A waste and recycling company has been fined for not providing asbestos awareness training.
The company was fined £36,000 after repeatedly failing to provide appropriate welfare facilities and asbestos awareness training for employees.
HSE's investigation found that the company had received previous enforcement on several occasions over an 11–year period.
If you are a building owner, landlord or work in building and allied trades, check what training is needed to be compliant with the law.
Every employer must make sure that anyone who is liable to disturb asbestos during their normal work (including supervisors) get the correct level of training so that they can work safely without risk to themselves or others.
Types of training:
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Asbestos awareness training: provides information workers need to avoid disturbing asbestos during their normal work, not to actually work with asbestos
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Non-licensable work: for workers undertaking lower risk work on asbestos that does not require a licence
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Licensable work: most work with higher-risk asbestos-containing materials must be carried out by licensed contractors with specialist training
HSE’s Asbestos essentials task sheets tell employers, managers and sole traders in building, maintenance and allied trades what to do when they need to work on or near asbestos-containing materials.
The ‘Introduction to Asbestos essentials’ (A0) task sheet will help you to decide what category of asbestos work it is and how to plan the work safely.
Dutyholders responsible for an asbestos management plan, or those who have specific responsibilities such as supervising and controlling maintenance or building work, may also need training on the duty to manage asbestos in buildings.
Some form of refresher should be given to workers to ensure knowledge is maintained.
It could be as e-learning or as part of other health and safety updates rather than through a formal training course.
For example, an employer, manager or supervisor who has attended an awareness course, and who is competent to do so, could deliver an update or safety talk to employees in-house.
Find out more about:
You can also see our free Asbestos – Your Duty campaign resources to:
- watch our webinar on demand (1 hour 30 mins)
- listen to our podcast (45 mins)
- play the video on preparing for an inspection (3 mins)
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