Asbestos - The licensed contractors' guide

Asbestos: The licensed contractors’ guide Health and Safety Executive This is a free-to-download, web-friendly version of HSG247 Asbestos: The licensed (First edition, published 2006). This version has been adapted for online use contractors’ guide from HSE’s current printed version.

You can buy the book at www.hsebooks.co.uk and most good bookshops.

ISBN 978 0 7176 2874 2 Price £14.50

This book replaces most earlier HSE guidance on licensed asbestos removal work. It is aimed at businesses holding a licence to work with asbestos, either repairing or removing asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), supervising such work, holding an ancillary licence or providing training on asbestos. Employers who carry out work with asbestos insulation, asbestos coating, and asbestos insulating board using their own employees on their own premises, who are exempted from the requirement to hold a licence, also need this guidance. It will also be useful to people awarding contracts for such work or who have other asbestos management duties.

The guidance is split into eight chapters, covering different aspects of licensed work with ACMs. It provides an overview of asbestos and its health effects, the law and how to work safely with asbestos.

HSE Books Page 1 of 181

© Crown copyright 2006

First published 2006 Reprinted 2012

ISBN 978 0 7176 2874 2

You may reuse this information (excluding logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view the licence visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk.

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This guidance is issued by the Health and Safety Executive. Following the guidance is not compulsory and you are free to take other action. But if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law. Health and safety inspectors seek to secure compliance with the law and may refer to this guidance as illustrating good practice.

Contents List of abbreviations 4

Working with ACMS: Guidance map 5

Chapter 1 An introduction to working with asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) 7

Chapter 2 Licences for work with ACMs 28

Chapter 3 Risk assessments, plans of work and notifications for work with ACMs 38

Chapter 4 Training for employees, supervisors and others working with ACMs 54

Chapter 5 PPE for work with ACMs 75

Chapter 6 Enclosures for work with ACMs 87

Chapter 7 Controlled techniques for the removal and repair of ACMs, including waste disposal 111

Chapter 8 Decontamination 156

References and further information 178

Asbestos: The licensed contractors’ guide Page 3 of 181

List of abbreviations ACAD Asbestos Control and Abatement Division (see Appendix 1.1) ACOP Approved Code of Practice ACM Asbestos-containing material AIB Asbestos insulating board ALG Asbestos liaison group ALH Ancillary license holder ALPI Asbestos Licensing Principal Inspector ALU Asbestos Licensing Unit ARCA Asbestos Removal Contractors Association (see Appendix 1.1) ATAC Asbestos Testing and Consulting (see Appendix 1.1) ASLIC Asbestos Licensing Regulations 1983 BA Breathing apparatus BOHS British Occupational Hygiene Society (see Appendix 1.1) CABA Compressed airline breathing apparatus CAWR Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 CDG Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Receptacles Regulations 2004 CDM Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 COSHH Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended) CSCS Construction Skills Certification scheme DCU Decontamination unit (also called ‘Hygiene facilities’ and ‘Hygiene unit’) DOP Dioctyl phthalate (test) EA Environment Agency EMAS Employment Medical Advisory Service HSE Health and Safety Executive HSWA The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers LARC Licensed asbestos removal contractor LEV Local exhaust ventilation LPG Liquid petroleum gas MCG Main Contractors Group NPU Negative pressure unit NVQ National Vocational Qualification PAS Publicly Available Specification PF Protection factor POW Plan of work PPE Personal protective equipment PVA Polyvinyl acetate PVC Polyvinyl chloride RA Risk assessment RCD Residual current device RPE Respiratory protective equipment SCBA Self-contained breathing apparatus SEPA Scottish Environment Protection Agency SLH Supervisory license holder TNA Training needs analysis TWA Time weighted average UKAS United Kingdom Accreditation Service

Working with ACMS: Guidance map This ‘Guidance map’ provides a quick reference guide to specific topics and key issues in this guide. The items are identified by paragraph numbers.

