It’s not just threat
Two companies have had to have to pay more than £100,000 for negligence in preventing the accidental removal of asbestos-containing tiles during a school refurbishment before the pandemic, where a failure to communicate in regard to the asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), as well as an absence of barriers or warning signs around the area, was highlighted to the HSE (Health and Safety Executive).
In other cases, suspended sentences on top of fines have been dished out to those breaching the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 where significant amounts of ACMs have been identified across sites and with fibre release into the air.
When considering saving costs, you can find yourself at a higher risk when it comes to uncovering asbestos within the home or building renovations. Whilst many may plead ignorance towards the knowledge of where asbestos can be contained within a property, the frequency and regularity of prosecutions for failure to abide by the regulations in place to protect against asbestos should provide enough drive for those responsible to not cut the corners on this area and seek professional asbestos removal Manchester.
Serious risks
As much as asbestos has been banned from use for over twenty years, an estimated one in four construction workers have been exposed to asbestos fibres and suffered from declining health as a result. Among those affected are people who were unclear about how to handle ACMs, which highlights a bigger problem in lack of education regarding the material.
Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, asbestos waste requires correct packaging, labelling and transportation to ensure no fibres can be released during its removal and disposal.
How asbestos is handled
For the majority of asbestos waste, double-bagging in labelled polythene bags containing hazardous waste is the standard method of transport which prevents breathable asbestos fibre from escaping during transport from the building to the registered waste site.
Large ACMs such as asbestos cement and textured coatings on sheeting should never be broken down for disposal, they should be removed in large manageable pieces. This waste should be double wrapped in polythene sheeting or another suitable material and correctly labelled for safety. Asbestos removal Manchester waste should be removed only by an authorised asbestos removal company following the regulations set by the Hazardous Waste Regulations in England and Wales.
Therefore, it is not acceptable to cut down costs by undertaking the removal of asbestos by yourself or with the help of an unprofessional and unqualified third party, which will leave you open to the fines and potential prison sentence that may occur.
For asbestos removal South Manchester and an asbestos survey Manchester, contact the team at Grosvenor Asbestos Solutions today.
