Health and Safety - Asbestos Policy

Introduction

This policy sets out the aims and objectives of The Midcounties Co-operative Society (hereby referred to as “the Society”) to ensure that the risk from known or suspected Asbestos Containing Materials (“ACM”) within the Society owned or controlled buildings is adequately managed, so that as far as reasonably practicable, no one can come to any harm from asbestos.

The Society as employers have a general duty under The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all their Colleagues and Contractors.

Colleagues and Contractors have a duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work.

It is the responsibility of any person employed by the Society to comply with this Policy.

 

Scope

 The Society recognises its duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974 and the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and all associated Approved Codes of Practice and is committed to the effective management of asbestos.

The Society recognises its responsibilities to contractors and others involved in building and maintenance projects established through the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and its duties as the ‘Duty Holder’ of Society owned buildings as defined by Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.

Where the term ‘Colleagues’ and ‘regular building users’ has been used it should be taken to refer to all direct employees, agency staff, and long term contracted suppliers.

Where the term ‘contractors’ has been used in this policy document it should be taken to refer to all parties who undertake work for the Society on a short term, limited contract basis. This would include tradesmen brought in for a specific task or time period, but not those who have an on-going supply agreement with the Society.

 

Definitions

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 came into force on 6 April 2012, updating previous asbestos regulations to take account of the European Commission's view that the UK had not fully implemented the EU Directive on exposure to asbestos (Directive 2009/148/EC).

 Asbestos fibres are present in the environment in Great Britain, so people are exposed to very low levels of fibres. However, a key factor in the risk of developing an asbestos-related disease is the total number of fibres breathed in. Working on or near damaged asbestos-containing materials or breathing in high levels of asbestos fibres, which may be many hundreds of times that of environmental levels, can increase your chances of getting an asbestos-related disease.

 The control limit for asbestos is 0.1 asbestos fibres per cubic centimetre of air (0.1f/cm3). However, this is “a maximum permissible level” and exposure from work activity involving asbestos must be reduced to as far below the control limit as possible.

Policy Approach

The foundation to the Society’s approach to controlling asbestos is:

• Appoint appropriate persons to be responsible for the Policy implementation

• Identify and assess sources of risk

• Implement, manage and maintain measures to control the risk

• And keep records of the precautions implemented

 

Asbestos Management Plan (AMP)

Full details of how the Society controls asbestos in its Sites can be found in the Society’s Asbestos Management Plan (AMP)which serves to support this Policy.

 

Roles and Responsibilities

General

The Society’s Management has the overall responsibility for the implementation of this Policy and associated Management Plan to ensure safety within all the Society’s sites. In addition, management has a statutory duty to ensure that compliance with this Policy is continual and not notional.

The Society has identified responsible positions to implement and maintain this policy and AMP and this can be found in the Society’s AMP.

Assessing Sources of Risk     

The Society will ensure site surveys are undertaken to determine the presence of ACM, and a risk-based approach to ACM management is implemented and recorded.

Full details on the risk assessment process, remedial action approach and types of surveys used is outlined in the AMP.

 

ACM Management Surveys

Where a site’s ACM is considered safe to remain in situ, a periodic program of management surveys will be completed to ensure any deterioration and associated remedial works are identified.

New Assessments will be undertaken for all developmental/ refurbishment or demolition activities.

 

Asset Registers and Risk Assessment

The Society will develop and maintain an ACM asset register for all its sites, and this willinclude a risk scoring of the material and control mechanisms required

The register will include: the presence, type, condition and location of ACM. Locations of suspected ACM will also be included.

Site Managers and regular building users will have access to the site’s asbestos report and management surveys by accessing our 3rd party compliance portal.

 

Training and Competence

General

Any worker liable to disturb asbestos while performing their normal everyday work is required to be trained. The Society will ensure that adequate information, instruction and training is given to those Colleagues who are liable to be exposed to asbestos during the course of their work.

 Types of Asbestos Training

The Society has identified 2 types of asbestos training determined by role and activity.

• Awareness training – Colleagues and Society Maintenance Team only;

• Training for non – HSE license work and HSE asbestos licence work – Contractors only.

Full details of how the Society will review and maintain training and competency of those working with, or likely to be exposed to, Asbestos can be found in the Society’s AMP

 

ACM Exposure

General

In the event of a suspected ACM exposure on one its Sites, the Society will fully comply with the local Authority in their investigations.

In the event of a confirmed case of ACM exposure on a Society site, the Society’s Major Incident Plan will be implemented in relation to Asbestos.

Confirmed cases (e.g. a doctor notifies the Society as the employer) will be subject to RIDDOR reporting guidelines.

If relevant, the Society will provide appropriate precautionary health screening for Colleagues who may have come into contact with ACM during the course of their work.

Actions to take in the event of exposure or uncontrolled disturbance of suspected materials on site

Full details of the Society’s ACM Exposure and uncontrolled disturbance of suspected materials emergency plan can be found in the Society’s AMP

 

New and Refurbishment Works

General

In circumstances where a ‘site’ is under control of a Principal Contractor and ACM are discovered the procedures contained in the projects’ Health and Safety Plan should be followed, and the Project Manager and Primary Contract Owner informed as soon as practical.

Full details of the Society’s ACM Exposure and uncontrolled disturbance of suspected materials emergency plan can be found in the Society’s AMP

 

Verification and Measures (V&M)

To manage the effectiveness of this policy in controlling asbestos within the Society, a number of  Verification and Measures will be used.

Full details of the Asbestos Policy V&Ms can be found in the Society’s AMP

 

Policy Review Schedule

This Policy ( and the supporting AMP) will be reviewed annually or whenever there is reason to believe that it is no longer relevant.

 

Version Control

Asbestos Policy 2019v1 Draft 1	November 2019
Asbestos Policy 2021v2 Draft 2	July 2021
Asbestos Policy 2021 v3 Final	August 2021
Asbestos Policy 2022 v1 Final	June 2022
Asbestos Policy 2023 v1 Final	March 2023