Asbestos control management overview
Asbestos is a strong fibrous rock, which can resist heat and chemicals and was commonly used in building materials to provide insulation or to act as a fire barrier. The use of asbestos in the construction industry was particularly prevalent between the 1950s and 1980s and as a result most properties built during this period are likely to contain some asbestos materials. Products which contain asbestos can look very similar to those that do not and therefore the difference can often only be found under the microscope in a specialist laboratory. If left untouched, asbestos is not necessarily harmful but if disturbed and its fibres are inhaled, some forms of the material can be deadly. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have reported over the years that there have been a number of incidents where tenants of social housing have been exposed to asbestos, with one of the reasons cited as being the lack of information available to social landlords. It is a legal requirement for all social landlords to implement suitable and appropriate systems for the management of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) in their housing stock, with a much greater emphasis on the need for strategic planning, training and risk assessments, especially in relation to repairs, demolition and refurbishment activities.
Asbestos control management supports the end user in maintaining a register of where asbestos has been located, removed, or is presumed to be present, based on a representative survey sample conducted on similar properties within the housing stock. This register must be continually updated and used in consultation with contractors and other construction partners before repairs or refurbishment works are undertaken, as well as to make appropriate arrangements for informing and protecting tenants who might also be affected. During a site survey, information on the asbestos material or product is gathered, such as its location, condition, product type, associated occupant activity and likelihood of disturbance. Re-inspection of all confirmed cases must also be undertaken on a regular basis, the frequency of which being determined by the location, condition and type of asbestos present.
Separate help articles have been created for each key aspect of asbestos control management, including: