The HSE has launched a new campaign to highlight the risk of asbestos in buildings and raise awareness of the legal duty to manage those risks.
Although asbestos was completely banned in 1999, many buildings that were built or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos.
Asbestos can become dangerous when disturbed or damaged. However, people who work in or visit buildings containing asbestos will not be exposed to asbestos if it is properly managed.
The HSE’s ‘Asbestos – Your Duty’ campaign targets those responsible for managing asbestos in the building i.e. dutyholders.
The dutyholder could be the building owner, the landlord for the premises, the business owner, or the person or organisation with clear responsibility for the building’s maintenance or repair.
The duty to manage asbestos ensures workers and building users are protected from the risks of exposure to asbestos. It applies to a range of non-domestic buildings, including premises like factories, warehouses, offices and shops; and public buildings like hospitals, schools, premises used for religious worship, museums and libraries.
To help identify if you have a legal duty to manage asbestos, please click here.
For further information and a range of resources available from the HSE, please click on the following:
There is also a useful HSE video which outlines the basic steps you should take to manage any asbestos in your building and to protect people from the risks of exposure.
For further information, please contact our health and safety team at tcms@thomas-carroll.co.uk.