large successfully encased Asbestos roof project for a church in Santa Ana. This large roof was previously in a state of deterioration, breaking down and leaking. Some basic spot patching was applied but did not solve the problem.

Wanting to put an end to the leaking, the management got quotes for roof repairs. They were told that there was no way to stop those leaks without doing a full removal and replacement of the roof. And oh yeah, by the way, the existing roof is asbestos which needs to be properly removed and disposed of in a special landfill for hazardous waste and that, of course, will drive the cost way up. But then, one of the other important factors of repairing the roof and stopping the leaks was that the facilities needed to stay safely open and operational which would require a non-invasive, nondisruptive solution.

Green Coatings Encasement with GLOBAL Encasement, Inc.’s (GEI) coatings came to the rescue.

The facilities management did some research and found GEI’s superior, green coatings that had benefited many other similar situation projects with a proven worldwide track record.

They reached out to GEI and were presented a simple solution. Seal in the asbestos, stop the roof leaks, and turn the existing darker roof surfaces to a lighter colour so they become solar reflective – saving energy and money.

Stopping by the project and seeing the end result was especially appealing as I was originally there to present the cost saving, simple solution that met all the needs with a 20-year renewable system. The completed project with the new lighter colours had a glow about it. Speaking with the management was additionally rewarding because they were extremely happy with the end results knowing that all the needs were met, including working within the tight budgetary constraints.

Learn more about Green Coatings Encasement with GLOBAL Encasement, Inc. by contacting us at service@encasement.com or visit our website at www.encasement.com.

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Asbestos – the good, the bad and the ugly

by George C. Keefe Encasement Guy

As I travel and work internationally, I encounter different aspects and opinions on asbestos. It has a long background of use in all types of situations and is still widely used in building materials. To date, it is still mined and incorporated into many products in several countries. It is controversial at best. My goal is always to try and enlighten and not frighten about some of its uses and misconceptions. The fact is that as much as it is opposed and even outlawed in some parts of the world, it is still mined, exported and used in many others.

First, let’s look at the good.

Its main beneficial quality is its fire retarding characteristics and flame resistance. It has an extensive history and is a naturally occurring mineral known as "quicklime" in Latin and asbestos in Greek. The ancient Greeks began using asbestos some 2,000 years ago, weaving it into clothing of slaves after realizing its flameresistant properties. The ancient Romans, like the Greeks, used asbestos for its insulation and flame retardant properties.

Marco Polo documented cases of being shown asbestos items, such as asbestos cloth on his travels. Asbestos table cloths and napkins could be found in many restaurants because of their flame retardant capabilities. They could be thrown into the fire to

remove food and other debris and then placed back on the table in time for the next customer.

The Romans named asbestos “amanitas" meaning unpolluted, because after being in the fire it would come out whiter then it went in. So, fire resistance is the number one benefit and why it is used in a wide variety of building products. Some have even made the claim that as a fire proofing material it has saved far more lives than it has ever taken.

In addition, asbestos doesn’t conduct heat. It is a somewhat inexpensive fibrous mineral that is found worldwide and easily mined. It can be simply added to basic products without difficulty and to turn them nonflammable, producing goods with great fireproofing capabilities. It also has great chemical, impact, and abuse resistance and is unaffected by electricity. All these attributes make it a desirable additive to the manufacturing of various products, especially those used in the building industry.

The Bad Asbestos left unchecked and uncontrolled over periods of long-term exposure causes many health problems and diseases, especially lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Being so small, microscopic in nature, the potentially harmful fibres are easily inhaled and

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carried into the lungs causing irreparable damage.

The Ugly Those who deliberately mislead others about the potential problems that can come with asbestos and spread misconceptions about how to best deal with it on a case by case basis are not only often unethical but downright ugly.

The legitimate options on how to evaluate specific situations, including the condition of asbestos content, should all be approached on a case by case basis when analysing how to best deal with it.

How some profit off misinformation and even worse by limiting correct information is deplorable and unforgivable.

Most especially when it involves exploiting workers by hiding health concerns from direct and indirect exposure.

Correct worker information is even more important when there is a potential of carrying the dangerous fibres off site and exposing others. Not taking worker protection seriously and even worse hiding the fact that asbestos is present and potentially harmful is disgraceful.

The worst-case scenario would be when a worker takes the asbestos home with them on their clothes and contaminate others.

Removal and replacement is often looked at as the preferred option but most often this is not possible or necessary. Either the cost is too high or there is no present danger of the asbestos being released.

Over my 35 years in the industry, I’ve worked with many ethical professionals who said they could make so much more money removing and replacing asbestos, even when this option is not the best for their clients.

When dealing with asbestos, learn the facts and apply them to your particular situation so you don’t get caught up in the ugly aspects of this widely used material.

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Top asbestos expert urges firms not to ignore hidden killer Ian Stone of Acorn Analytical Services

A company director who has spent two decades protecting people from the dangers of asbestos is giving organisations the chance to take advantage of his expert advice for free.

Ian Stone, of Acorn Analytical Services, entered the asbestos industry in January 2002 and has dedicated the majority of his career to raising awareness about the world’s biggest workplace killer.

For several years Ian ran ATAC, the UK’s leading association for the asbestos testing and consultancy industry and he has actively lobbied governments about asbestos in schools.

With his Acorn colleagues, he wrote the highly acclaimed book, Asbestos The Dark Arts, produces educational podcasts about asbestos, is helping to train the next generation of asbestos consultants and surveyors and has launched a campaign to tackle the issue of asbestos in UK schools.

Over the past 20 years Ian has seen different pieces of asbestos legislation introduced but he feels more needs to be done to make people take the threat of asbestos seriously.

Ian said: “Every week we receive emergency calls from businesses across the country that fear they have disturbed asbestos during routine maintenance or building work.

