Asbestos is an extremely dangerous material. It has been widely banned from in construction since 1999 – although many UK properties still house various asbestos-containing materials within the original construction when built before that ban. Anyone working with or near asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), such as construction workers, maintenance personnel and demolition experts have to have asbestos training to work safely around the material. It is not as simple as putting on a mask and a pair of gloves when doing renovation work.
Lets explore why asbestos training is essential for anyone working with the material.
Understanding Exposure
Asbestos exposure can cause various respiratory illnesses, including mesothelioma and lung cancer. These illnesses can take many years to develop and significantly impact a person’s health and quality of life.
With asbestos training, employers can ensure that their workers fully understand the risks of asbestos exposure and how to reduce their own risk of exposure – and that of everyone around them.
Identification of Materials
The most critical aspect of asbestos training is that the individual knows how to identify ACMs. With so many products that contain various traces of different asbestos in construction, it can be completely unrecognisable to the untrained eye.
Experts trained in how to identify these materials can take appropriate precautions to minimise exposure risk and can employ asbestos testing and sampling for an accredited laboratory to ascertain the levels of danger present before any asbestos removal Stockport is completed.
Safe Work Practice
Asbestos training also covers safe work practices for dealing with ACMs. That includes appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), such as respirators and disposable coveralls – as well as specialised tools and techniques that minimize the amount of asbestos fibres into the breathable air.
Workers with full training in asbestos can work with ACMs without putting anyone else at risk of exposure, providing a safe working atmosphere.
Compliance with the Law
With asbestos training, employers can ensure that their workforce is safe and can work within regulatory compliance. Failure to comply with government regulations around asbestos can result in heavy fines and legal liabilities.
Asbestos training is essential for anyone who works around ACMs, as they are required to understand the risks, identify any materials and ensure that safe work practices are being held.
At Grosvenor Asbestos Solutions, we are fully trained and competent in asbestos compliance and removal. We work with both residential and commercial property owners to ensure that any refurbishment or demolition work can be performed with asbestos risk and exposure eliminated from the process.
Contact our professional, fully trained asbestos removal services team today before conducting any work on your property.
