This is something we see every day. Despite longstanding legislation that is not difficult to comply with (by simply appointing a competent specialist or Health and Safety professional who will advise you on your legal obligations). But there are still many companies and many Duty Holders who are not aware of their responsibilities.
Many people believe that asbestos deaths must be a thing of the past, when working conditions were worse than they are now and less was known. Whilst there is some truth in the fact that legislation protects us from asbestos exposure, that does not mean that the problem has gone away.
Recently, we were contacted by a homebuyer who requested us to carry out sampling and testing of some Artex within a home that they were close to completing on. Of course, we were happy to oblige. But, what do you know about the risk of asbestos in the rest of the house? we wondered.
Up until the 1960s lead was a common ingredient in paint and it continued in some applications until the 1980s. It was used in obvious places like doors, door frames, windows, bannisters, and skirting boards, but also in less obvious places like loft ladders.
We would summarise our year as: Repeat work, new client industries, and referrals from happy clients.
Do you own a commercial building? Do you operate a building as a facilities manager, or contractor, or franchisee? How much do you know about your personal responsibility as a Duty Holder for asbestos under the law?
Asbestos has been around a long time. Its dangers have been known for many decades. Anyone who works in construction or manages buildings must surely have an awareness of the various forms in which asbestos comes. Or, so we would think.
On a fairly regular basis, we are in conversations with building owners and tradespeople uncertain about the asbestos status of a job that is already underway. In some cases, these have concerning potential consequences. In many cases, they involve breaches of longstanding legal obligations.
Water systems are often more complex than people realise. This is especially true with old buildings and those that occupy large sites. But what effect does the design of a water system have on the Legionella risk? Quite a significant one, in our experience.
We are proud to have recently completed a major programme of works across a complex heritage estate that delivered safety improvements for staff, visitors, and tenants.