“It’s heartbreaking when we visit these workplaces and then have to tell people they may

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have been exposed to asbestos.

These are awful conversations to have and they shouldn’t still be happening.

“On average 5,000 people die from asbestos-related diseases in the UK every year and thousands more will continue to die each year if people aren’t educated about the dangers.

“If you work in a property which was built before 2000, it may contain asbestos and a dutyholder must be appointed to manage that risk.

“If businesses aren’t managing their asbestos we’d invite them to have a conversation with us. We’re not a charity but I’m happy to have 100 conversations and get no work from them if it means people go away more educated.

“It isn’t a good idea for people to ignore their asbestos – they could end up putting lives at risk and they may find themselves and their organisations being prosecuted.”

For further information visit www.acorn-as.com or call 0844 818 0895.

ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT NOTICE

PLEASE SCAN ME

In accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, no works may be undertaken which could lead to the disturbance of asbestos fibres.

Before undertaking any works, please consult the Asbestos Register which can be downloaded by scanning the QR code here with your smartphone or tablet.

If you are in any doubt, please contact your supervisor or the property manager before commencing any works on these premises.

Be Asbestos Smart!

In case of an asbestos emergency please contact the number below immediately:

0203 697 8282

Free barcode apps are available for most devices.

UNAUTHORISED WORKS ON ASBESTOS MATERIALS ARE PROHIBITED AND CAN RESULT IN SEVERE FINES AND/OR IMPRISONMENT.

Staff & Contractors, please scan the QR Code here to see our short asbestos educational videos:

If you would like to find out more how UKNAR can help you and your clients with its Asbestos SMART service please contact us

UK National Asbestos Register CIC Tel: 020 3697 8282 Email: enquiries@UKNAR.org Web: www.uknar.org

Managing the risk: Ensuring safety and compliance with SOCOTEC’s UKATAaccredited training With asbestos an ever-present health and safety risk for many organisations, it is vital that employees who may encounter the fibrous mineral are aware of the identification procedures and appropriate courses of action in the event of discovering and, in some cases, disturbing asbestos-containing materials (ACMs).

SOCOTEC’s online shop offers a selection of UKATAaccredited courses to ensure that your organisation remains compliant in the critical areas of asbestos management, including: › Asbestos Awareness Training Course (in-house, half day) › Asbestos Awareness Refresher (in-house, two hours) › UK Asbestos Awareness Online (two-three hours).

Each course covers a broad range of subject matter including the risks posed by asbestos, relevant legislation, properties and identification measures, correct protocols and emergency procedures.

WHY CHOOSE SOCOTEC?

UKATA’s online Asbestos Awareness training course provides your organisation with the peace of mind that employees will remain fully compliant and up-to-date with their health and safety training. The online course can be completed anywhere and at any time in line with the delegate’s own schedule, making them an extremely versatile training option.

Nevertheless, with more of us opting for flexible/hybrid working options than ever before, organisations can continue to take advantage of our in-house, classroom-based UKATA Asbestos Awareness training and refresher courses, each of which will adhere to the latest COVID-19 safety guidance and protocols issued by the UK Government.

Alongside SOCOTEC’s own training facilities, delegates also have the option of receiving in-house workplace safety training, where courses are delivered on your own premises.

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WHY CHOOSE UKATAACCREDITED TRAINING? As a leading authority on asbestos training, UKATA is a not-for-profit association established in 2008 committed to improving standards of asbestos training. All of the UKATA courses that SOCOTEC offers are CPD-accredited and industry-recognised, with certification provided to each delegate upon successful completion of their chosen training course. Furthermore, UKATA training providers are instantly recognised and respected for their exacting standards in asbestos training, which is provided via ongoing quality assurance.

FOR MORE INFORMATION A full list of SOCOTEC’s accredited and non-accredited e-learning is available through SOCOTEC’s online shop at https://socotecshop.com.

If you would like to find out more about SOCOTEC’s health and safety consultancy and how we can support your organisation with its compliance requirements, visit www.socotec.co.uk.

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Protecting Your Workforce

Going Global: Supporting a Major Infrastructure Development Overseas In April 2020, the Falkland Islands government commissioned the design of a new port facility in Stanley Harbour. Work originally commenced on the project the following August, with the overall aim of the works to completely replace the existing port with a brand new facility that would benefit the fishing, tourism and shipping sectors.

onto the island. This caused a large bottleneck, with ships unable to unload and depart in a sufficiently rapid timeframe.

The original Falkland Island Intermediate Port and Storage System (FIPASS) comprised six oil rig support barges which were shipped over, connected together and linked to the shore via a 600-foot causeway. This was designed to resolve a number of FIPASS – a brief history logistics-related issues, such as The original port facility has served access, space and accommodation as a vital element of national facilities, as well as reducing infrastructure on the Falkland excessive shipping-related Islands, with its installation dating costs. It is this original structure all the way back to the 1980s. The that is in the process of being original reason for its construction decommissioned, with SOCOTEC was that the previous facility was called upon to ensure that the unable to cope with the increasing works could be carried out in a volumes of cargo being imported safe and compliant manner.

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Asbestos and hazardous materials management Working on behalf of a major civil engineering contractor, BAM Nuttall, the involvement of SOCOTEC’s Environment & Safety division in the new port project involved the provision of asbestos management and hazardous materials surveys. To support the development of the new facility, SOCOTEC’s Asbestos and Hazardous Materials teams undertook surveys of materials within the existing structures, which involved working in confined spaces and over water.

