Control of Asbestos Regulations since 2012
Employers are required to ensure all workers exposed to asbestos undergo medical examinations by approved doctors and to maintain a health record for each employee. Licensed work includes work with the most dangerous forms of asbestos, where asbestos fibres can be released into the air, e.g. work with asbestos coatings, asbestos insulation and insulation boards.
Non-licensed work must be sporadic and of low intensity. The concentration of asbestos in air should not exceed 0.6f/cm3(asbestos fibres per cubic cm) measured over 10 minutes. The work must be carried out in such a way that the exposure to workers will not exceed the legal control limit of 0.1f/cm3 averaged over 4 hours.
Requirements for non-licensed asbestos tasks
- Short non-continuous maintenance task with non-friable asbestos material.
- If a removal task, the asbestos material is in reasonable condition and asbestos material is firmly contained within another material.
- It is a task where the asbestos material is in good condition and sealed to ensure not easily damaged.
- It is a monitoring or control task to check fibre concentrations in the air.
The Assessment
All work with asbestos needs a prior risk assessment and must be carried out with the appropriate controls in place. Employees must have training, information and clear instruction to ensure they can protect themselves and others in the area. Before the medical examination, the doctor is required to liaise with the employer to understand the nature of the work undertaken and if practicable visit the workplace. The medical involves assessment of lung function, examination and education of each employee.
The doctor will ask the employee to complete a screening questionnaire to identify any potential concerns and check for asbestos related disease by examination. The employee will be asked to perform spirometry to assess lung function. The doctor will issue a certificate of medical examination to both the employee and employer. Chest X-rays are performed on clinical indication only.
Medicals should take place within the first 2 years of exposure and every 3 years thereafter.