Planning for asbestos removal work

Topic Key issues Reference Licence to work When is a licence required? Paras 2.2-2.4 with asbestos Types of licences Paras 2.7-2.10 How to obtain a licence Paras 2.11-2.19 Enforcement Paras 2.20-2.23 Asbestos Hiring of employees Paras 2.25-2.34 removal workers Consultation with employees Paras 1.8-1.11 Training Paras 4.1-4.41 and Appendices 4.1-4.4 Medical surveillance Paras 1.47-1.57 Personal exposure monitoring Paras 1.24-1.31 Respiratory protective Selection Paras 5.7-5.13 equipment Fit testing Paras 5.14-5.20 Care and maintenance Paras 5.21-5.24 Coveralls Selection and use Paras 5.30-5.36 Laundering Paras 8.43-8.46 Planning for Risk assessments Paras 3.4-3.15 asbestos work Plan of work Paras 3.16-3.31 Notifications/waivers Paras 3.32-3.44 Site preparation Paras 6.27-6.29 Paperwork required on site Para 3.45 Standard of equipment Box 7.1 Enclosures Enclosures: When required Paras 6.5-6.10 Construction Paras 6.30-6.40 Design Paras 6.13-6.26 Site preparation and pre-clean Paras 6.27-6.29 Negative pressure units Paras 6.41-6.47 Testing and monitoring Paras 6.48-6.59 Smoke tests Paras 6.50-6.52 Viewing panels Para 6.23 Air monitoring Para 6.56 Dismantling and disposal Paras 6.60-6.67 Emergency procedures Paras 6.68-6.70 Asbestos Pre-cleaning Paras 6.27-6.28 removal/repair Stripping techniques Paras 7.6-7.67 Cleaning and waste disposal Paras 7.87-7.101 Four-stage clearance Paras 7.102-7.146

Decontamination Types of decontamination unit Paras 8.22-8.27 Design criteria for decontamination units Appendix 8.1 Procedures Paras 8.4-8.21 and Figures 8.8-8.12 Decontamination unit services Para 8.28-8.36 Maintenance and cleaning Paras 8.37-8.42 Showering and laundering Paras 8.43-8.47 Clearance of decontamination unit Paras 7.146-7.148

Chapter 1: An introduction to working with asbestos- containing materials (ACMs)

Summary

n Asbestos exposure causes severe and fatal diseases. n Only work on asbestos if absolutely necessary. n Asbestos work should be strictly controlled and comply with the legislation. n Poorly controlled work will produce very high fibre levels. n Asbestos medical examinations are required when exposure exceeds the action level for asbestos fibres. n

Contents

Introduction 9 About this guidance 9 Who is the guidance for? 10 How to use this guidance 10 Consulting employees 10

Health effects and exposure 11 What are asbestos diseases? 11 Working practices and exposure 13 Air monitoring 14

Legal requirements 16 The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 16 The Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 (as amended) 18

Management of asbestos 18 Is asbestos removal necessary? 18

Medical examination of asbestos removal workers under CAWR 2002 19 Status of the medical examination and certificate of examination 19 Risk assessment of the work conditions 19 When is a medical required? 20 How often is the medical examination carried out? 20 The purpose of the examination 20 Who carries out the medical examination? 20 The content of the medical examination 21 Certificate of examination 21

Appendix 1.1 Materials identified as containing asbestos 22

Appendix 1.2 Sprayed asbestos coatings and pipe and vessel insulation in poor condition 23

Appendix 1.3 AIB and insulating blocks in poor condition 24

Appendix 1.4 Other asbestos materials in poor condition 25

Appendix 1.5 Further information 26

Introduction

About this guidance 1.1 This guidance publication covers work with asbestos, which requires a licence under the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 (as amended).1 HSE guidance on non-licensed asbestos work is contained in other publications, Asbestos essentials task manual: Task guidance sheets for the building maintenance and allied trades2 and Working with asbestos cement.3 This licensed contractors’ guidance is split into eight chapters, covering in detail, different aspects of licensed work with asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). These chapters are:

Chapter 1: An introduction to working with ACMs (this chapter)

Chapter 2: Licences for work with ACMs

Chapter 3: Risk assessments, plans of work and notifications for work with ACMs

Chapter 4: Training for employees, supervisors and others working with ACMs

Chapter 5: PPE for work with ACMs

Chapter 6: Enclosures for work with ACMs

Chapter 7: Controlled techniques for the removal and repair of ACMs, including waste disposal

