Asbestos from soils - site issues
This course will provide regulators and practitioners with an overview of currently recognised good practice to deal with site issues related to asbestos from soil.
Background
Asbestos is toxic and a class 1 carcinogen known to cause serious illnesses such as lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis and yet for many decades was widely used in concrete, roofs etc. in the UK. Currently in the UK, 2000-3000 people die of asbestos related disease every year. Poor disposal practices, demolition and other anthropogenic processes have resulted in asbestos often being present in the ground particularly on brownfield sites
CIRIA published the first good practice guidance on risk assessment and management for asbestos from soil in 2014. This will be followed by site guide in Summer 2016. However more training is needed to help more to protect many of the 2.2 million construction professionals in the UK who are ‘on the front line’ i.e. site operatives and also reduce the chances of clients, consultants and contractors being prosecuted in the future.
Why attend
This workshop will:
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examine site issues that are involved in risk assessment and other ground activities
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how to managed planned and unplanned discovery of asbestos from sites – what is currnet practice and what is good practice
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the disposal/management options
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health and safety issues.
Who should attend
Clients, Contactors, Consultants, LA's, Regulators
Trainers
Phil Studds and Mark Bell, Ramboll
Programme
9.00 Registration and refreshments
9.30 Introduction
The first module will provide an introduction to Asbestos including the types of asbestos, how it is used and where it may be found. A review of the Control of Asbestos regulations 2012
10.00 Risk assessment
- Outlining the process of an asbestos risk assessment comprising of assessment methodology, source of information (e.g. desk study / CDM documents) etc
- Decision making in relation to licensed / unlicensed / notifiable / non-notifiable works to underpin the approach for the onsite works. Provision of tools necessary to make that decision
- Definition of and requirements for an appropriately qualified person who should be making the decisions for asbestos risk assessment
- Highlight appropriate training and competence (or information / instruction on training and organisation arrangements)
- Contingency Planning
10.30 Site Investigation, surveying and sampling
- Planning works: Who needs to involved, role of ground worker (direct involvement / supervisory / advisory roles) and what qualification do they need and necessary paperwork,
- Undertaking works e.g. sampling methodologies and strategies, toolbox talks (suitable for use). What activities on site are associated with licensable and nonlicensable work with emphasis on appropriate competences by those involved;
- Lab (geotechnical and analytical) issues – informing laboratory receiving the sample of potential presence of asbestos, and preliminary testing regime;
- Links with other surveys such as ecology and archaeology, notably where soil disturbance is likely to occur;
- Health and safety issues including those for geotechnical testing and sampling of made ground;
This focus on soil and air sampling directly applicable to the management of on-site risks and preliminary stages of analysis, rather than more detailed sampling and analysis more suited to the assessment of long-term risks to human health.
11.15 Tea
11.30 How to manage discovery of potential asbestos containing materials during ground works
- How to apply dynamic risk assessment;
- Immediate actions (e.g. stop and risk assess the situation as a preventative measure for risk);
- Isolation procedure;
- Potential air-borne fibre release (quantification and monitoring);
- Investigation;
- Remedial actions (immediate – e.g. backfilling excavation, with full remediation being informed by appropriate sampling / analysis and assessment);
12.15 Questions and discussion
12.45 Lunch
13.30 Remediation of asbestos when found (expected and unexpected)
- Remediation options – (making brief reference to C733);
- How to comply with waste regulations
- Notifying and Licensing including health and safety plan (refer back to earlier chapters where relevant);
- Delineation, work planning and monitoring – management of a site when asbestos is known;
- Site set up;
- Excavation;
- Processing;
- Decontamination procedures;
- Disposal (sample disposal / disposal of larger amounts during earthworks);
- Dust suppression;
- Environmental monitoring;
- Health and safety issues; and
- Passage of information – health and safety files, CDM and waste regulations
- Risk communication
14.15 Health and Safety during construction
- Issues during construction phase (imported materials e.g. topsoil / engineering fill) ((identifying what evidence should be acquired (e.g. chemical certification / detection limits) from the source of the material and how to interpret that evidence regarding suitability for use));
- Potential asbestos post demolition / during the recycling of aggregates;
- Asbestos register;
- Monitoring to protect ‘other receptors’ (e.g. off-site receptors which may be affected by an uncontrolled stockpile).
15.30 Tea
15.45 Group exercise: delegates will work on a few case studies with different asbestos and site scenarios.
16.45 Questions and discussion
17.15 Close
When
27 April 2016
09.30 - 17.15 (registration from 09.00)
Where
CIRIA offices, Griffin Court
15 Long Lane
London, EC1A 9PN
Fees
FREE for LACL and BRMF members
£250+VAT non members
Booking
If you are unable to book online contact Patrick Williams on 020 7549 3300. Your completed booking form can be returned by post or email to Patrick Williams.