Preventing Asbestosis in the Workplace

How Can The Development Of Asbestosis Be Prevented In The Workplace?

In addition to the employer’s legal responsibility, there is a range of methods that can minimise the development of asbestosis and other asbestos related illnesses.

Firstly it must be indentified as to whether asbestos is present, and if so, what condition it is in. It is the responsibility of any premises manager or business owner to know whether there is asbestos present in any premises they are in charge of. If they are unsure, it is imperative that they have an asbestos survey carried out by trained professionals, alternatively they must assume that there is asbestos present and act accordingly.

A risk assessment will give the opportunity to look into whether it is possible to carry out any necessary work avoiding the risk of asbestos exposure entirely. If that is not possible it should be identified who might be at risk of exposure, and the level of that risk. At this point it should be possible to decide what work methods are necessary to provide effective control of the risks.

Identifying whether or not the work needs to be carried out by a licensed contractor is usually fairly simple – most asbestos removal work will require a contractor holding a license from the Health and Safety Executive.

If the work that needs to be carried out does not need a license, it is referred to as NNLW; Notifiable Non-Licensed Work. This type of work still needs to be carried out under strict controls. Any area where NNLW takes place must be designated and clearly marked with suitable warning notices; only workers who are actually carrying out the work should be allowed in these areas and food and drink should never be consumed in these locations.

Medical surveillance is crucial to ensure any issues brought about by exposure to asbestos can be monitored and treated accordingly.

Records must be kept for any worker who deals with asbestos including the nature and duration of the work and the estimated exposure for each workers, along with records of dates of worker’s medical examinations.