The purpose of these surveys was to assess the risk from asbestos and other hazardous materials prior to the deconstruction of the existing

The findings from these surveys would better inform the development of the new port, which would increase the efficiency of cargo transportation, improve overall capacity and limit downtime in the harbour to ensure the exports and cargo could be dealt with as efficiently as possible. It would also provide vital infrastructure across the islands, supporting the local economy and facilitating economic growth.

port facility. Samples were collected and shipped over to the UK to be analysed at SOCOTEC’s Advanced Chemistry and Asbestos laboratories. Furthermore, SOCOTEC’s Asbestos and Hazardous materials teams liaised closely with key stakeholders – including the port management contractor and the principal building contractor – to ensure that all necessary health and safety measures were in place and that the surveys could proceed safely.

Lessening the burden By combining asbestos management and hazardous materials surveys into a concentrated programme of works, SOCOTEC’s Asbestos and Hazardous Materials teams were able to reduce some of the operational burden for the client.

Working as one team ensured that they were able to more effectively access the areas that required surveying, which in turn maintained the efficiency of surrounding port operations.

Additional manpower in the form of specially trained staff also meant that the confined space requirements were met without incurring any additional costs to the client.

Moreover, the provision of asbestos management and hazardous surveys is not the first time that SOCOTEC has

delivered a series of works as part of the new port facility. SOCOTEC had already formed a positive relationship with the client, having provided marine sediment, chemical and physical testing services for environmental soils and borehole waters to support the surveying works for the first stage of the decommissioning of the old port.

“We are proud to have successfully delivered a range of environmental monitoring and asbestos management services and contribute towards this major project within the Falkland Islands,” said David Gough, Managing Director, Environment and Safety, SOCOTEC UK. “By assessing the level of risk posed by the decommissioning of the old port, we were able to provide the client with the level of information and reassurance required to safely proceed with the development of the new facility.”

“BAM is proud to be working with the Falkland Islands government to develop a new port that will support the local economy, including fishing, tourism and shipping, and facilitate for future forecast economic growth,” added Martin Bellamy, Managing Director, BAM Nuttall.

“We look forward to initially engaging with the key stakeholders and working with the Falkland Islanders to develop such a critical piece of infrastructure.”

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Spotting the difference – Asbestos surveys in the rail sector Due to the age of some of the depots, stations and other associated structures on the railway network, it is highly likely that asbestos will be present in some form. Where these structures are due to undergo renovation, repair or demolition work, they will require an asbestos survey in order for planned works – and even standard day-to-day management – to be conducted in a safe and compliant manner.

But what are the different types of asbestos survey and how can you ascertain which type is best suited to your rail organisation’s requirements?

What is the purpose of an asbestos survey?

Asbestos surveys are required to provide accurate information on the location, amount and condition of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) present on any given premises. This information can be used to prepare a record of the location of the fibrous mineral – also known as an asbestos register – which will help to identify which ACMs are required for removal, as well as the ongoing management and compliance of asbestos within the property.

Asbestos surveys are generally carried out using a range of sampling techniques, with the general presumption that asbestos is present across all parts of the property. Furthermore, intrusive techniques are often implemented in order to determine whether asbestos is located in hidden and/ or inaccessible locations.

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What types of asbestos surveys are there?

Management surveys A management survey is the standard type of survey carried out to ensure the continued management of asbestos on the premises when under normal occupation/use. The duty holder is required to identify the location and condition of asbestos in the premises to manage the risks from ACMs. Undertaken by a qualified surveyor, management surveys are designed to identify and describe (as far as is reasonably practicable) the presence of all suspect asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) that people may come into contact with under normal occupancy of a building. They are also used to assess the condition and allow the management of asbestos at the premises, whether this is to remove, encapsulate or inspect at regular intervals.

Is there any existing legislation and/or guidance in place regarding asbestos surveys?

It is a legal requirement under the Control of Asbestos Regulations (CAR) 2012 to prevent the uncontrolled disturbance of ACMs prior to any major refurbishment or demolition work taking place on any given structure that was built/refurbished before the year 2000. As part of Regulation 5 (identification of the presence of asbestos), the duty holder must carry out a ‘suitable and sufficient assessment’ to establish whether asbestos is present within the building prior to any refurbishment, maintenance or demolition work liable to disturb asbestos – in other words, through the implementation of refurbishment and demolition surveys.

Furthermore, the HSG264 survey guide sets out how to survey non-domestic premises for ACMs, distinguishing between the two main types of asbestos surveys and ascertaining which one a duty holder will require. The

Refurbishment/demolition surveys Refurbishment/demolition (or R&D) surveys are required where premises (or parts of the premises) require upgrading, renovation or demolition work. More intrusive than management surveys, they are used to determine and describe all ACMs in areas where these works are required (as far as is reasonably practicable).

These surveys are undertaken against an agreed scope of survey to meet the requirements of the planned refurbishment or demolition. The process involves a qualified surveyor locating and identifying all ACMs prior to refurbishment by intrusive access and the sampling of suspect materials.

A decision is then taken to remove the ACMs if they are likely to be disturbed by the refurbishment or demolition works.

Given its intrusive nature, R&D surveys should only be carried out in the vacant specific areas where the work is being planned.

methodology outlined in HSG264 can be referred to when carrying out surveys and also details how to report on and present the results.

HSG264 is aimed at individuals who are carrying out asbestos surveys and those with specific responsibilities for managing asbestos risk in non-domestic premises under Regulation 4 of CAR 2012.

How can SOCOTEC support me with asbestos management, refurbishment and demolition surveys?

SOCOTEC’s Asbestos team is best placed to support your compliance with ‘duty to manage’ – regardless of the size of your project. Our experts can undertake management, refurbishment and demolition surveys under our UKAS accreditation (UKAS No.0148) and following the latest HSE guidance. We can also provide you with the peace of mind that your premises are safe to reoccupy through our asbestos air monitoring service.

asbestos hub magazine | 19

Concerns raised about safety of buildings for users as government restrictions are lifted With thousands of public buildings and offices now reopen following the government no longer asking people to work from home, UKATA would like to remind employers to check that staff training records are up to date.

