Skip to main content

Too busy to attend asbestos training? Think again.

Joanne Kwan, Senior Research Manager CIRIA and Paul Nathaniel, Director, Land Quality Management discuss the importance of training.

Recent Health and Safety Executive (HSE) studies have shown that around five thousand people die from asbestos-related diseases every year. Poor disposal practices, demolition and other anthropogenic processes have resulted in asbestos often being present in the ground, particularly on brownfield sites. 

The Joint Industry Working Group’s 2016 publication the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012: Interpretation for Managing and Working with Asbestos in Soil and Construction & Demolition materials: Industry Guidance (known as CARSOIL) was a step change in keeping people safe from asbestos by providing a framework for assessing the level of risk from asbestos in soil and made ground.  
CIRIA has also published two key guidance documents: C733 Asbestos in soil and made ground: a guide to understanding and managing risks and C765 Asbestos in soil and made ground good practice site guide in 2017.
 
However, almost a decade on, there are still many ‘asbestos in soil-related’ prosecutions, which have led to heavy fines and even prison sentences. 

Training is vital to help the industry reduce this and alongside this the Statutory Instrument 2012/632, The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, and the HSE Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) L143, Managing and working with Asbestos states information, instruction, and training (IIT) are key to complying with CAR 2012.

CIRIA’s eLearning for Non-licensed work on asbestos in soil is the only online training designed for construction and groundwork professionals working in the UK.  The course complements the requirements for Non-Licensed Work (NLW) and refresher training in HSE ACOP L143 and summarised in CIRIA C733, C765 and CARSOIL. The eLearning offers a flexible solution to learn at a time and pace to suit you. 

The course is aimed at those who have already completed asbestos in soil awareness training as required under Regulation 10 of Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. It includes a brief refresher of the main points that the awareness training should have covered, and delegates will gain an understanding of:

  • How the site activities that could result in asbestos exposure and the importance of control measures
  • How to carry out ‘suitable and sufficient assessment of risk
  • How identify asbestos contaminated materials
  • Safe work practice, hygiene and medical requirements control measures
  • Protective equipment (including correct use, cleaning and maintenance of PPE and RPE)
  • Decontamination procedures (including use of decontamination facilities)
  • Waste handling procedures
  • Emergency procedures- What to do with planned discovery of asbestos
  • Record keeping

Upon successful completion of the end of course test delegates achieve a CPD certificate valid for two years.

Find out more and register now.