Chapter 8: Decontamination

Box 1.1 Key facts about asbestos

■■ Asbestos-related diseases kill more people than any other single work-related illness. ■■ Asbestos-related diseases can take 15-60 years to develop and there is no cure. ■■ Asbestos-related diseases are currently responsible for more than 4000 deaths a year in the UK and the number is still increasing. ■■ ACMs in good condition and left undisturbed cannot cause ill health. ■■ The greater the disturbance of ACMs (see Figure 1.1) and the longer the duration, the greater the risk to health. ■■ Effective control of exposure can only be achieved if techniques that minimise fibre generation have been used, in particular wet stripping. ■■ Power-assisted respirators provide insufficient protection when removal is uncontrolled, eg during dry stripping.

1.2 This introduction covers the general principles of asbestos and its licensed removal. It provides an overview of asbestos and its health effects, the law and how to work safely with asbestos.

1.3 This guidance replaces and consolidates into one document, most HSE guidance on licensed asbestos removal work. The publications replaced by this document are:

n Controlled asbestos stripping techniques for work requiring a licence (HSG189/1) n Selection of suitable respiratory protective equipment for work with asbestos (INDG288(rev1))

n The provision, use and maintenance of hygiene facilities for work with asbestos insulation, asbestos coating and asbestos insulating board (EH47 (Third edition)) n Training operatives and supervisors for work with asbestos insulation, asbestos coating and asbestos insulating board (EH50) n Enclosures provided for work with asbestos insulation, coatings and insulating board (EH51)

Who is the guidance for? 1.4 Any business holding a licence to work with asbestos, eg either repairing or removing ACMs, supervising such work, carrying out ancillary activities, supplying labour or who provide training on asbestos must read this guidance. It is also essential for employers carrying out work with asbestos insulation, asbestos coating, and asbestos insulating board (AIB) using their own employees on their own premises, who are exempted from the requirement to hold a licence (see paragraph 2.4). It may also be beneficial to those who award contracts for such work or have other asbestos management duties.

How to use this guidance 1.5 This guidance should be used as a reference, covering all aspects of Figure 1.1 Asbestos fibres licensed work with ACMs. Each of the chapters covers a broad topic area, being released from lagging eg training, and has its own contents list. You can go direct to the chapter you need and use the contents list to navigate that chapter. Where appendices are used for a particular topic, these are kept within the relevant chapter.

1.6 This introductory chapter also contains an overview of the complete process, from licence application through to waste disposal. This overview provides references for all topics, allowing you to navigate easily to specific topics, eg the four-stage clearance procedure. This overview also acts as a quick reference, showing key issues at a glance.

1.7 If you still need help after reading this guidance, Appendix 1.5 contains details of organisations that may be able to provide further advice and expertise.

Consulting employees 1.8 Proper consultation with those who do the work is crucial to help raise awareness of the importance of health and safety. It can make a significant contribution to creating and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment and an effective health and safety culture. In turn this can benefit the business by making it more efficient by reducing the number of accidents and the incidents of work-related ill health.

Involving operatives in decision-making can improve the quality of the job and reduce exposures

1.9 It is important that employees and employee or safety representatives are involved in the assessment and planning process. Employees will provide more accurate information on the actual work methods used and on the feasibility of new proposals. For example, if proposed work methods are difficult or cumbersome, employees may take short cuts that lead to a deterioration in control. Setting unrealistic timescales for contracts may also result in workers taking less care when working with asbestos. Employees generally have greater acceptance of work methods if they have been part of the decision-making process.

1.10 It is particularly important that the wearers of respiratory protective equipment (RPE) are involved in the selection process and, where practicable, are

provided with a choice of suitable equipment. This helps to ensure it is suited to them and increases the chances that they will accept the RPE and wear it correctly.

1.11 Safety representatives, where appointed by recognised trade unions under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977,4 must be consulted. Safety representatives can play a crucial role in health and safety in the workplace. They can bring ideas and experiences from outside the employer’s organisation (eg as a result of trade union training). They also form a link between the workers and management. The presence of safety representatives in the workplace has been shown to cut the major accident rate by more than 50%. Other employees not covered by such representatives must be consulted, either directly or indirectly via elected representatives of employee safety, according to the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996.5 This will allow employees or their representatives to help develop suitable and adequate control measures. More information on employers’ duties under these regulations is contained in the free HSE leaflet Consulting employees on health and safety: A guide to the law.6

Health effects and exposure

What are asbestos diseases? 1.12 Breathing in asbestos fibres can lead to asbestos-related diseases, which kill more people than any other single work-related illness. The diseases can take many years to develop - so you and your employees will not be immediately aware of a change in someone’s health after breathing in asbestos.