Craig Evans, UKATA Chief Operating Officer explained: “Our concern is that the fabric of many workplaces and public buildings that have been closed or remained partially open during the pandemic, will have declined. The very people who manage the buildings may have been remote working and therefore they will not have been inspected for deterioration of any asbestos present. This increases the risk of exposure to deadly asbestos fibres for the buildings’ users.”

“However, on a positive note, we see numbers of delegates attending courses including Duty to Manage asbestos training are now rising. It is reassuring to know that training is increasing and will hopefully continue to rise. I want to remind individuals and organisations responsible for their workforces, to review training needs and ensure competence, to protect themselves and members of the public.”

There is a legal duty for those who are responsible for the repair and maintenance of nondomestic buildings to identify the location and condition of asbestos containing materials in the building, assess the risk, plan and manage. The duty also extends to the communal areas of domestic

buildings such as corridors, lift shaft or stairwells.

This information must be passed on to those who may disturb the asbestos such as maintenance workers.

Asbestos-related health issues, such as lung cancer and mesothelioma are not identified immediately after exposure to asbestos. It takes between 15 years and up to 60 years, before deadly asbestos-related diseases present themselves.

Craig added: “The latency period of asbestos, coupled with the overall drop in training numbers over the past couple of years could mean that the UK will be facing a greater number of deaths from asbestos over the next decades.

To reduce this risk, it is important that delivery of asbestos training returns to pre-COVID levels.”

Deaths from asbestos exposure are now at their peak after widespread use between 1950s and 70s. However, since 2018, there have been more than 5,000 deaths annually in the UK from asbestos-related cancers – making it the largest single industrial killer ever seen in the UK. Asbestos refresher training courses must be undertaken to help ensure knowledge of asbestos is maintained.

To find a UKATA member in your area delivering asbestos training, or more specifically the Duty to Manage: Appointed Person and Duty to Manage training, visit www.UKATA.org.uk, call 01246 824 437 or email info@ukata.org.uk.

20 | asbestos hub magazine

asbestos hub magazine | 21

Should we, could we remove all asbestos from buildings for an asbestos free nation

by Paul Beaumont BIACS (Asbestos Consultancy)

I am often asked when delivering asbestos training, seminars, and services, “Why not just remove it all?” There are many who are calling for this, but just how realistic a goal can this be? I present the following as more of a question than as a statement and as such, I welcome people's responses to the points raised.

Asbestos, or more factually, the dust from asbestos materials, as most will be aware, is a proven serious risk to health. This invisible, odourless, tasteless dust can and

does lead to untold misery and suffering as witnessed in over 5,000 premature deaths every year in the UK due to past exposure.

For more than a century, asbestos was used commercially in the UK in hundreds of thousands of buildings, even though, at the time of its use, exposure to asbestos was known to cause debilitating and often life threatening diseases.

When it was used, most prolifically, but not restricted to the decades between the 1940s and the 1980s, asbestos was regularly incorporated into the construction of premises as well as being introduced through later retrofitting into many earlier buildings.

There was not one typical type or use of premises that was excluded – it went into schools, churches, hospitals, housing, retail, industrial premises, vessels, vehicles, infrastructure, utilities, machinery, plant and equipment. The list goes on and its use was extensive. It has been conservatively estimated that over 7 million tonnes of asbestos

22 | asbestos hub magazine

was used, without restriction, regulation or concern over these many decades until its eventual ban at the end of the 20th century.

Only a few years back, a debate was started with a view to removing all asbestos from all premises in the UK, with a completion of some 20 to 30 years.

Just how realistic is this?

This brings us to the first question. Can we remove all asbestos from the UK within a set deadline, whatever that may be?

I suppose what we really need to consider first is, why should we remove it?

As mentioned, asbestos causes serious, irreversible damage to people's health and wellbeing, it causes extreme anguish, particularly to those who have been exposed, along with their families, friends and colleagues.

Asbestos is a category 1 carcinogen, the dust from materials containing asbestos is known to cause lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma, which in most cases are terminal.

Surely this alone should be enough incentive to remove it.

One must also consider that our children attend schools, tradespeople work in premises, we live in houses, all of which could contain asbestos materials to some degree. Surely, to remove it means we would no longer be exposed to it.

Well the truth is, removal would be a challenge, expensive and somewhat problematic. Obviously the more accessible, obvious asbestos can be removed, in fact it is being removed, every year the UK sees thousands of tonnes of asbestos materials taken safely out of premises. However this work places those engaged in removing it at considerable risk. This risk can be managed and controlled but nonetheless, we are intentionally placing human lives at risk.

The risk of leaving it in place could also be controlled and managed, given that we would know where it is, its extent and condition. One could argue that these workers are paid to do it, they make a living from it and as

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such that they accept the risk, but still, it is something that must be considered.

It must also be noted that when the majority of these premises were built, asbestos materials were introduced for a reason, it wasn’t just put in there for fun. It was used for fire and sound proofing, to insulate, for structural reasons, in decorative materials, roofing etc.

Asbestos materials can regularly be found incorporated in buildings to such an extent that the only way to remove all of it is to demolish the premises. Asbestos was also used extensively in forming building foundations, in infrastructure such as roads and bridges; it was used during the installation and historic replacement of utilities, such as water and sewer pipes, electrical cables, substations and power stations. Removing all of this would be amazingly, if not prohibitively expensive and cause untold disruption, upheaval and social and welfare issues.

We need to realise, that to demolish a school or housing stock, we first need to rehouse and relocate the occupants and residents, even if we just strip out the asbestos, a great deal of upset and disturbance are caused.

What of a bridge on a main arterial roadway? It would potentially cause extended and severe delays, not only in commuting but also in the delivery of goods and services.

