MONTHLY H&S FOCUS SEPTEMBER 2012 ASBESTOS

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1 What Is Asbestos? Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral material, which does not burn and is resistant to most acids and alkalis. The fire protection and insulating properties of asbestos were the main reason for its use over the years. Three main types of asbestos have been used in the construction industry: - Chrysotile (white) - Amosie/grunerite (brown) - Crocidolite (blue) Where Can I Find Asbestos? Asbestos is a hidden killer. Each week, approximately 8 joiners, 6 electricians and 4 plumbers die from asbestos-related diseases. If you are not sure if there are asbestos materials where you are working, STOP AND CHECK. People in charge of workplace buildings have a legal duty to provide you with up-to-date information on the location and condition of asbestos before you start work. Ceiling tiles Pipe insulation Boilers Sprayed coatings Asbestos cement sheeting Board around windows, radiators, fireplaces, building columns and pillars Soffit boards Textured coatings Inside fire doors Gaskets and sealants on pipe joints Fuse boxes and electrical switchgear Asbestos could be present in buildings built or refurbished before the year 2000.

2 Working With Asbestos? There are two kinds of work: 1) Licensable work All high risk work, other than very minor work, with the following products: - Asbestos insulation - Coating (excluding textured coatings and paint) - Asbestos insulation board 2) Non licensable work For work that do not require a licensed contractor, an assessment by a competent person must conclude that: - The planned is sporadic and low intensity, and - The planned exposure will not exceed the control limit

3 Remove Asbestos and Training Asbestos training is a legal requirement. You must be trained to work safely with asbestos materials. Each year approximately die from asbestos. That s more than are killed on the roads. If you plan to disturb asbestos, e.g by drilling a hole in textured coating or removing an asbestos ceiling tile then, as well as awareness training, you will need job-specific, non-licensed asbestos training. This will give you the skills to: 1. Use and fit a face-mask 2. Use safe work methods 3. Deal with asbestos waste 4. Safety carry out non-licensed tasks such as painting undamaged asbestos insulation board, cleaning light fittings attached to asbestos insulating board and cleaning guttering on an asbestos cement roof. What Is The danger? Asbestos fibres can cause lung cancer and lung diseases. These diseases will not affect you immediately, they often take a long time to develop (i.e 20 years), but once diagnosed, it is often too late to do anything. There is a need for you to protect yourself now. Four serious diseases are known: Mesothelioma is a cancer, which is always fatal Asbestos-related lung cancer, which is almost fatal Asbestosis can cause progressive shortness of breath. Pleural thickening can also cause progressive shortness of breath and discomfort in the chest, which is not fatal It is also important to remember that people who smoke and are also exposed to asbestos fibres are at a much greater risk of developing lung cancer.

4 Protective Equipment Overalls Disposable overalls. Type 5 (BS EN ISO ) are suitable. Cotton overalls hold dust and need specialist laundering. You may need waterproof overalls for outdoor work Wear one size too big this will help to prevent ripping at the seams If the cuffs are loose, seal them with tape Avoid wearing a long-sleeved shirt these are difficult to cover properly. Wear the overall legs over footwear. Tucking them in lets dust into footwear Wear the hood over the RPE straps Dispose of used overalls as asbestos waste Caution: Never take used overalls home Gloves If you wear protective gloves, use single-use disposable gloves. If you must use latex gloves as asbestos waste. Dispose of used gloves as asbestos waste. Footwear Boots are preferable to disposable overshoes which cause a slipping risk. Caution: Never use laced boots, these are very difficult to clean properly. Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) Use suitable RPE with an assigned Protection Factor of 20 or more Suitable types of RPE: Disposable respirator to standards EN149 (type FFP3) or EN1827 (type FMP3); Half mask respirator (to standards EN140) with P3 filter or Semi-disposable respirator (to EN405) with P3 filter. This equipment should be suitable for most short duration non-licensed work. Workers should select a make and size that fits then. You must be trained to use PPE and RPE. PPE and RPE are your last lines of defence against asbestos fibres.

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