Joint seminar on Managing Asbestos Risk on Site and in the Workplace

Some fifty property, construction and insurance professionals met at the Gallagher Stadium, Maidstone earlier this year to hear from Jane Adamson, Founder and Managing Director of Adamson’s Laboratory Services (ALS Envex) and Steve Dempsey of DMC Group Enabling Works Specialists and licenced asbestos removal contractors. Andrew Clarke health & safety law specialist at Gullands provided a legal overview and commentary on sentencing principles in asbestos prosecutions.  

The seminar focused on managing asbestos risk on site and in the workplace, covering a number of subjects including:

• Responsibility of the dutyholder in non-domestic premises
• The employer’s duties under the 2012 Regulations
• Providing adequate asbestos survey information
• Management of ACMs on your premises
• Distinguishing management and refurbishment/demolition surveys
• Managing asbestos removal on site

Guests were reminded of the requirement to keep documents under the 2012 Regulations up to date and review immediately where there has been a change in the premises or reason to suspect they are no longer valid.

Andrew Clarke comments: “When the duty to manage came into force 2004 there was estimated to be six million tonnes of asbestos contained in some 500,000 non domestic premises. With this level of asbestos still present in the built environment, asbestos risk management will be important for many years to come. Apart from fines and costs there is the cost of civil claims to bear in mind. We looked at how dramatic these could be if there is a contamination incident or an unplanned release of fibres.

If your business is affected by an asbestos legal issue call us for a free initial discussion. Andrew Clarke can be reached at a.clarke@gullands.com