Asbestos Management Policy

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been used widely in construction in buildings around the world. It is split into three types: –

Blue – Crocidolite: which includes Anthophyllite, Actinolite, Tremolite and Crocidolite. These were banned for construction purposes in the United Kingdom 1985.

Brown – Amosite: This was banned for construction purposes outright in the United Kingdom in 1985

White – Chrysotile: This was banned for construction purposes by the United Kingdom in 1999.

It was used in a wide range of areas throughout the construction of buildings over the years until health concerns started to be discovered.

Asbestos is found in many unexpected places, so it is vital to check the register prior to any works to understand if any asbestos containing materials (ACM) are present. Some examples of where asbestos can be found are listed in Appendix 9.

NEVER ASSUME! ALWAYS CHECK THE ASBESTOS REGISTER! DETERMINE THE LOCATION OF ASBESTOS!

Asbestos does have the potential to cause harm if damaged or disturbed and there is the potential for a release of fibres that can be inhaled. The three main diseases are: -

• Asbestosis
• Lung Cancer
• Mesothelioma

The diseases can take many years to develop and are often fatal.

Licensed, Notifiable Non-Licensed, and Non-Licensed

The three main areas regarding working with asbestos are listed below.

5.1 Licensed works which include but not limited to removal of pipe lagging, long term work to asbestos insulation board (AIB), loose insulation removal and removal of sprayed coatings.

Work in this category can only be carried out by an HSE licensed and approved contractor and needs to be notified 14 days in advance to the relevant regulatory authority by the removal contractor.

5.2 Notifiable non-licensed work (NNLW) which consists of but is not limited to large scale removal of textured coating, minor short duration works, gasket removal, and removal of roof sheets and rainwater products (CAR2012 regulation 3).

5.3 Non-licensed works such as asbestos containing toilet cistern removal, work to floor tiles and other areas where the material is bound together in a tight matrix (CAR2012 regulation 2).

What kind of work with ACM can the University Facilities Services (FS) team carry out?

There are some works the Facilities Services team can carry out subject to having the correct level of competence and equipment to carry this out.

The works are: -

• Notifiable non-licensed work such as gasket removals, removal of textured coatings and short duration works.
• Non-licensed works which may include removing damaged floor tiles or removal of asbestos cement products where required.

The Facilities Services team cannot carry out any licensed works without exception; this can only be carried out by specialist licensed contractors. No School or Professional Service other than Facilities Services are permitted to undertake any asbestos works!

Competence requirements to carry out the works are listed in (CAR2012 regulation 10.) Requirements regarding training are in Appendix 6.

NEVER CARRY OUT WORKS THAT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TRAINED TO DO!

6.1 Chart showing Corporate Governance regarding asbestos at Loughborough University

Duty Holder: COO (senior person responsible)

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is the Statutory Duty Holder and, as the senior person responsible, has overall accountabilities for all aspects of the management of Health and Safety within the University organisation.

Designated Person: Director or Dean

A person appointed by Loughborough University who has managerial authority and responsibility for the control of Health and Safety legislation within their area. They are also responsible for appointing authorised people for compliance subjects within their area.

Duty Authorised Person: A person, either employed by the University or another organisation, with the required knowledge, training, and experience, appointed by the Designated Person in writing, to take managerial responsibility for the implementation of policy and procedures for a specific area of health and safety legislation. There is a single asbestos DAP for the University: -

1. To ensure day to day compliance regarding asbestos.
2. To review as necessary the University management plan.
3. To assist and offer advice regarding asbestos across all areas of the University.
4. To ensure the Asbestos Register is up to date. e) To carry out audits of asbestos works as required.

Authorised Person:

A person, either employed by the University or another organisation possessing proficient technical knowledge and having received appropriate training, appointed by the Duty Authorised Person in writing to take responsibility for the Implementation of the policy and procedures as specified of a specific area of H&S legislation.

Facilities Services need to manage ACM and shall appoint an Asbestos Authorised Person to ensure ACMs are safely managed.

Competent Person:

The operative / individuals, either employed by the University or another organisation, recognised by the Authorised Person as having the competence to undertake the task and follow the relevant process/procedure. This person undertakes the task at the place of work such as the removal or encapsulation of ACM.

