Health and Safety Executive

Health and Safety Executive

Asbestos

• History and uses

• What it is

• The Health risks

Wonderful Asbestos !!!

It’s fantastic stuff !!

• Fire resistant

• Thermal insulation – it’s green !!

• Does not corrode or decay

• Can be used as a structural component

• Can be woven into a flexible material

• Virtually indestructible

BUT

• It’s a killer

• 4 000 + deaths every year (and rising)

• Compare with:• 180 workplace deaths• 2 538 road deaths

• Asbestos related diseases lead to a horrible long drawn out death

Historical use of asbestos

• Period: 1880s - 1999 (1950 –1980)

• Millions of tons of Asbestos containing materials (ACMs) in buildings

• Some 3000 different products

2.7m tons of chrysotile: mainly cement products

½m tons of amosite: mainly AIB, thermal and spray insulation

50,000 tons of crocidolite: mainly thermal and spray insulation

Estimated imports

Where is it?

• Various estimates

–0.5 - 2m industrial / commercial buildings

–2.4 m domestic premises

• 75% of commercial building estimated to contain some asbestos (Llewellyn, BRE, 1997)

Asbestos is omnipresent

Where is it found?

http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/hiddenkiller/where-is-it-found.htm

Uses

• Insulation lagging

– to keep heat in — boilers, pipework

– to keep cold out — railway carriages/water tanks

– to prevent corrosion in wet/humid conditions — paper mills/textile processes/swimming pools

– for fire protection

– to protect from acid attack — chemical industry

Significant uses of asbestos (1)

Significant uses of asbestos (1)

Uses

• Traditional insulation

– limpet– hand applied pipe

lagging– monkey muck– sectionalised

Uses

• Asbestos insulating board (AIB)• Panelling• Internal partitions• Airing cupboards• Soffits• Suspended ceilings/tiles• Behind heaters• Fire resistant separation, Factories Act

1961, OSRP Act 1963

Asbestos content generally 20-35%

Asbestos Insulating Board

AIB – not obvious !!!

N.B. TRADE NAMES CONFUSE !!!

Asbestos Cement

• Asbestos cement– roofing– cladding– fascias – pipes– guttering– window sills– ironing boardsAsbestos content generally >10% <20%

Uses

• Decorative coatings

• Asbestos paper • GRP lining• roofing felt

• Asbestos rope

• Gaskets• chemical industry• kilns/ovens• switchgear

Uses

• brake linings

• rubberised tiles/floor covering

• filler compounds

• Mastics

• And many more

Samples

• Let’s look at some asbestos

Asbestos Types

• Serpentine– Chrysotile (white)

• Amphiboles– Crocidolite (blue)– Amosite (brown)

– Tremolite– Actinolite– Anthophyllite

Health

• Small fibrous dust particles easily produced and inhaled

• Respirable

• Fibre characteristics affect toxicity:

� chrysotile - curved fibres break longitudinally

� amosite - straight and brittle fibres

� crocidolite - short, stiff and straight

• Fibres persist in the lungs

Friabilty

Friability - examples

• Loose-fill lagging

• Lagging

• Sprayed insulation

• Asbestos insulation board

• Asbestos cement

• Bitumen sheets

• Floor tiles

MOST

LEAST

Asbestos related diseases

• Asbestosis (latency 20+ years)

• Lung cancer (latency 20+ years)

• Mesothelioma (latency 15 to 60+ years)

Chris Morgan’s story – one story out of many thousands http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2009/cmorganshort.htm

Not diseases of the past – still upward curving graph, many thousands yet to suffer and die. Effective work by us now will impact in the future.

