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| Asbestos and Its Dangers |
| by: Vincent Green |
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Asbestos and Its Dangers
Asbestos is the name given to naturally occurring
fibrous minerals that are contained within rock
and mined in many countries. Asbestos has a
number of valuable properties including physical
strength, resistance to chemicals, non-
combustibility and good thermal and electrical
insulation. It is due to these properties that
asbestos has been widely used in industry for a
range of applications.
However, when asbestos is disturbed or damaged,
the fibres can be released into the air and
inhaled, which creates a risk to human health. It
is estimated that Asbestos Containing Materials (
ACM) may be present in up to half a million
premises in the UK and could represent a health
risk if the materials are not properly identified
and managed. The Control of Asbestos Regulations
2006 (CAR) were introduced in order to address
the risks involved.
From studies of people who were exposed to
asbestos in factories and shipyards, we know that
breathing high levels of asbestos fibers can lead
to an increased risk of mesothelioma, a cancer of
the lining of the chest , and asbestosis, in
which the lungs become scarred with fibrous
tissue.
The risk of lung cancer and mesothelioma
increases with the number of fibers inhaled. The
risk of lung cancer from inhaling asbestos fibers
is also greater if you smoke. People who get
asbestosis have usually been exposed to high
levels of asbestos for a long time. The symptoms
of these diseases do not usually appear until
about 20 to 30 years after the first exposure to
asbestos.
Asbestos Facts
There are three main types of asbestos still
found in premises. These are commonly called blue
asbestos (crocidolite), brown asbestos (amosite)
and white asbestos (chrysotile). All types of
asbestos are dangerous, but blue asbestos and
brown asbestos are most hazardous. It is
impossible to identify them just by their colour.
Although it is now illegal to use asbestos in the
construction or refurbishment of any premises,
many thousands of tonnes of it were used in the
past and much of it is still in place. As long as
it is in good condition and is not being or going
to be disturbed or damaged there is no risk. But
if it is disturbed or damaged, it can become a
danger to health, because asbestos fibres are
released into the air and people can breathe them
in.
Breathing in air containing asbestos fibres can
lead to asbestos-related diseases, mainly cancers
of the lungs and chest lining. Asbestos is a risk
only if asbestos fibres are released into the air
and breathed in. Over 4 years ago, Asbestos-
related diseases killed up to 3000 people a year
in Great Britain, and this number is expected to
continue rising for the next 10 years. There is
no cure for asbsestos-related diseases. There is
usually a long delay between first exposure to
asbestos and the onset of disease. This can vary
from 15 - 60 years. Only by preventing or
minimising these exposures now will asbestos-
related disease eventually be wiped out.
Asbestos Statistics
Asbestos-related diseases kill up to 3000 people
a year in the UK.
The delay between first exposure to asbestos and
the onset of disease can vary from 15 - 60 years.
Asbestos is the only known cause of Mesothelioma.
Asbestos is a combination of several minerals
held together by silky strands of fibers.
These fireproof fibers of Asbesdos do not burn,
and do not conduct heat or electricity.
Asbestos was used widely in all types of
construction products up to the mid-1970s.
Asbestos is the most serious occupational health
issue ever experienced in the UK .
Asbestos statistics indicate that the incidence
of asbestos deaths in the UK may rise until it
reaches a peak in the year 2020.
Asbestos Regulations
The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations
introduced by the government, require an explicit
duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises.
This important legislation was passed to tackle
the biggest occupational health killer in the UK,
which is unfortunatly asbestos-related disease.
Employers, building owners, landlords and tenants
should be considering the implications of not
complying to these regulaions, identifying the
presence of any asbestos-containing materials
within their premises and formalising a strategy
for managing the risk.
The Duty to Manage
If you own, occupy, manage or have
responsibilities for non-domestic premises, which
may contain asbestos, you will either have a
legal duty to manage the risk from this material
or a duty to co-operate with whoever manages that
risk.
The person responsible for a building (The Duty
Holder) is required to manage the risk from
asbestos by:
Taking reasonable steps to find asbestos on their
premises and assess the condition of these
materials.
Presuming that materials do contain asbestos
unless there is strong evidence that they do not.
Preparing a record of the location and condition
of asbestos, or presumed asbestos, materials and
assess the risks from them.
Preparing and implementing a plan to manage those
risks.
Providing information on the location and
condition of the materials to anyone who is
liable to disturb them.
Who will be the Duty Holder?
All those who have responsibility for the
maintenance and/or repair of non-domestic
premises have duties under this regulation. The
extent of the legal duty is determined by the
terms of the tenancy agreement or contract that
applies.
Depending on the contract or tenancy the Duty
Holder could be the landlord or tenant or even a
facilities manager. The regulation also includes
a duty to co-operate, which applies widely. This
will, for example, require a landlord to pass
information on asbestos to a new tenant. Also any
building surveyor or architect who have plans
which show information on the whereabouts of
asbestos would be expected to make these
available to the Duty Holder at a reasonable cost.
Liability and Penalties
The most common liability that a company faces in
this context is a claim in negligence made by an
employee or contractor suffering from an asbestos
related illness. Although the manufacture and
supply of asbestos products is now prohibited in
the UK, workers in the building and maintenance
trade remain at risk of avoidable exposure to
asbestos containing materials during the course
of their work. The cost of failure to comply with
asbestos regulations can be high and not just in
human terms. Developers, architects and
contractors, as well as property owners and
managers, face compensation bills, prosecution
and adverse publicity. It can also affect the
value of a building.
The Health and Safety Executive is responsible
for the enforcement of the CAW Regulations in
terms of their usual powers and procedures. The
maximum penalties are an unlimited fine and/or up
to two years' imprisonment. As with most other
health and safety law offences, directors and
officers of companies may be held liable for
breaches if committed with their consent,
connivance or neglect. |
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This article was posted on June 15, 2007
and reads 13 times. |
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