What is the Duty to Manage Regulation 4 of CAR 2012?
The Duty to Manage Asbestos is a legal requirement under the control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (Regulation 4). It applies to the owners and occupiers of commercial property (non-domestic) who have a responsibility for maintenance and repair activities. In addition to these responsibilities, they also have a duty to assess the presence and condition of any Asbestos Containing Material (ACM). If asbestos is present or is presumed to be present, then it must be managed appropriately and the duty applies to the shared parts of the domestic premises
As a Duty Holder how do I comply?
There are four essential steps:
1. Find out whether the premises contains asbestos, and if so where it is located and what condition it is in. If in doubt, then the material must be presumed to contain Asbestos
2. Assess the risk from asbestos present in the premises
3. Make a plan to manage that risk and act upon it
4. Provide this information to those employees and contractors who could foreseeably disturb any asbestos present, in order that they can put in place appropriate controls while the work is being undertaken
What is an Asbestos Survey and do I need one?
An asbestos survey is an effective way to help you manage asbestos in your premises by providing accurate information on the location, extent, type and condition of any asbestos containing materials (ACM’s)
It is recommended that you arrange a survey if you suspect that ACM’s are present in your premises, however it is good practice to have an asbestos survey carried out so that you can be absolutely sure whether asbestos is present and any potential risk to health of your employees and contractors are reduced and you comply with CAR2012. Under the these regulations, any building constructed before 2000 will require an assessment for asbestos containing materials.
The Asbestos Survey can also help to provide you with enough information to permit the generation of an asbestos register, a risk assessment and a management plan can be prepared. The survey will usually involve sampling and analysis to determine the presence of asbestos, therefore asbestos surveys should only be carried out by competent surveyors who can clearly demonstrate that they have the necessary skills, experience and qualifications to carry out the task safely. APEC Environmental are UKAS Accredited ISO17025 with directly employed BOHS competent surveying teams that will identify the location of any asbestos containing materials and provide a comprehensive survey report with full recommendations describing any required remedial works.
What is an Asbestos Register?
The Asbestos Risk Register is a key component of the required plan on how you will manage any asbestos found, or presumed to be, in your building. This management plan must contain current information about the presence and condition of any ACM in the building and needs to be updated regularly when new areas are surveyed or asbestos is removed. The register should be maintained as a live document and should be made available at all times to workers entering the area, so that they are aware of the location of asbestos hazards
How long should you leave ACM Before re-inspection?
Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 require that the condition of any known asbestos containing materials must be regularly inspected with records updated accordingly. The frequency of the asbestos inspection regime must not exceed 12 months.
Do I need Asbestos Training?
Current Regulations places a legal duty on employers to provide information, instruction and training to any of their employees who are likely to be exposed to asbestos as part of their work and APEC Environmental can provide you with UKATA accredited Asbestos Awareness Training for your employees, contractors or building managers either at your site or at a regional venue.