What's new at HSE » Asbestos

Hidden killer message taken to key trade show

HSE — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:27 +0000

The dangers of asbestos will be amongst the workplace hazards and health issues under the spotlight at the National Painting and Decoration Show in Coventry next week (11-12 November).

HSE is hosting a stand at the Ricoh Arena event to promote its month-long ‘Asbestos: The hidden killer’ campaign, which urges tradesmen to protect themselves from breathing in the deadly fibres which they may disturb through renovation projects.

View press release ‘Hidden killer message taken to key trade show’

Managing asbestos in social housing event

HSE — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:09 +0000

23 November 2009 in London - arranged to provide guidance to social landlords including local authorities, housing associations and social housing management companies who may commission asbestos removal work.

View full details of managing asbestos in social housing event

Hidden killer warning for tradesmen in Scotland

HSE — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:02:47 +0000

Tradesmen across Scotland are the target of a new national campaign warning them to beware of a hidden killer - asbestos. A total of 2617 of Scottish men died from mesothelioma, a cancer caused by breathing in the deadly fibres.

View press release ‘Hidden killer warning for tradesmen in Scotland’

Britain’s biggest workplace killer - death toll tops 35,000

HSE — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:57:13 +0000

A new generation of workers are at risk unless building trades get to grips with Britain’s biggest workplace killer - asbestos, safety campaigners warned today.

View press release ‘Warning on Britain’s biggest workplace killer as death toll tops 35,000′

27th meeting of the Asbestos Liaison Group - 3 November 2009

HSE — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:55:44 +0000

The agenda has been published for the 27th meeting of the Asbestos Liaison Group, 3 November 2009

The meeting will be held at National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC) Resurgam House, Paradise, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, HP2 4TF

View agenda for the 27th meeting of the Asbestos Liaison Group

Podcast - Asbestos: The Hidden Killer

HSE — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:00:11 +0000

In the October podcast, HSE’s Steve Coldrick talks about the Asbestos - the Hidden Killer campaign.
Latest news: Sugar giant Tate and Lyle fined more than a quarter of a million pounds, A sixteen year old schoolgirl lost 6 fingers and both her thumbs at school. Landlords are being reminded of their gas safety responsibilities to tenants after a landlord was jailed for 16 months.

Listen to October 2009 Podcast - Asbestos: The Hidden Killer

Construction Infonet - October 2009

HSE — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:30:19 +0000

Construction Infonet is a free e-Bulletin from HSE to provide a regular update on health and safety issues for all in the construction industry. In this issue; Asbestos Hidden Killer Campaign, information for migrant workers, Gas Safe Register…

View the October issue of Construction Infonet

Companies fined after workers exposed to asbestos

HSE — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:30:05 +0000

Two businesses and a company director have been fined after workers in Manchester were exposed to potentially deadly asbestos fibres.

The prosecution by HSE comes just days before the launch of a national £1.2 million campaign to increase awareness about asbestos among tradespeople.

View press release companies fined after workers exposed to asbestos

HSE Chief Executive responds to Christopher Booker’s comments in the Daily Telegraph

HSE — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:45:44 +0000

HSE Chief Executive Geoffrey Podger’s response to Christopher Booker’s comments in The Daily Telegraph“Christopher Booker is closer to agreeing with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) about asbestos than your readers - or he - might realise…”

View full response to ‘Christopher Booker is closer to agreeing with the HSE about asbestos’…

Signage on Decontamination Unit Doors

HSE — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:00:37 +0000

Draft paper prepared by ARCA for consideration and discussion at ALG Meeting, 3 November 2009. A Decontamination Unit (DCU) used for asbestos removal works is a potentially contaminated facility, acknowledged by the requirement for it to be air tested prior to removal from a site where it has been used in the decontamination process. Despite strict decontamination procedures, there may be a residual risk such that employees and others need to be warned.

View ‘Signage on Decontamination Unit Doors’ draft paper

Asbestos

HSE — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:30:26 +0000

Coming soon - Hidden Killer campaign launches 2 November 2009.

Campaign starts soon - find out more

Two Enfield firms fined after unlicenced asbestos removal

HSE — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:59:56 +0000

Two companies have been prosecuted after workers and members of the public were exposed to unacceptable levels of asbestos during a removal project.

View press release

Coming soon: Asbestos - Hidden Killer campaign

HSE — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:40:42 +0000

Starts 2 November 2009 - helping tradesmen and maintenance workers know when they might be working with asbestos.

Coming soon: Asbestos: Hidden Killer campaign

Safety regulator disappointed by ‘killer’ advert ruling

HSE — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:47:45 +0000

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today expressed its deep disappointment at a decision by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to uphold a complaint about its ‘Asbestos: The hidden killer’ awareness campaign.

The ASA has upheld one complaint from a single source challenging HSE on the numbers of workers it quoted as dying as a result of exposure to asbestos fibres.

Read Safety regulator disappointed by ‘killer’ advert ruling press release in full

RR730 - The Asbestos Survey

HSE — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:45:42 +0000

The Asbestos Survey was established to monitor the long-term health of workers covered by regulations to control occupational exposure to asbestos.

The aim of this report was to provide an updated analysis of mortality among asbestos workers, to investigate which causes of death were associated with exposure to asbestos, and to undertake a more detailed analysis of the stripping/removal workers.

RR730 - The Asbestos Survey

HSE warning after incident at road works leaves motorcyclist in intensive care

HSE — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:00:47 +0000

HSE has warned employers to maintain safe systems of working at road works, after a road traffic collision left a motorcyclist in intensive care.

Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Services Ltd of Ashwood Park, Basingstoke, were fined £15,000 and ordered to pay costs of £31,139.30, at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday 18 September after pleading guilty to a breach of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

Unlicensed asbestos removal will be penalised

HSE — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:23:29 +0000

HSE is warning the building trade that companies and contractors will face prosecution if they remove asbestos without a licence.

View asbestos removal press release

Asbestos warning after company prosecuted

HSE — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:27:34 +0000

HSE is warning employers of the need to manage asbestos at their premises after a Canadian company were prosecuted for potentially exposing employees and contractors to carcinogenic fibres at their Swansea plant.

View asbestos warning after company prosecuted press release

Fine for exposing staff and public to asbestos

HSE — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:23:27 +0000

HSE today warned property owners to ensure that they keep accurate records of asbestos in their buildings and pass any information on to contractors, following a serious asbestos exposure incident.

View asbestos press release

Managing my asbestos

HSE — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:30:24 +0000

A step by step guide to the duty to manage asbestos.

This systematic guide takes duty holders through the process of understanding their duties as defined in Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006.

A set of questions will enable you to identify whether you are a duty holder and take you through a series of steps to help you decide if there is asbestos present and if so, how to manage it.

View Managing my asbestos guide