Should we pull out all of the utilities and replace it with non-asbestos materials? If we did, I’m sure that turning off the power and water for a few months or even a few years wouldn’t be an issue, would it.

Based on the above, many would then say that removing all asbestos from the UK just isn’t practicable, possible, financially viable or even needed but surely we could remove some or even most of it. So what “some” should be removed? Should we look first at residential buildings, schools maybe or hospitals? Who will pay for this? Would it be down to the government, the building owner, the tenant or should we be asking the insurance industry?

"

When the majority of these premises were built, asbestos materials were introduced for a reason

Should we not first consider why the asbestos is there, what is its purpose? It could be fire proofing in multiple occupancy premises, it may be the roof, the walls, flooring, sanitary ware, it could be in the foundations, in the buildings' damp proofing. Just how far do we go to make the premises or indeed the UK asbestos free?

Don’t misunderstand me, I am all for the removal of all asbestos and the sooner the better. I have witnessed the misery, the pain and the suffering caused by asbestos, but the UK needs to be realistic.

Can we really have an asbestos free nation?

Removing asbestos is not cheap, but the reinstalment of the removed materials or the rebuilding of premises adds even more to the expense.

Consider for a moment what a new school or hospital would cost, if there's even space to build it. What about a new roof on a factory building – before you even consider the need to close the premises while it's being removed and replaced? What about relining a lift shaft in a multi-storey building and what of the replacement material? What would we use, what is the new safer alternative? I

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"

know there are modern materials that could match up in some way to that being removed, but again, what’s the financial cost and possibility that in 50 or so years' time it won't become the new asbestos?

Then there’s the issue of what we do with all of the removed asbestos. Currently we bury it in licensed landfill sites. We could look at recycling through thermal petrification or some other such technology. It's an option, however at this time this presents a potentially more expensive and limited option than burying it.

When it is buried, aren’t we just passing on the legacy of asbestos to future generations? One day that land may be needed for development. What then? Do we dig it up or build on top of it?

So, could we remove all asbestos from the UK, and if not, what is the alternative?

I’m not one for presenting a problem without offering a solution, so what can we do?

Rather than rush ahead to make the UK free of all asbestos, we need to a take step back and look at how asbestos becomes a problem. Asbestos presents us with an issue when the material

in which it is contained becomes damaged, disturbed, degraded or worked on. Surely the logical way forward is to manage it, ensure it doesn’t get worked on without first informing the worker of its presence so it can be worked on appropriately, safely and with control.

If it has the potential to become damaged or disturbed, where immediate removal isn’t viable, seal it and protect it. Where it may become degraded, again if it cant be removed, protect and monitor it. I know and realise that eventually asbestos materials will need to be removed, the materials in which it is contained will degrade and breakdown over time but removal could be incorporated into other works.

Maybe it is time to rebuild that decrepit, crumbling, leaky old school that cost thousands every year to heat and maintain.

Surely that’s when we remove the asbestos. Machinery breaks down, it wears out, when the time comes to replace that worn out lift, the outdated fuse board or cracked toilet cistern, isn’t that the time to remove the asbestos?

Currently, and for the last 20 years, the asbestos regulations for

the UK have required that asbestos is identified and that it must be safely managed. These regulations do not call for its removal unless it has gone beyond the ability to be safely managed.

The regulations say that wherever possible, asbestos should be removed. Prior to refurbishment or demolition, this makes sense to me. Why would you spend thousands of pounds removing and replacing materials and then refurbish or demolish the building some 10 or so years later? The regulations go further by saying that anyone who has potential to disturb, work with or encounter asbestos must be informed to prevent exposure.

Asbestos requires a considered approach. A knee-jerk reaction to removing it and the desire to be an asbestos free nation may present more issues than leaving it safely in place. Great thought needs to be put into cost, inconvenience, business disruption, logistics, waste, its legacy and of course, people's wellbeing and personal risk. Yes, remove asbestos, but I feel that a country free of asbestos is some time away yet. Isn’t the real call, "Let's make the UK asbestos safe"?

asbestos hub magazine | 25

The Institute for Asbestos Management Professionals Welcome to the Asbestos Management Institute (AMI), the professional body for the asbestos management industry to recognise and promote best practice in all aspects of asbestos management

AMI (formally ARMI) is pleased to announce the Institute’s new format and membership opportunities for professionals in asbestos removal, analysis, consultancy and management.

The Institute has seven grades of membership, which are open to those individuals engaged in the professions relating to the removal and/or management of asbestos.

The main professions are those of asbestos removal manager, asbestos project manager, asbestos removal supervisor, asbestos analyst, asbestos surveyor and asbestos consultants.

AMI is about recognising and promoting effective asbestos management therefore members

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are encouraged to develop a culture of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) so improving their knowledge and skills and enhancing competencies. As an AMI member there will be many opportunities for development activities and the Institute has developed a portal where members can record and manage their CPD activities.

The Asbestos Management Institute aims to become the centre of excellence for asbestos management industry professionals, encouraging likeminded people to interact in the pursuit of exemplary standards of asbestos management.

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asbestos hub magazine | 27

Thousands of multiacademy trusts urgently need asbestos industry’s help

by Andrew Paten, cofounder UKNAR CIC Over 75% of the UK’s 32,000 schools still contain asbestos.

More than 300 teachers and 5,000 former pupils are believed to have died from asbestos related exposures in schools. Eight thousand school premises are now managed by multi-academy trusts (MATs) but at current growth rates, this could double within 10 years.

Over the last six months UKNAR (UK National Asbestos Register) has run several webinars designed for multi-academy trusts, with responsibilities for over 1,000 schools, followed by in-depth conversations and discovery of how they manage asbestos.