Health risks

Hazard, Exposure and Risk

Hazard depends on asbestos type:• Crocidolite (blue)• Amosite (brown)• Chrysotile (white)

Exposure depends on:• asbestos type (to some degree)• the material (ACM) it is in • the nature of the work/disturbance (energy)

Risk depends on:• Level of exposure• Duration of exposure• Time since first exposure

Identified from ‘bulk’samples by microscopy

(MDHS 77)

Mesothelioma Deaths

Significant uses of asbestos (1)Insulation lagging

• to keep heat in — boilers, pipework

• to keep cold out — railway carriages/water tanks

• to prevent corrosion in wet/humid conditions — paper mills/textile processes/swimming pools

• for fire protection

• to protect from acid attack — chemical industry

Significant uses of asbestos (1 cont.)

Traditional insulation

• limpet• hand applied pipe lagging

• monkey muck• sectionalised

Significant uses of asbestos (2)

• Asbestos based boards and asbestos insulating board (AIB)

• Panelling• Internal partitions• Airing cupboards• Soffits• Suspended ceilings/tiles• Behind heaters• Fire resistant separation, Factories Act 1961, OSRP Act 1963

Asbestos content generally 20-35%

Beware – is it AIB?!

‘Some’ AIB trade names• Supalux• Turnasbestos• Caposil• Asbestolux• Sindanyo board• LDR board• Marinite• Thetford board• Masterboard

Significant uses of asbestos (3)

Asbestos cement• roofing• cladding• fascias • pipes• guttering• window sills• ironing boards

Asbestos content generally >10% <20%

REMEMBER The main danger with asbestos

cement roof sheeting is its fragility!

Significant uses of asbestos (4)• Decorative coatings (3.9 - 4.2% asbestos?)

• Asbestos paper • GRP lining• roofing felt

• Asbestos rope

• Gaskets• chemical industry• kilns/ovens• switchgear

Significant uses of asbestos (4 cont.)

• brake linings

• rubberised tiles/floor covering

• filler compounds

• Mastics

• And many more

Asbestos content

• Sprayed coatings 85% asbestos• Lagging 50-100%• Insulating boards 16-40%• Millboard 100%• Ropes/yarns 100%• Cement 10-15%• Flooring material 1 - 2.5% • Textured coatings 1 - 4.2%• Mastics 0.5 - 2%

Asbestos density/fibre scale

1440 80096011201280 160320480640 0

10 50403020 90807060 100

DensityKg/m3

% Fibrecontent

Asbestos cement

Asbestos lagging and spray

Asbestos insulating board

0Vinyl tilesasbestos

paper

Quantity of imports of asbestos (tonnes)

YEAR AMOSITE ANTHOPHYLLITE CHRYSOTILE CROCIDOLITE TOTAL

1946 2673 Not known 50722 967 54362

1955 12308 Not known 122965 6822 142095

1965 22582 78 147265 3425 173350

1975 19219 225 119741 Nil 139185

Source: Asbestos Fibre Importers Committee, private communication

Asbestos fibre usage in the UK(thousands of tonnes)

1970 1973 19761 Asbestos cement products for building (inc (5)) 52.5 55.6 42.92 Fire-resistant insulation boards 18.5 22.5 14.5

3 Other insulation products (inc spray) 4.0 4.0 0.4

4 Floor tiles and coverings 20.5 16.2 15.8

5 Asbestos cement pipes (inc under (1)) 9.0 8.1

6 Friction materials 15.0 17.0 15.7

7 Jointings and packings 9.0 11.4 10.0

8 Textiles products not included in (6) and (7) 9.0 8.3 6.3

9 Fillers and reinforcements (felts, millboard paper, underseals, mastics, adhesives etc)

21.5 25.7 28.4

10 Moulded plastics and battery cases 4.5 2.8 1.2

Totals 154.5 172.5 143.3

Most vulnerable populations

• textile manufacturing operations• laggers• gas mask manufacturers• railway workers• shipyard workers/naval dockyards • boilermen• pipework contractors.

HISTORICALLY

Most vulnerable populations

• Asbestos removal contractors• Demolition workers• Services installers• Plumbers• Joiners• Electricians• Insulation workers

CURRENTLY

Asbestos disease caused by conditions in the past?

How much better are we now?

How much better will we be?

