Spread the word, not the dust
April 22nd 2008

According to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), every week 20 tradesmen, including 6 electricians and 3 plumbers, die as a result of workplace exposure to asbestos. Anyone employing tradesman from these groups has a legal duty to provide adequate information, instruction and training regarding asbestos explains the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association (ARCA)

Due to the nature of their work, general tradesmen carrying out refurbishment or demolition work on existing buildings, are now the single most at risk group from exposure to workplace asbestos.

In addition to electricians and plumbers this group also includes:

• General maintenance staff
• Gas fitters
• Painters and decorators
• Joiners
• Plasterers
• Demolition workers
• Construction workers
• Roofers
• Heating and ventilation engineers
• Telecommunications engineers
• Fire and burglar alarm installers
• Computer installers
• Architects and building surveyors
• Shop fitters

Asbestos related diseases account for approximately 4000 deaths per year in the UK. In order to reduce the levels of ill health as a result of asbestos exposure the HSE is targeting those most at risk.

"Asbestos the Hidden Killer", is an HSE awareness campaign which has been piloted in the north west of England, the pilot campaign was launched on National Mesothelioma Day, February 27th 2008. Mesothelioma is a cancer which normally occurs around the outer lining of the lung and chest cavity, it is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos.

The pilot campaign was targeted at general tradesmen in the Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Cumbria regions.

The campaign aims to get the message regarding the dangers of asbestos across to general tradesmen using press and radio advertisements, as well as direct mailing.

In addition Asbestos Information Packs will be available from DIY stores and the HSE. Once the pilot awareness campaign is completed the campaign will be reviewed and then it will be launched nationally later in the year.

The campaign has been devised as the HSE believes the message regarding the dangers of asbestos in the workplace has failed to reach these trades. However, employers in these trades as well as all other employers have specific legal duties towards their employees as regards asbestos.

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 place legal duties on employers and employees with regards to asbestos in the workplace, Regulation 10 states that:

"Every employer shall ensure that adequate information, instruction and training is given to those of his employees who are or are liable to be exposed to asbestos or who supervise such employees."

Therefore if you employ tradesmen from the above groups of trades you have a legal duty to ensure that they have adequate information, instruction and training regarding asbestos, as those tradesmen are always liable to be exposed to asbestos as a result of the type of work they carry out.

In fact the Approved Code of Practice which accompanies the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 states that:

"Asbestos awareness training is required to be given to employees whose work could forseeably expose them to asbestos. In particular it should be given to all demolition workers and those workers in the refurbishment, maintenance and allied trades where it is foreseeable that their work will disturb the fabric of the building because asbestos containing materials (ACMs) may become exposed during their work. Exemption from this requirement would apply only where the employer can demonstrate that work will only be carried out on buildings free of ACMs. This information should be available in the client's asbestos management plan".

An Approved Code of Practice has special legal status; it is the accepted way of complying with the law. If you do not comply with the Approved Code of Practice you must demonstrate that you have complied with the law in some other way, to an equal or better standard.

From the above it can be seen that asbestos awareness training is a legal requirement for most employees and supervisors working in the trades identified in the bullet pointed list near the start of this article. In addition to initial training, the Approved Code of Practice which accompanies the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 also states that refresher training should be given at least every year.

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