Report Sheds Light on How to Fight Asbestos Risks in Houses
The presence of asbestos in places ranging from floor tiles to roofs, gutters and downpipes have caused much concern among experts due to the risks posed. A new academic report commissioned by construction union UCATT shows how existing rules on management of asbestos in people’s homes fall far behind in terms of risk mitigation, exposing residents and maintenance workers to serious asbestos dangers.
The report “As Safe as Houses?” by Dr Linda Waldman and Heather Williams, evaluates the methods by which asbestos management and removal in social housing is carried out. It also unveils the grim scenario of the present legislation failing to address the issue of asbestos management on private sector properties.
The report reveals that information about whether properties contain asbestos and the perils of exposure is communicated to tenants by local authorities and registered social landlords (RSLs) in manners that are quite different from each other.
Presently the primary focus is on managing asbestos in shared areas such as stairwells. The report urges to include the internal part of properties as well, asking all social landlords to display a responsibility towards asbestos management in these parts.
It is also proposed to make it a legal duty for all social landlords to manage and keep a register of all asbestos containing properties.
The report reveals that currently there is no legal necessity to disclose asbestos presence in a private property. Housing Information Packs and minor surveys do not provide adequate information on the possible presence of this harmful material. Correct information can only be obtained through a comprehensive (and no doubt expensive) structural survey. The report also stresses on asbestos surveying that has to be carried out with full sincerity before private properties are sold out to prospective buyers.
The Report suggests creating awareness among construction and maintenance workers about the likely locations of asbestos occurrence in concrete structures, recognising asbestos from other substances, possible signs of warning, and emergency procedures to be undertaken on discovery of asbestos so that dangerous materials can be safely disposed off. The report also recommends that all construction machine tools should carry warnings so that workers are made aware of the apparent dangers of asbestos. CDM training can be of benefit to your organisation to provide practical information for those responsible for implementing the requirements of the Building Regulations.
Training on asbestos essentials and guidance to all local authority staff and resident association representatives will ensure a more goal-oriented approach in dealing with asbestos. Finally, the course curriculum of the training programmes meant for construction workers should be modified to include both theoretical and practical lessons on asbestos risks and procedures for personal protection.