0200400600800

100012001400160018002000

1968

1976

1978198

01982

198419

86198

819

90199

219

941996

1998

2000

200120

02200

3

Cas

es

Death Certificates

Asbestos Surveys in Asbestos Surveys in Buildings & New GuidanceBuildings & New Guidance

Phil DickinsonPhil Dickinson

May 2010May 2010

•• IntroductionIntroduction•• New research findingsNew research findings•• Quantifying the problemQuantifying the problem•• SurveysSurveys

–– DutyDuty--toto--ManageManage–– Current issues Current issues –– The FutureThe Future

AgendaAgenda

ASBESTOS:ASBESTOS:‘‘The Greatest Single Cause The Greatest Single Cause of Work Related Deaths in of Work Related Deaths in

the UKthe UK’’

Intro: Why?Intro: Why?

Mesothelioma: projected deathsMesothelioma: projected deaths

Mesothelioma: Spread across GBMesothelioma spreadMesothelioma spread

J.PetoJ.Peto: Lifetime risks : Lifetime risks

For people born in the 1940s . . .For people born in the 1940s . . .

•• Carpenters (joiners) Carpenters (joiners) Worked for >10yrs; first Worked for >10yrs; first exposure at <30yrs old: exposure at <30yrs old: 6%6%

•• Lifetime risk including lung cancer: ~10%Lifetime risk including lung cancer: ~10%

•• Plumbers, electricians, painters: 2% (~4%)Plumbers, electricians, painters: 2% (~4%)•• Other construction workers: 0.8% (~1.5%)Other construction workers: 0.8% (~1.5%)•• No occupational exposure: 0.1% (~0.2%)No occupational exposure: 0.1% (~0.2%)•• Exposed workers relatives: 0.2% (~0.4%)Exposed workers relatives: 0.2% (~0.4%)

•• Predicted 90,000 mesothelioma deaths in UK by Predicted 90,000 mesothelioma deaths in UK by 20502050–– 40,000 construction40,000 construction–– 15,000 carpenters/joiners15,000 carpenters/joiners

•• Exposure due to:Exposure due to:–– Widespread use of amosite in AIB in 60s & 70sWidespread use of amosite in AIB in 60s & 70s–– Power toolsPower tools

““the epidemic will not peak until 2025, ten years the epidemic will not peak until 2025, ten years longer than fearedlonger than feared”” J.PetoJ.Peto

J.PetoJ.Peto: Prognosis : Prognosis

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Metal plate workersVehicle body builders

Plumbers and gas fittersCarpentersElectricians

Sheet metal workersElectrical plant operators

Production fittersConstruction workers nec

Electrical engineersBoiler operators

Electrial and electronic production fittersManagers in construction

Chemical engineers and scientistsWelders

Mesothelioma: Highest Risk Mesothelioma: Highest Risk Occupations 1980 Occupations 1980 -- 2000 2000

Death Rate / annumDeath Rate / annum

% % asbestosasbestos

% % asbestosasbestos

%%Year Year BuiltBuilt

<<1<<1<<1<<166> 1994> 1994

~5~5~5~5881985 1985 -- 9494

~60~60~30~3026261965 1965 -- 8484

~30~30~5~522221945 1945 -- 6464

<1<1<<1<<13838< 1945< 1945

FlatsFlatsHousesHousesTotal Total StockStock

Estimated Figures for England & WalesEstimated Figures for England & WalesAdrian K Watson, BOHS Conference, Asbestos Forum, 2007Adrian K Watson, BOHS Conference, Asbestos Forum, 2007

Domestic Housing StockDomestic Housing Stock

Assessment of plumbersAssessment of plumbers’’ exposure to exposure to ACMs (Bard & Burdett, 2007)ACMs (Bard & Burdett, 2007)

How well do you think How well do you think you can recognise you can recognise

ACMs?ACMs?