6.2 Responsibilities of Schools/Professional Services

At all times the schools must comply with the Loughborough University Management of Asbestos Policy. Schools will not be expected to manage any asbestos removal works. The Schools though should understand regulations that relate to asbestos and ensure that relevant staff have the required level of training to ensure that staff, students and contractors working in their area are working safely. This will mean relevant staff attending an asbestos awareness course and then carrying out an E- learning refresher to ensure that there is a level of understanding regarding work involving ACM’s being carried out in their area, and to understand what to do if asbestos gets damaged.

Duties of Deans of Schools / Directors of Professional Services

The responsibilities regarding asbestos that come under the Dean of the School/Director of Professional Services are summarised below.

1. To ensure relevant personnel that encounter ACMs understand how to manage ACM’s.
2. To appoint an Authorised person within their area of control who is suitably qualified to oversee asbestos awareness.
3. To ensure that relevant personnel are aware of the location of ACM’s in their area and how to report ACM’s in poor condition.
4. To inform their staff of ACM works in their area and comply with the contractor’s requirements.

Control of Contractors

Asbestos removal contractors are the responsibility of the FD/FS Project Manager. It is the responsibility of Directors of Professional Services and Deans of Schools to contact the FD/FS Project Manager if they have any concerns over the performance of the asbestos removal contractors working in their area.

Training – i.e. Asbestos Awareness

It is the responsibility of the of the Deans of Schools to ensure that all staff are suitably trained regarding asbestos within their own area to ensure that they have been given the relevant information regarding asbestos.

Facilities Development (FD) & Facilities Services (FS) Responsibilities Overview

When planning any work on site the potential presence of asbestos should always be considered and the Asbestos Register consulted. If no information is available, then the presumption must be that asbestos is present and a pre-refurbishment survey should be undertaken either on a general or targeted basis before work commences.

Additionally, prior to any work commencing that has the potential to disturb asbestos containing materials a full risk assessment and method statement must be produced.

As part of the preparation for the work it is necessary to ensure that FD/FS obtain all the information on the level of training of the staff undertaking the work, to ensure that it is sufficient for the work they are being asked to carry out.

As part of the assurance process, a selection of the risk assessments and method statements will be audited.

When work is physically carried out, it is very important there is a detailed description of any material removed, together with a full audit trail through risk identification, method statement and removal through to the waste transfer note. This is so the origin of the waste can be traced. This information shall be provided by the contractor.

The detailed information should be sent through to p.walker@lboro.ac.uk to update the register.

If major works have taken place, then a management survey should always be carried out and the cost met by the project. This should be carried out through the Handover & Hand back process or within one month of project completion.

In all cases, information post-works shall be collated to allow for accurate updating of the Asbestos Register.

Details of all works that are being planned or carried out that have the potential to disturb asbestos should also be sent through to p.walker@lboro.ac.uk.

The FD/FS Project Manager has the responsibility to manage the works and to review all documents including Risk Assessments, Method Statements and notifications that must be submitted to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The Asbestos DAP Will support the FD/FS Project Manager to discharge their duties effectively.

(Details are in Appendix 11)

Schools’ Relationship to FD/FS

Facilities Services/Development will organise all works that involve ACM’s. The FD/FS Project Manager shall inform the school of all works that are carried out within their area, especially those that involve asbestos or has the potential to disturb asbestos.

Contractors’ Health and Safety Induction

Contractors working in Schools must have undertaken the Loughborough University Online health and safety induction, a link will be sent out by the FD/FS project Manager. This should be completed by the contractor and once the questionnaire has been completed a notification is sent through to the Project Manager. Then a contractor pass will be issued by the Project Manager. This ensures that Loughborough University has the assurance that all contractors have been made aware of the working practices with the aim of protecting our students, staff, and all users of the campus.

Project managers will give the contractor a site-specific induction to ensure they are given all details of the work area and the works they are carrying out.

