Risk assessment and management of asbestos in soil
This conference will examine occurrence, assessment & modelling issues of asbestos in soil; review recent environmental, health & safety and waste legislations; and provide an update on current practice and research.
If you would like to participate in the Laboratory visit, please select the appropriate option below.
Ticket information
£190+VAT for LACL / BRMF / Core / Associate
£250+VAT for non-members
When?
10 September 2014, Edinburgh
10:00 - 16:25, Lab visit 16:30 - 17:30 (registration from 09:30)
Overview
Asbestos is a toxic and class 1 carcinogen known to cause serious illnesses such as lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis. Yet for many decades it was widely used in construction materials in concrete, roofing, insulation etc. Currently in the UK, 2,000-3,000 people die of asbestos related disease every year.
The previous focus of asbestos research and practice has dealt with the management of asbestos contamination within buildings. However results from thousands of investigations at contaminated sites across the UK have found that asbestos is frequently identified in made ground and there has been ambiguity in the approach to assessing the risk it poses.
CIRIA report C733 Asbestos in soil and made ground: a guide to understanding and managing risks published in March 2014 is the first good practice guidance on this topic since 1990 in the UK. The report represents a major milestone in defining the way that UK should manage asbestos. Subsequently a number of research projects concerning fibre release and background levels have been initiated which will help to reduce uncertainties in these areas.
Until valid findings are produced from these studies, there is no ‘ideal’ way to manage asbestos risk at present. Many practitioners are faced with asbestos issues every day and therefore need to be aware of good, affordable and pragmatic practice.
This conference will:
- Discuss the uncertainties in understanding risk assessment and a review of the usefulness of available risk models
- Review recent environmental, health & safety and waste legislations including civil law
- Review the good practice in air monitoring and sampling techniques
- Highlight current laboratory analysis abilities, including a laboratory site visit to IOM facilities
- Examine good practice site investigations through case study examples
- Examine how to deal with different site conditions and waste management issues through case study examples
- Provide an update with recent research such as studies on fibre release and background levels
- Highlight the major findings of CIRIA Report C733 – Asbestos in soil and made ground
- Showcase good practice in different parts of the world
- Provide opportunities to network with regulators, clients and other professional advisors.
There will be a laboratory visit to the Institute of Occupational Medicine, adjacent to the conference venue, illustrating the various stages of the analytical processes for asbestos in soils and for asbestos in air. IOM laboratory staff will be available to discuss and explain details of procedures.
It is intended that the laboratory visit will showcase the main aspects of all the important stages of the analytical procedures and techniques, e.g. preparing soil samples, sieving, hand picking, analysis to identify fibres by polarising light microscopy, counting fibres by phase contrast optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (e.g. to determine types of fibres on air test samples), etc.
Who should attend?
- Clients
- House builders
- Consultants
- Contractors.
- Local Authorities
- Regulators
Programme
10:00 Chair person’s introduction
Claire Dickinson, AECOM
Asbestos in soils: occurrence, assessment & modelling issues
10:10 Asbestos In Soils: occurrence, distribution & identification
Jane Tierney, IOM
10:30 Assessment Approach of Asbestos in Soils: UK and international Review
Paul Nathanail, LQM & University of Nottingham
10:50 Modelling fibre release case study and application of epidemiology to predict risk
Alan Jones and Damien McElvenny, IOM
11.10 Coffee
Asbestos In Soils: update on current practice and research
11.30 Management of risk and decision making - a client point of view
Adam Binney, Network Rail
11.50 How to deal with residue risk
Mathew Hussey, OAMPS
12.10 Panel Discussion and Q&A
12.30 Lunch
Asbestos in soils: good practice on site
13:15 Case Studies: Surveys, site investigations & sampling
James MacFarlane, Hydrock
13.35 Case Studies: Remediation works
Mike Higgins and Richard Yarnold, Hydrock
Asbestos in soils: licensing & waste issues
13:55 Waste management and EA requirements
Mark Heggie, SEPA
14.15 Panel Discussion and Q&A
14.35 Coffee
Asbestos In Soils: update in the on current practice and research
14:55 Measuring Fibre Release - Risk assessment and evaluation
Richard Ogden, LQM
15.15 Update on CL:AIRE / EIC - Joint Industry Working Group
Steve Forster, IEG Technologies UK Ltd
15.35 Discussion
16.15 Close and chair's summary
Claire Dickinson, AECOM
16:30 - 17: 30 Lab visit to Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM)
Sponsor
Venue
Edinburgh Heriot Watt University, EH14 4AS
Booking
If you are unable to book online, please contact Patrick Williams on 0207 549 3308 or return the booking form by post or fax.