COVER STORY
Whilst it’s important to keep the threat posed by asbestos exposure in context, it’s also vital to be mindful of the scale of the risk potential, and to act responsibly. So although it’s widely accepted, and stated by the HSE, that ACMs pose a negligible risk if they’re in good condition and aren’t going to be disturbed or damaged, the extent of the danger to health which can be caused by breathing in asbestos fibres that have been released into the air, through damage, or disturbance by maintenance or refurbishing work, is something no one would want to risk.
It’s not only for reasons of health and safety that it’s critical for all duty holders to take their asbestos management responsibilities absolutely seriously, but also because of the legal obligation to do so under the ‘Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012’. Part of the regulations requires an action plan to be in place, including a risk assessment and ongoing management. If ACMs are present then the regulations state an inspection of the materials must be undertaken at appropriate regular intervals.
DON’T COMPROMISE – QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS
CAN HELP In order to responsibly and effectively manage the risks posed by asbestos in premises, the duty holder - if he or she is not in possession of the relevant qualifications - may need to seek professional help. This can be provided by consultancies which specialise in the management of environmental issues, such as asbestos. These consultancies can offer expert advice and service regarding dealing with asbestos.
Equally, the duty holder may themselves hold qualifications in the management of asbestos. BOHS’ P405 qualification ‘Management of Asbestos in Buildings’ and the P407 ‘Managing Asbestos in Premises, the Duty Holder Requirements’ are recognised qualifications for duty holders, and are part of the British Occupational Hygiene Society’s (BOHS) P400 suite of asbestos qualifications - which are recognised by the HSE and UKAS, as well as protected by trademark to BOHS.
www.tomorrowshs.com
If duty holders engage a consultancy to manage the asbestos in their premises, it’s vital that consultancy personnel are qualified to the highest standards in asbestos management, so that the duty holders can have peace of mind in the levels of services they receive, specifically the quality of advice, the correct identification of health hazards, and the adequacy of controls required to be implemented. If a consultancy’s personnel have achieved BOHS’ asbestos qualifications, then this can help validate their level of professionalism.
PROTECTING AGAINST ASBESTOS – SETTING THE
STANDARDS BOHS and its members have been providing national and international leadership on protection against asbestos since the 1960s. They have published methods of asbestos dust control, and produced an exposure standard for chrysotile. BOHS- published research papers have been fundamental in quantifying the risks of asbestos, and lie behind many of the measurement methods adopted worldwide. The Society also produced codes of practice on clearance testing and bulk sampling, whilst its competency standards form the basis of current requirements for surveyors, analysts, laboratory staff and managers.
BOHS is the leading UK awarding body for qualifications in occupational hygiene. The BOHS Faculty of Occupational Hygiene sets, develops and maintains the professional standards of occupational hygienists. Internationally recognised, BOHS is the only UK-based examining board for qualifications in occupational hygiene, and facilitates access to a global network of Approved Training Providers – presenting the opportunity to achieve valuable qualifications. To date, over 45,000 BOHS asbestos qualifications have been undertaken.
For more information about BOHS and its range of qualifications and services, please visit
www.bohs.org/aboutus
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