Summary of responsibilities of Schools:

• Appoint an Appointed Person (AP) regarding asbestos for their area of control.
• Allocate the necessary resources, both in terms of time and financial resources to deal with asbestos within their area.
• Provide the necessary information, instruction, and training to enable staff to perform their job in a safe manner and avoid disturbing ACM.
• Ensure that any matter brought to their attention regarding asbestos is given prompt and appropriate attention.
• Encourage and support the attendance of appropriate members of the Department on relevant internal and external health and safety training events regarding asbestos.
• Liaise with the FD/FS Project Manager to ensure all contractors engaged by the department are adequately supervised and conduct their work in accordance with current legislation.
• To provide all necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to those who work with asbestos.

7.1 How to access

The Asbestos Register can be accessed through the NexGen portal with a valid log in using any web capable platform such as computer, iPad/tablet or phone. A University email address is required to access the system. Contractors have their own access procedure as laid out in the policy.

The register can be accessed here.

7.2 Who has access?

Anyone who has a NexGen log in can access the register. Contractors shall either be provided with a copy of the relevant building asbestos management report or be given the specific report number where the fabric of the building is going to be worked on. The contractor should acknowledge receipt of any asbestos documents they are provided with to ensure there is an audit trail for the management of asbestos.

Contractors can be provided with access to the register directly. A link is provided (see below) to a NexGen access guide which can be forwarded to the contractor by the Project Manager to gain a valid login for the duration of any works.

7.3. Who Manages the Asbestos Register?

The register is controlled and updated by the University Compliance Engineer who is responsible for any additions or alterations that may take place through work carried out on site.

Contact details are: p.walker@lboro.ac.uk

7.4. Where it is stored

The register is a web-based system called NexGen.

7.5. Re-inspections

Re-inspections are regularly carried to ascertain the ongoing condition of our site wide Asbestos. These are carried out by competent Facilities Services staff. Once completed, they are passed to the University Compliance Engineer to update the register and carry out any remedial actions that may be necessary.

The reinspection documents are generated by the NexGen System in the form of the Asbestos Management Action Plan (AMAP). This states the location of any asbestos that needs to be inspected. When areas are inspected if the AMAP states a course of action that is clearly not correct this needs to be passed on to the Compliance Engineer and the Loughborough University Asbestos Contractor to investigate and revisit to ensure our records are always kept up to date.

The reinspection’s will be:

6- Monthly for High risk asbestos (i.e. Sprayed lagging and loose pipe lagging)

12 Monthly for lower risk asbestos (i.e. Floor tiles, Ceiling tiles, wall cladding)

The Material score needs to be checked at time of Inspection and register updated accordingly through our Asbestos Contractor

8.1. Daytime Work Hours

During work hours of 8am to 5pm, a call should be made to the Loughborough University FM Helpdesk on (01509) 222121 who will notify the relevant people to deal with any asbestos related incident.

8.2. Out of Hours

If asbestos is found or damaged out of hours, then a call should be made to Loughborough University Security on 222141 who have a supply of bags and an emergency procedure to follow.

8.3. Emergency Bag

In the event of an incident there are emergency bags located within the Health & Safety Department and there is a bag within the security office which contains emergency equipment. The bag must be checked annually to ensure that the contents are complete and in date. This will be carried out by competent staff and reported to the Compliance Engineer.

The Emergency Procedure to follow is listed below: - 

1. Security Control receives a phone call from a member of staff or contractor, explaining that an asbestos incident has occurred and where the incident has taken place. Security Control explain that the emergency grab bag is being taken to the location of the incident and that the contaminated person needs to follow the instructions inside.
2. Once in the general location, the Security Officer shall not enter the contaminated area. They shall not make physical contact with the contaminated person. The Security Officer shall place the grab bag in a contamination free area. In practical terms, this may mean leaving the grab bag outside the affected area, depending on individual circumstances.
3. The contaminated person collects the grab bag and begins using its contents. The flow chart inside the grab-bag explains what the contaminated person must do. (Appendix 3)
4. The Security Officer then secures the area with barrier tape having removed it from the emergency bag prior to leaving it for the contaminated person to prevent people entering the area. The Security Officer then reports back to Security Control that this has been completed but remains on site to communicate with the contaminated person using a mobile phone or through security control.
5. Security Control notify the University Health & Safety team through the contact details that are on record who will then take charge of the incident.