1.13 Asbestos can cause two main types of damage in humans: cancer, eg mesothelioma or lung cancer; and fibrous thickening of the lung, asbestosis. Other diseases, such as pleural plaques, are less serious as they are not disabling. Mesothelioma and lung cancer are severely disabling and most result in death. Severe asbestosis can contribute to death. Figure 1.2 shows normal healthy lung tissues. Figures 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5 show lung tissue from lungs of workers overexposed to asbestos. These conditions, which are described below, can be prevented by good working practices as outlined in this guidance.

Figure 1.2 Normal lung Figure 1.3 Heavy exposure Figure 1.4 Lung cancer Figure 1.5 Mesothelioma to asbestos due to asbestos exposure

Asbestos-related diseases kill more people than any other single work-related illness

There is no cure for asbestos-related diseases

What is asbestosis? 1.14 Asbestosis is a scarring of the lung tissue which restricts breathing, leading to decreased lung volume and increased resistance in the airways. It is a slowly progressive disease with a latency period dependent on the magnitude of exposure.

What is mesothelioma? 1.15 Mesothelioma is a cancer of the cells that make up the lining around the outside of the lungs and inside of the ribs (pleura), or around the abdominal organs (peritoneum). By the time it is diagnosed, it is almost always fatal. Similar to other asbestos-related diseases, mesothelioma usually has a long latency period averaging 30-40 years. However there are cases where the latency period has been much shorter (around 15 years). There is no known safe threshold of exposure, therefore as the frequency, duration and level of exposure increases, so does the risk of developing mesothelioma.

What is lung cancer? 1.16 Lung cancer is a malignant tumour of the lungs’ air passages. The tumour grows through surrounding tissue, invading and often obstructing air passages. The time between exposure to asbestos and the occurrence of lung cancer is on average 20-30 years. There is a synergistic effect between smoking and asbestos exposure. If you smoke and are exposed to asbestos, your risk of developing lung cancer is greatly increased.

Exposure to asbestos and smoking multiplies the risk of developing lung cancer

What are the symptoms? 1.17 Each of these asbestos-related diseases can only be diagnosed through medical examinations and tests. Exposure to asbestos does not mean that these diseases will develop. However, the greater the exposure, the greater the risk of contracting them.

1.18 The symptoms of asbestos-related diseases will usually not become apparent for several decades after exposure. They may include:

n shortness of breath; n a cough or a change in cough pattern; n blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up from the lungs; n pain in the chest or abdomen; n difficulty in swallowing or prolonged hoarseness; and/or n significant weight loss.

Figure 1.6 Controlled 1.19 Once the asbestos-related disease has been diagnosed, the individual is removal of asbestos left with the prospect of a debilitating impact on their health or eventual death. Therefore exposures should always be prevented or minimised to the lowest level reasonably practicable to reduce the risk of ill health later in life.

Reduce exposures now to prevent ill health in the future

Figure 1.7 Uncontrolled Asbestos should only be worked on if absolutely necessary removal of asbestos Uncontrolled removal of asbestos costs lives

Using controlled methods of removal saves lives

Working practices and exposure 1.20 There are three main types of asbestos which have been commonly used:

n crocidolite (‘blue’); n amosite (‘brown’); n chrysotile (‘white’).

1.21 All types of asbestos are dangerous but crocidolite and amosite asbestos are known to be more hazardous than chrysotile. The asbestos types are often referred to by their colour. But, it is very difficult to identify them by colour. Colour and appearance can be affected in many ways, including by heat and chemicals, mixing with other substances and through painting or coating.

1.22 Although asbestos is a hazardous material, it can only pose a risk to health if the asbestos fibres become airborne and are then inhaled. ACMs only release fibres into the air when they are disturbed. Also, the greater the disturbance