Improving asbestos education and adopting an asbestos SMART approach UKNAR’s aim has been to help educate decision makers within MATs and help them strengthen their existing asbestos management procedures by adopting UKNAR’s Asbestos SMART approach to ensure: •

•

On site staff and visiting contractors are given 24/7 access to the school’s most recent Asbestos Register, The Asbestos (SMART) Register is presented in a short legible format via a QR

28 | asbestos hub magazine

•

•

•

code on a tailored Asbestos Management Notice, most often located in reception, The right people quickly see and easily understand the right information exactly when they need it, Duty holders can demonstrate they are fulfilling their legal responsibility to share this information and protect everybody by preventing accidental asbestos exposures, Everyone saves a lot of time and money that can be wasted by unnecessary delays to work and avoidable accidents.

and

Six key findings and challenges faced by MATs From speaking with Estates Directors and other senior decision makers, UKNAR identified that: 1. Fewer than 50% could quickly locate and identify all their required documents for all their schools or had up-to-date documents or management plans, 2. Fewer than 50% properly

3.

4.

5.

6.

understood the difference between their asbestos register and other documents, More than 50% of documents presented were impenetrable, incomprehensible lengthy documents without a clear separate asbestos register for the layman or average contractor to understand, More than 50% of MATs were working with inherited documents/presented to them by a local authority or a variety of other consultancies, Fewer than 50% had yet to consolidate their asbestos documents and asbestos consultancies via a single supplier but many were interested in doing so, Smaller MATs had limited estates and safety expertise to call on, especially at local school level despite responsibilities for 100+ buildings spread across multiple sites.

Comment by Andrew Paten Cofounder UKNAR CIC We have been pleasantly surprised how willingly many MATs acknowledged their challenges and their responsibilities. Having inherited the problems, they appear receptive to learning more, strengthening their procedures

adopting UKNAR’s Asbestos SMART approach while also consolidating their consultancy suppliers. Importantly, they seem willing to make budget available, often redoing their surveys. And of course, they will continue to remove their asbestos as they improve their estates.

So, if you are a high quality asbestos consultancy or high quality asbestos removals company, let’s work together and see how we can help them.

UKNAR CIC is a regulated nonprofit social enterprise – we do not consider ourselves to an asbestos consultancy nor an IT/ CAFM company. We simply aim to work with a wide range of stakeholders across the industry to prevent thousands of accidental asbestos exposures that continue to endanger so many people every year. Our charity partner Mesothelioma UK receives 5% of all UKNAR’s Asbestos SMART Licence fees in support of the 2,600 victims who die annually from contracting the UK’s most lethal common cancer.

Please contact: Andrew.Paten@Uknar.org or attend one of our next webinars https://uknar.org/join-our-liveevents.

asbestos hub magazine | 29

Palace of Westminster restoration could take over half a century and cost £22bn Work to restore the Palace of Westminster to its full glory could take up to 76 years to complete and cost as much as £22bn, a new report has revealed

Preliminary reports into the crumbling Palace of Westminster have revealed that the degradation is worse than anticipated, while the levels of asbestos are higher than at first thought.

With more information about its status having been gained through tens of thousands of hours of building surveys, the Houses of Parliament Restoration & Renewal body has released its initial

assessment of cost and schedule for the project. It presents various options, some in which MPs vacate the Houses of Parliament while the work takes place, and some in which the work takes place while Members remain within.

Predictably, the option in which MPs decant from the building is both faster and cheaper – yet it would still mean leaving the House of Commons for a period of 12 to

30 | asbestos hub magazine

20 years. It is believed they would move to a chamber in the House of Lords while the works were carried out. This would cost between £7bn and £13bn by today’s prices – meaning inflation could increase it significantly over the course of its implementation.

Many MPs have already expressed distaste for the idea of being ousted for such a long period and have argued that the

work should take place around them.

However, this would present significant extra challenges, take longer and cost more money. The worst case scenario, with MPs not moving at all except for extended recess each summer, has the work taking 46 to 76 years and costing between £11bn and £22bn – again by today’s prices. This is an increase of 60% on the initial cost

projection and if inflation and VAT increases are taken into account a further increase of 180% could be seen. This would also create “extraordinary” risks.

There is also a middle option where MPs remain in place while work takes place in all other parts of Parliament. Then, once works are required in the House of Commons, MPs are moved to the House of Lords while the work takes place.

This would still take between 26 and 43 years and cost between £9.5bn and £18.5bn.

The essential works on the Palace of Westminster include conservation and building work, removal of asbestos, substantially reducing fire risk and replacing the network of essential building services including power networks, sewage and water, gas and heating, data cables and more.

asbestos hub magazine | 31

Alert technology heads down under Alert are excited to announce that their partnership with Australianbased AES (Active Environmental Solutions) was successful in securing an Australian government grant to run feasibility trials testing their ALERT real-time warning technology for airborne asbestos down under.

AES, expert suppliers of hazardous monitoring equipment, are based in Melbourne, with offices in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth and will represent the ALERT range of real-time devices in the Australian market.

The grant initiated by Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency (ASEA) and the Business Research and Innovation Initiative* (BRII) focused on the challenge of using technology for real-time and accurate asbestos testing. The three-month feasibility study will test the efficacy, efficiency, and robustness of ALERT’s patented technology not only in the heat, humidity and dust of Australia, but also in a number of distinctly unique usage scenarios.

Only five applicants were successful, receiving grants totalling $487,573 to test ideas that will make the identification of

asbestos more accurate in realtime and less burdensome overall.

The most successful projects will be eligible to apply for an additional R&D grant of up to $1 million (AUS).

ASEA CEO, Justine Ross, said: "We are very excited to be supporting the successful applicants through this first phase. Anything that improves on the current options available for the identification and testing of asbestos will make dealing with Australia’s asbestos legacy more effective and efficient and most importantly safer."

