Demand for national asbestos database as cancer deaths surge

Unfortunately there will always be unscrupulous operators in every line of work, particularly where H&S is concerned. We all rely on the advice of professionals in these matters ad having reviewed an number of surveys and management plans they vary greatly in content and quality, I would agree that scaremongering and profiteering is still prevalent in this quarter, more I would suggest with the contractors than the surveyors(?)
It would appear that there are still people out there who class artex and its allies as an asbestos coating, even though it is no longer regarded as such.
Something to be wary of with textured coatings, although I agree they are low risk and are best left in situ or encapsulated by skimming over them, is that the distribution of chrysotile can be very sporadic, sometimes samples return a negative result, other times it can be as high at 20%, with it being a site batched material this something that should be borne in mind when you're likely to disturb them.
Your point of there being no cases of mesothelioma attributable to these coverings may be true post application, but I'd wager that it's still a ticking time bomb for all those plasterers out there who spent years mixing the stuff up on site.

Well Ken,
We have had an asbestos survey and had artex confirmed containing asbestos-about 0.1%- but this Company has lied to us over providing an estimate to do the work and now I'm checking their findings. Artex is not dangerous; there have been no recorded cases of mesothelioma from artex -which is amazing considering its extensive manufacture and use in the 50's and 60's. I do not doubt the need to identify and manage asbestos but this does not include artex. What you seem to want is the HSE to keep you in work managing artex. Artex, Marley floor tiles, black toilet seats, cysterns, old electrical boxes are all band D-vrvery low risk (as you well know) and do not need removing. Of course we have to keep records but a number of your P402 colleagues are using it as an excuse to charge exorbitant amounts of money to remove substances that do not need removing. We were told by the local council and a P402 surveyor that we had to remove it at enormous expense. No one ever mentioned that it could be covered and left alone. You want to know what the problem is? We don't trust you!!! If you want more information; I suggest you visit the Asbestos Watchdog site.

Kenneth,

you are not alone in this sentiment, we work as project planners and CDM Co-ordinators and have encountered numerous clients who operate large institutional and public buildings and who have absolutely no management plan in place. and on the face of it, have no intention to do so.

It is only when we request a type 3 as part of our pre-construction information that any assessments are made, and they are only ever on the areas affected by the works.

We too have experienced an apparent lack of appreciation of the real world from the HSE with regard to the CDM Regs, nobody is policing that either, and we estimate that 70-80% of construction projects are run with little or no regard to the requirements. It seems that in the eyes of the executive posting information on the internet is sufficient effort to promote the law, perhaps not appreciating that if you don't go looking, you won't find.......

Having worked on a project in Ireland recently, their equivalent Regs promote the powers of the appointed supervisor to the point of being able to warn the contractor or other parties of non-compliance and have a formal reporting system to the HSA in the event of a refusal to comply, a bit big brother perhaps, but there are far more industry professionals out there at the coal face than there are HSE field officers.

It is time that the HSE took a more realistic approach to all these matters, it seems to me that too much effort is spent adding more information to an already labyrinthine website, and misguided promotional campaigns; the recent asbestos promotion to tradesmen is a case in point, managed properly, that electrician or plumber should never be exposed, telling them about the risks isn't going to get the property owner to get their shop in order is it?

A bit like cough medicine; the HSE are trying to treat the symptom and not the cause.......

With so many Buildings both in the public and private sectors still not inspected why are most of the P402 surveyors scratching for work?
HSE needs to empower P402 surveyors to help Police the situation?
I for one would be happy to put on a suit and visit companies, landlords etc and ask to see there building register.
I recently gave a speach at a Landlords federation meeting in Southampton, to say they were unaware of there duty to manage was an understatement. One landlord alone stood and told me that although he rented out 500 plus houses he did not have any registers but had convinced himself that he did not have any Asbestos products anywhere in his properties so according to him not an expert he has no Artex, Marley floor tiles, Black toilet seats or cystems, no old electrical boxes,no asbestos soffits or facias no dodgy pipe lagging to name but a few possibles? Nobody from HSE ever has spoken to any of these people who simply do not want to pay money to protect their tenants.
The only way this problem can be resolved is use the P402 surveyors and thats what Corgi did with there gas fitters!!!!
If l am wrong then tell me why because despite me talking to the HSE their response has been its political and we cant authorise it WELL WHO CAN!!!!!
For god sake somebody wake up and smell the coffee the HSE simply cannot Police this problem they do not have enough manpower and as we are all licensed by the BOHS and other official organisations l cant see the problem?

Ken Jenkins P402 surveyor