•• Plumbers issued with passive Plumbers issued with passive samplers and activity logs samplers and activity logs

•• Results:Results:–– TEM analysis revealed that ~60% of TEM analysis revealed that ~60% of

workers exposed to ACMsworkers exposed to ACMs–– Only ~20% recorded as working with Only ~20% recorded as working with

ACMsACMs–– Estimated exposures up to 2 f/mlEstimated exposures up to 2 f/ml

Assessment of plumbersAssessment of plumbers’’ exposure to exposure to ACMs (Bard & Burdett, 2007)ACMs (Bard & Burdett, 2007)

The ChallengeThe Challenge•• Huge amounts of asbestos still in buildingsHuge amounts of asbestos still in buildings•• Very large number of buildings and Duty HoldersVery large number of buildings and Duty Holders•• Large potentially exposed population:Large potentially exposed population:

–– Building occupants (20m ??) . . . low risk groupBuilding occupants (20m ??) . . . low risk group–– Maintenance trades (2m ??) . . . high risk group Maintenance trades (2m ??) . . . high risk group

•• Workers donWorkers don’’t know . . . t know . . .

–– What it looks likeWhat it looks like–– Where it isWhere it is–– ComplacentComplacent

How do we get effective management of asbestos?How do we get effective management of asbestos?

SurveysSurveys

Duty to ManageDuty to Manage

•• Survey is a Survey is a keykeycomponent in component in managing asbestosmanaging asbestos

•• If asbestos location If asbestos location is unknown is unknown …………““exposure incidents exposure incidents waiting to happenwaiting to happen””

Where does Survey fit into Managing Where does Survey fit into Managing Asbestos?Asbestos?

SURVEY SURVEY

Refurbishment or Refurbishment or DemolitionDemolition

SurveySurvey

Asbestos RegisterAsbestos Registerplan/drawingplan/drawing

ManagementManagementSurveySurvey

Management planManagement plan

Risk AssessmentRisk Assessment

Before Before ANYANY work starts work starts contact work coordinatorcontact work coordinator

•• Inform earlyInform early• Check asbestos trainedCheck asbestos trained

•• Monitor workMonitor work•• Check clean upCheck clean up

Are ACMs involved?Are ACMs involved?

Licensed Licensed Contractor?Contractor?

YESYESWork done Work done inin--househouse

•• Trained staffTrained staff•• Control of workControl of work

•• Clean upClean up

NONONo further No further actionaction

External External

contractor

contractor

Check Register/planCheck Register/plan

Managing maintenance workManaging maintenance work

Plan WorkPlan Work

TrainingTraining•• Employer responsible for training of Employer responsible for training of

all staff who may disturb fabric of all staff who may disturb fabric of buildingbuilding

•• Asbestos Asbestos awarenessawareness

•• Work methodsWork methodswww.asbestos

www.asbestos essentials

essentials

Public anxietyPublic anxietyBuilding closureBuilding closureCleanClean--up costsup costs

Enforcement actionEnforcement actionDiseaseDisease

Civil actionCivil action

What happens if . . ?What happens if . . ?

SpreadSpreadContamContam--inationination

Worker Worker ExposureExposure Exposure Exposure

to othersto others

•• No SurveyNo Survey•• Poor SurveyPoor Survey

•• Wrong Survey TypeWrong Survey Type•• Good Survey but not usedGood Survey but not used

New Survey GuidanceNew Survey Guidance

•• Will address the Will address the issuesissues

•• Will be an HSG Will be an HSG series publicationseries publication

•• More than a More than a ““methodmethod””

•• Guidance for Guidance for othersothers

•• Published spring Published spring 20102010

Aims and Objectives Aims and Objectives of New Guidanceof New Guidance

•• Reduce worker exposureReduce worker exposure

•• Surveyor:Surveyor:–– Better informedBetter informed–– More aware of clientMore aware of client’’s needss needs–– Better quality surveysBetter quality surveys–– Better reportsBetter reports

Aims and Objectives Aims and Objectives of New Guidanceof New Guidance

•• Client:Client:––Better informedBetter informed––Greater understanding of Greater understanding of

surveyorsurveyor’’s needss needs––Recognition of need for various Recognition of need for various

surveys of lifespan of buildingssurveys of lifespan of buildings––Better management of asbestosBetter management of asbestos

