Asbestos

Asbestos was extensively used as a building material in the UK from the 1950s through to the mid 1980s.  It was used for a variety of purposes and was ideal for fireproofing and insulation.  Any building built before 2000 can contain asbestos.  Asbestos materials in good condition are safe unless asbestos fibres become airborne, which happens when materials are damaged.

Duty to Manage

The duty to manage is directed at those who manage non-domestic premises: the people with responsibility for protecting others who work in such premises, or use them in other ways, from the risks of ill health that exposure to asbestos causes.

The duty to manage is contained in Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 which came into force on 13 November 2006 and require the dutyhoder to:

• take reasonable steps to find if there are materials containing asbestos in non-domestic premises, and if so, its amount, location and condition;
• presume materials contain asbestos unless there is strong evidence that they do not;
• create and maintain a record of the location and condition of the asbestos containing materials, or materials which are presumed to contain asbestos;
• assess the risk to anyone being exposed to fibres from the materials identified;
• prepare a plan that sets out in detail how the risks from these materials will be managed;
• take the necessary steps to put the plan into action;
• periodically review and monitor the plan and the arrangements to act on it so that the plan remains relevant and up-to-date; and
• provide information on the condition of the materials to anyone who is liable to work on or disturb them.