Loretta King, Acting Managing Director at Alert Technology Ltd, said: "We’re really excited to start trials of our ALERT technology in Australia to see how our innovative asbestos detecting devices will fair in their uniquely harsh environments. Our technology has been developed over 10 years with the goal of saving lives, improving safety, and reducing operational costs and liability. We’re hoping trials in Australia are successful and in partnership with

32 | asbestos hub magazine

AES we can offer one of the biggest advancements in the field of asbestos monitoring for decades."

Aleks Todorovic, Managing Director of Active Environmental Solutions, said: "We are really pleased to be a part of facilitating these important trials for real-time asbestos monitoring. The ability to monitor the presence of airborne asbestos real-time is something the market has been crying out for in terms of increasing safety and reducing the risk of exposure and the associated long-term health effects for workers. We’re eager to get going with trials and look forward to presenting our findings with the hope of progressing to the next round."

As in the UK, asbestos was used widely in Australia, which had one of the highest rates of asbestos use per person in the world until the mid-1980s. 1.5 million tonnes was imported between 1930 and 1983, it was still being actively mined until 1984 and wasn’t officially banned until the end of 2003. Australia is also home to the infamous Mr Fluffy house of Canberra and the largest contaminated site in the southern hemisphere comprising 120,000 acres in the mining town of Wittenoom. As a result, Australia’s government is now one of the most proactive to encourage and invest in new asbestos-related technology to help drive efficiency, reduce risk and safeguard people.

In addition to the trials, Alert is also exhibiting with AES at the Challenge for Change Conference organised by the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH) from 19 – 23 March 2022, Sydney (Stand 35-38) providing a valuable opportunity to get face to face with key decision makers in the Australian Asbestos and Occ Hygiene sectors. *BRII is administered by the Australian Government, through the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources.

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Bylaugh Park Woods asbestos survey

by Nick Davenport

One of our valued clients asked if we could quote to survey 44 buildings erected on a site requisitioned by the RAF in WWII. After the RAF left in 1948 the buildings were mostly abandoned, with some briefly used to house chickens. They have now been empty for more than 30 years, however.

The site covered roughly 15 acres with the buildings spread throughout. They were mainly asbestos huts (this style of building was introduced in 1942) and as you can imagine, they were in all states of decay where the forest was slowly breaking them up.

We arranged a site visit as the job was unique and we wouldn’t have been able to price fairly from plans, photos or descriptions. After the visit, we presented our quote, which was accepted not long after.

As the survey manager, I was delighted to have won the job because ones like it don’t come up that often.

We carried out the survey over a five-day period, and in that time we discovered a further five buildings that the client didn’t know were there.

Anglian’s survey team surveyed each building, highlighting asbestos cement in situ and debris throughout the forest and pipe insulation. Of the 281 samples taken on site, 98% came back containing asbestos.

We have now issued all reports for this client and have now been instructed to present a quotation for the removal of all asbestos containing materials on the site, which we are now in the process of doing.

The survey team was Wayne Bemrose and Olly Budd (trainee).

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asbestos hub magazine | 35

Dr Yvonne Waterman, LLM, MFAAM, President of the European Asbestos Forum Asbestos: the state of the art From time to time, people ask me if ‘asbestos is very boring’.

Whenever that happens, I try not to swallow my tongue from indignation and answer negatively.

To me, asbestos is about prevention and saving lives (first and foremost), achieving justice, raising awareness for the need for safe work and living places, caring for the environment and a host of other important reasons; and what’s dull about any of that? All of them are jobs that need doing; and all of them are jobs that need all of us.

A maze Getting on just a bit now, I’ve seen a lot of change over the years.

After an asbestos conference in the Canadian parliament some twenty years ago, I remember an English professor of epidemiology telling me in a hotel bar that research into finding a cure or treatment for mesothelioma was a complete waste of time and money. I was very indignant about that.

Time and immunotherapy have proven him wrong, as the universally adored Mavis Nye demonstrates in person. Granted it requires a global scientific effort like going to the moon – again, it takes all of us – but slowly but surely, we are getting there and making many scientific advances along the way. Finding a cure or treatment is like wandering through a huge maze: there are a lot of scientific wrong turns to take before we will find the right one.

But with patience, perseverance

36 | asbestos hub magazine

and dedication, eventually we will and gain much insight as we struggle forwards.

I see the same developments with many other issues relating to asbestos, be they medical, technical, microscopic, legal, policy, awareness etc. They are improving over time with better understanding, perseverance and dedication. They are literally making the world a better, safer, healthier place. I keep a global eye out for such developments and feel very privileged to do so – it’s anything but boring and wonderful to share.

EU Resolution: also relevant for you A huge stride in this regard was made in the late autumn of 2021 by the European Parliament, when a resolution on asbestos was voted in almost unanimously.

A resolution is basically a big fat hint to the European Commission to get busy with a new Directive, which in turn will be transposed into all the member states’ legislation; it is not legislation as such.

Writing for an English magazine, I almost fear to use the term EU,

but this really is relevant to you too. Anything relating to new science that is beneficial to EU lungs is beneficial to English lungs and it is up to you to do what you will that knowledge, legislatively or otherwise. My point is that in order to keep up, it is good to know what the state of the art is – regardless of borders and sectors. Yes, that is the EAF’s motto. Sharing makes us stronger; no need for each country to laboriously reinvent the wheel.

When it comes to asbestos, we just don’t have the time for that. Time equals lives.

You can find this resolution – essentially an extensive wish list of bright ideas on a wide variety of asbestos related topics – at www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/ document/A-9-2021-0275_EN.html.

The resolution is tied in with an EU policy on improving old buildings and making them safer and healthier: the ‘Renovation Wave for Europe’ (2020). One particularly important point (no.

40) concerns the limit value of asbestos exposure – a reduction to 1,000 fibres per cubic metre.

Challenging, to say the least, but entirely possible too. Think how many lives this could save in the

workplace, how many needless deaths could be prevented if this one item of the resolution can be achieved across the EU, or better still the whole of Europe. Going to work should never be a grave decision.

Challenging, because it will require considerably higher levels of preventive measures and riskmanagement of asbestos-related risks. In turn, this will cause a wave of innovations, best practices and much more awareness of asbestos health dangers. In its wake, just think how many factories, offices, schools and houses will become safer; what a wonderful legacy for future generations this can be.

And this is just one point of the resolution.

Working hard on the EAF conference Gearing up for the fifth international conference of the European Asbestos Forum (11/11/2022, Amsterdam), I was thinking of a suitable red line throughout the programme, a main topic for the event if you will. Well, guess what: The State of the Art. Expect the newest and the best.

5th European Asbestos Forum Conference

‘Asbestos & The State Of The Art ’ 10-11 November 2022, Amsterdam

Save the date! Further announcements to follow soon.

asbestos hub magazine | 37

ASBESTONOMY 22 Asbestonomy 22 is the first international event related to asbestos challenges. The main objective is to create a strong community to better protect our people and raise standards around the world.

Asbestos is a global issue that we need to tackle together – at whichever phase of elimination we are, from countries that have not banned asbestos yet to countries that implement the strictest regulations and standards.

On the eve of a new European asbestos directive to protect workers, there is a real need to tackle asbestos issues right now.

In 2021 approximately 90,000 people died from asbestos related diseases globally and asbestos exposure is the number one cause of work-related deaths in the world.

Created by Cédille, a company specialising in professional events, e.g. Asbestos Professionals Event – with 2,000 visitors per show in Paris.

The first show will be held in London on the 16th and 17th

of June 2022, hosted at the ILEC Conference Centre.

Asbestonomy will start in the evening of the 16th with a welcome party before getting to the heart of the challenge the day after with a rich programme.

Amazing keynote speakers have been announced and the whole asbestos life cycle will be covered.

Asbestos state of art – where are we now?

Updates on how the European Parliament works on protecting workers from asbestos; Zoom on the best asbestos management practices; analyses of gaps between countries and opening to worldwide cohesion from MEP Nikolaj Villumsen in charge of the new European Asbestos Directive, Charles Pickles, Yvonne Waterman and Sven de Mulder.

Asbestos Detection – The first step Zoom on the exposure and toxicology due to asbestos, open debate on the necessity to detect and count all the fibres

and not only WHO fibres (thin and short fibres). Presentation of analysis techniques around the world (PCM, SEM, TEM), disagreement between countries and recommendations. What should we follow? From Martine Chouvet, Sean Fitzgerald and Michele Rocchetto – all are confirmed world specialists in asbestos detection and analytical techniques.

ACM Digital Management – Once detected, how should we manage asbestos in situ?

Now that asbestos has been detected, and that we live in a digital environment, how do we use digital to manage better ACM in situ, raise awareness and communication? From Simone Stevenson, Benoît Lanlard, Andrew Paten and Santiago Jiminez.

Last but not least – ACM removal and waste innovation State-of-art of the different techniques and innovations in asbestos removal and waste management, to ensure the workers' protection and the end of life of asbestos. From Hugo Rosati, who will be speaking about robotics and innovative equipment within the asbestos removal industry.

More speakers are planned to be announced.

Thus, if you are in the asbestos industry, it will be a day you cannot miss, to share with your peers, be aware of the latest updates, best practices and to develop your skills!

Be careful, the numbers of places are limited. To secure your tickets, rapidly go to www.asbestonomy.com or find their LinkedIn page.

38 | asbestos hub magazine

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British Asbestos Awards 2022 co-located with the British Demolition Awards 2022 Event details • Date: Friday 2 September 2022, • Location: King Power Stadium, Leicester • Time 6pm till late (license up to 2am if required) • Hotel: Recommended opposite the stadium is the Holiday Inn (please enquire for discounted rates) • Entertainment: World renowned magician and mind reader – Graham P Jolley • 12 industry awards • Dedicated nightclub next to awards hall for networking and afterparty

Price: £1,850 for a table of 10, including a three-course meal, wine and soft drinks

Introducing the British Asbestos Awards from Asbestos Hub magazine Without hiding the fact that we are piggybacking on our colleagues from Demolition Hub’s annual go-to event, the British Demolition Awards, Asbestos hub is proud to bring you the British Asbestos Awards at the same time and venue bring you the British Asbestos Awards.

Asbestos Hub has been granted its own space, branding, stands and tables and most importantly, four unique industry awards at the 2022 event, this year to be held at the King Power Stadium in Leicester on 2 September.

Should this venture work as

successfully as its sister event in demolition has done, it will become an annual fixture.

The LiuGong-sponsored British Demolition Awards, now in its fifth year since debuting at The Belfry in Sutton Coldfield, has found its position as the independent industry awards for the UK demolition industry.

Now after five years’ experience with the British Demolition Awards, Asbestos Hub can make use of our experienced events team, who understand just how to hold an awards do. We will be offering up four asbestos industry awards at

40 | asbestos hub magazine

the event, marketed as the British Asbestos Awards.

The award categories are: Asbestos Removal Contractor of the Year, Asbestos Removal of the Year, Operative of the Year and Supplier of the Year.

You can enter these four and if relevant, one or more of the eight demolition awards. To enter the awards, please go to: www.britishdemolitionawards.com.

Publisher and owner of both Asbestos Hub and Demolition Hub magazines and media brands Global News Media Ltd would welcome you to attend.

www.britishdemolitionawards.com

Enter now: britishdemolitionawards.com • Asbestos Removal Contractor of the Year • Asbestos Supplier of the Year • Asbestos Operative of the Year • Asbestos Removal of the Year

FOR MORE INFORMATION wayne@chambers.media

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