Survey TypesSurvey Types

• New terms: to assist in the understanding of the purpose of the survey

• Management Survey: continued use of the building:– normal occupancy/activities and – associated maintenance/installation etc– involve minor intrusive work

• Refurbishment/demolition Survey:– includes “minor” refurbishment– purpose to identify ACMs for REMOVAL

• Surveys can involve combination of sampling and presuming ACMs present

•• Purpose is to identify to remove before Purpose is to identify to remove before Refurbishment/DemolitionRefurbishment/Demolition

•• Used to locate Used to locate ALLALL ACMs in ACMs in ALLALL areas areas afarpafarp–– Structural locationsStructural locations–– Break thro walls, ceilings, cladding, partitions etcBreak thro walls, ceilings, cladding, partitions etc–– Inside cavity walls, ducts and tunnels, under floor tilesInside cavity walls, ducts and tunnels, under floor tiles

•• Refurbishment surveys can be small scale/localisedRefurbishment surveys can be small scale/localised–– Needed for home improvement programmesNeeded for home improvement programmes–– eg new kitchens, bathrooms, electrics, plumbing, windows, eg new kitchens, bathrooms, electrics, plumbing, windows,

roofs etcroofs etc

•• Must? involve destructive/aggressive inspectionMust? involve destructive/aggressive inspection

Refurbishment/Demolition Refurbishment/Demolition SurveySurvey

Refurbishment Survey:Refurbishment Survey:where does it apply?where does it apply?

•• Required for Required for all workall work which disturbs which disturbs fabric of building in areas where fabric of building in areas where Management Survey has not been Management Survey has not been intrusiveintrusive

•• Duty holder will need to decideDuty holder will need to decide

Clarity of ReportClarity of Report

•• Bulk analysis results: Bulk analysis results: –– in Appendixin Appendix

•• Asbestos results and register: room by roomAsbestos results and register: room by room•• Material assessment: highest scores=priority Material assessment: highest scores=priority

for actionfor action–– summarise immediate actionssummarise immediate actions

•• Areas not accessed: Areas not accessed: –– separate list and mark on planseparate list and mark on plan

•• Clear note on actions Clear note on actions

Clear identification of roomsClear identification of rooms

Asbestos Building PlanAsbestos Building PlanKey: Red labels = Asbestos in Room Key: Red labels = Asbestos in Room

(see Survey Report for details)(see Survey Report for details)

Clarity of Report:Clarity of Report: Clear note of Clear note of Actions and Important InformationActions and Important Information

•• Clearly identify ACMs in poor condition Clearly identify ACMs in poor condition (ie high score rating) which need (ie high score rating) which need remedial actionremedial action

•• Areas not accessed must be presumed Areas not accessed must be presumed to contain ACMsto contain ACMs

•• ACMs will need regular monitoringACMs will need regular monitoring•• Clarity on the type of Survey carried Clarity on the type of Survey carried

out eg Management Surveyout eg Management Survey

New Guidance: Caveats

•• Specific sectionSpecific section•• Outlines impact and potential problems Outlines impact and potential problems

can create for managingcan create for managing•• Explains can be avoided by proper Explains can be avoided by proper

planning and discussionplanning and discussion•• Where necessary:Where necessary:

–– Fully justifiedFully justified–– Agreed between client and surveyorAgreed between client and surveyor–– Documented in reportDocumented in report

Final Messages

•• Surveyors: Surveyors: –– Need to raise Need to raise ““gamegame””–– Become familiar with new guidanceBecome familiar with new guidance–– Understand clientUnderstand client’’s needss needs–– Provide appropriate survey typeProvide appropriate survey type

•• Clients: Clients: –– Be more informedBe more informed–– Check competency of surveyorCheck competency of surveyor–– Check quality of reportsCheck quality of reports–– Use report to form management planUse report to form management plan

and finally and finally …… any questions?ny questions?