The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations
2002 (CAWR) came into effect on 21 May 2004 in the UK. It means
that owners, employers and managers of non-domestic properties
(including managed residential properties) are legally
required to assess and, if relevant, have in place a managed
asbestos survey – whether work is required or not.
Failure to comply with the new legislation could leave
you liable to prosecution. Consequences could be:
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Closure of part or all
of your business. |
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Fines of up to £20,000 for individuals
or unlimited fines for companies. |
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Up to two years in prison. |
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Disqualification of directors. |
More
specifically, the CAWR introduced Regulation 4, the new EXPLICIT
duty to
manage asbestos in premises. The regulations’ basic
requirements mean that anyone responsible for business
premises must:
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Locate asbestos-containing
materials and determine their condition. |
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Presume materials contain asbestos
unless there is strong evidence to the contrary. |
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Create a written record of the location
and condition of asbestos. |
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Assess the risk from the materials. |
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Plan how to manage asbestos in the
future and review and monitor this plan regularly. |
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Ensure that anyone who needs to know
where asbestos is, e.g. individuals carrying out building
work, is given accurate information. |
The
primary aim of the legislation is to protect employees
and save lives. Thanks to the new regulations, contracted
site workers will be given accurate knowledge of the materials
they are working with before they begin. This will eliminate
the risk of accidental or uncontrolled damage to asbestos
containing materials and exposure of workers to potentially
harmful fibres.
The importance of asbestos management will greatly affect
non-domestic property owners and employers. However, if
properly controlled and maintained, there is no reason
why asbestos containing materials cannot remain in use
for many years.
For more information on the latest asbestos legislation or to receive a free no-obligation quote, please contact us on 01422 370588 or complete our online enquiry form.
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