Key Facts

1 - If you don't locate and manage asbestos in your premises, you could be putting your employees and other persons health at risk.

2 - Exposure to asbestos occurs when you or others disturb it, releasing respirable fibres in to the air.

3 - Asbestos in good condition, which is unlikely to be disturbed, should be left in situ and suitably managed.

4 - Most work on asbestos insulation, asbestos coatings and asbestos insulating board requires a licence, but some minor work can be done without a licence if the correct precautions are followed.

5 - You don't always have to do a survey, but you do have to manage your Asbestos-Containing Materials (ACMs).

6 - A bad survey is worse than no survey at all. At Eton Environmental Services all our surveyors are qualified to P402 and S301 as a minimum.

7 - Managing asbestos means maintaining your ACMs in good condition to protect two groups of people:

Those who work on the fabric of the building (general maintenance, electricians, plumbers etc); and
Those who could be affected by that work (office workers, cleaners, visitors etc) who may come into contact or work near damaged or deteriorated ACMs.

8 - Damaged or deteriorated ACMs should be repaired or removed, or isolated until remedial action can be taken.

9 - Your Asbestos Management Plan:

Is your way of ensuring that your employees or others do not disturb ACMs on your premises.
Can take many forms and need not be complex, but it does need to be effective.

10 - Relevant enforcing authorities (Health and Safety Executive, local authorities) can, and will, prosecute for failure to suitably manage ACMs. This can result in fines and imprisonment.