Health & Safety: HSE Asbestos Inspections - What to Expect?

This session focused on: why the HSE is carrying out these inspections; what steps you can take to ensure you are ready for the inspectors; an overview of the documentation that will be required and how Judicium can directly assist you with proactive asbestos management.

Why is the HSE carrying out these inspections? 

Since 2015, the Department of Education has been compiling data on asbestos-containing materials in schools. The initial voluntary survey was sent out in 2016 with a response rate of 25% which raised a few eyebrows.

Following on to 2018/2019, the research has continued with a secondary data gathering survey with a response rate of 88% to give an improved picture of the location, condition and management of asbestos in school properties.

The DfE report clarified that 96% of responding schools were broadly managing asbestos in line with regulatory requirements - which is positive.

An interesting point derived from the report was a statement that whilst 17% of participating schools were ‘compliant with the CAR 2012, their practice is not in line with the DfE’s guidance.’

HSE will be carrying out a programme of inspections of primary and secondary schools in England, Scotland and Wales from September 2022 onwards.

The inspections will be assessing how schools are managing the risks from asbestos within the school estate and meeting the ‘duty to manage’ (DTM) requirements under Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR).

What steps can your school take to ensure you are ready for the inspectors? 

The DfE has asbestos management guidance for schools at www.gov.uk, which highlights 5 key steps to manage:

1. A management survey undertaken by appropriate professionals indicating the location and type of identified occurrences of asbestos.
   • It should be recorded in an asbestos location register.
2. An assessment of the risks posed by each identified occurrence of asbestos.
3. A plan for actively managing and reviewing the risk from asbestos in your school or college, known as the Asbestos Management Plan (AMP).
4. Arrangements to ensure that all staff (teaching and non-teaching) are aware of asbestos documents and management plans, and they have appropriate training.
5. Regular review of the AMP and asbestos location register including associated remedial actions.

Schools will need to ensure that they have accurate and current information relating to asbestos materials within their buildings and ensure that the information is easily accessible at short notice should an inspector request it.

The key elements here are up-to-date information and how this information is stored.

Key Questions to Ask:

• Do you have paperwork in folders that needs updating or do you have electronic records on a shared drive to review? Either way, you need to ensure that more than one person can access this information in an appropriate way when asked by an inspector or auditor.
• Are you taking time to review these records to make sure they’re as accurate and up to date as possible.
• If you have had removal works in the past, have your building plans and register been updated to reflect these changes or are old materials still marked on plans?
• Do you have copies of licenced removal work, post removal reports and air tests to show areas are safe for use after the works?

How can Judicium directly assist your school with proactive asbestos management?

Judicium provides a dedicated safety consultant who can review your existing provisions against current guidance and discuss the required management controls with you for practical application.

We can provide instructor-led asbestos awareness training and eLearning refresher training for relevant staff.

Key points to take away:

1. Have an up-to-date Policy and Management Plan.
2. Review the HSE’s Asbestos checklist for schools: 
   • https://www.hse.gov.uk/services/education/asbestos-checklist.pdf

3. Ensure you have an accurate Asbestos Register and site plans.
4. Review Training for relevant staff – as this may not just be premises staff.

Additional Info:

The Health and Safety Service is also providing accredited training courses. For more information on upcoming courses, please click here.

To review Judicium’s forthcoming sofa sessions please click here.

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