A court case in recent weeks has highlighted once again why it is so important to turn to asbestos experts before you start any type of building work.

Salisbury Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 8 September 2018, Robert Angell undertook work to remove asbestos-containing material (ACM) while renovating a pub in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Robert Angell was not licensed to carry out asbestos removal work and failed to take appropriate measures to prevent the spread of the asbestos waste.

As a consequence, the work undertaken exposed employees and neighbouring areas to risks from asbestos.

Robert Angell of York Road, Calne, Wiltshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 16 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, together with regulations 5 (1) and 8(1) of the regulations.

The individual was fined £300 and ordered to pay £1,000 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Ian Whittles said: “The dangers associated with asbestos, including licensed asbestos, are well-known and a wealth of advice and guidance is freely available from the HSE website.

“Individuals should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

How can asbestos experts help?

We would strongly recommend that if you are embarking on a building or renovation project that you contact a professional team of asbestos experts before work gets underway.

Getting help from asbestos experts at any stage of a project is better than getting no help at all but until you do get us involved you are running the risk that you could be putting people’s lives at risk from the dangers of asbestos.

If the HSE inspects your site and finds you haven’t carried out the necessary checks before work began, they may shut the site down, which can lead to huge financial costs and delays. You may also be prosecuted and could face large fines and even custodial sentences.

If you get asbestos experts, like Acorn, involved right at the very beginning of a building or refurbishment project you can avoid all these problems.

What help should I ask for from asbestos experts?

Before work begins you should get in touch with professional asbestos experts and ask them to carry out an asbestos survey.

There are different types of asbestos surveys but in the case of a renovation project you would need an asbestos refurbishment survey.

An asbestos refurbishment survey locates and describes ACMs.

Qualified surveyors use intrusive surveying techniques to inspect the building whilst the area is unoccupied. Due to the nature of these surveys some temporary ‘making good’ work may be required if there is a significant time gap between the survey and the actual refurbishment works.

If areas are to be reoccupied following the asbestos refurbishment survey, asbestos air testing may be needed.

All you need to do in advance of our arrival is provide us with information about the project you are planning. This is because the key element to completing an accurate refurbishment survey is to ensure we have a detailed scope of works and confirmed proposed plans.

Effectively, the more accurate the information you provide, the more accurate and complete the asbestos refurbishment survey that we produce can be.

We know that time is of the essence when it comes to building projects so our standard report turnaround for an asbestos refurbishment survey is within three working days. However, if required, we can provide a 24-hour turnaround.

All Acorn’s asbestos survey clients also receive free access to their own live, secure and encrypted, asbestos portal. This means they have 24/7 access to their asbestos data and reports and can share them with whoever they want – including all those people working on their site.

The information in our surveys will make sure that everyone working on site knows exactly where any asbestos is located and what state it is so that the necessary steps can be taken to keep people safe and make sure they are acting within the law.

Why choose Acorn as your asbestos experts?

Our highly trained award-winning team of asbestos experts has decades of experience in our field.

We are wholly independent so you can be confident that the advice we give you is always in your best interests and thanks to the fact we have our own testing laboratories we can offer high quality testing with quick turnaround times.

As a result, we are the first choice for a wide variety of organisations across the UK that want to manage their asbestos safely – including councils, schools and businesses of all sizes.

Acorn is a professional asbestos consultancy helping organisations deal with asbestos compliance using asbestos surveys, asbestos air testing, and asbestos removal management. Please call one of the team, or use the online form to obtain your free quotation. If you would like further information or advice on asbestos and asbestos training, contact the team on 0844 818 0895 or Contact Us