Intelligence

Are you ready for Asbestos Regulations?

New asbestos regulations come into force on 21 May 2004. This gives you just 13 months to develop a management programme to ensure you comply with the new regulations.

If you are involved in property maintenance and management then you need to make a:

Risk Assessment

• Take reasonable steps to determine the location and condition of materials likely to contain asbestos;
• Presume materials contain asbestos unless there is strong evidence that they do not;
• Make and keep an up to date record of the location and condition of the Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM’s) or presumed ACM’s in the premises;
• Assess the risk of the likelihood of any one being exposed to fibres from these materials;
• Prepare a plan setting out the risks from the materials which are to be managed;
• Take the necessary steps to put the plan into action;
• Presume and monitor the plan periodically; and
• Provide information on the location and the condition of the materials to anyone who is liable to work on or disturb.

What should you do now?

• Check your current arrangements with the management of asbestos;
• Adopt a precautionary approach to maintenance work;
• Carry out an initial inspection of all of the premises to look for serious damage and disturbance of material and take effective remedial action as necessary.

If you are in doubt over the asbestos regulations contact

Richard Greasby at our Cirencester office