Asbestos survey – not worth the paper it was written on

Over the last two years or more C&D Consultancy have been acting as Demolition Consultants to B&K Nottingham Ltd on a project at Humberstone Lane in Leicester for Bovis Homes Midlands where during the demolition works a large quantity of asbestos insulation board was discovered that had not been identified on the type 3 survey.

This failure to identify caused major delays and disruption to the project and financial hardship to B&K who are still waiting for Bovis Homes to settle their account, and a total rethink of the method of working, hence our involvement.

The HSE always said that they were unhappy with the survey that lead to a release of asbestos fibres and they have now completed their prosecution of the surveyor involved.

Details of the case can be found at The Construction Index

Lack of asbestos survey costs firm £16,459

A development company in Cornwall has been hit with fines and costs totalling £16,459 because it did not follow the correct procedures for identifying asbestos on a site.

The former Cellar Cover Hotel at Droskyn Point, in Perranporth was being converted into guesthouses and holiday apartments in 2006 by Norwegian Homes Limited. But a HSE inspector visited the site and found asbestos insulation boards under a caravan, in sacks, and in the ashes of a bonfire.

Clearly an asbestos survey hadn't been carried out and the asbestos wasn't dealt with properly putting lives at risk.

HSE inspector, Martin Lee, said:

"Asbestos is extremely harmful to human health and is the most serious occupational health issue in the country. More than 4,000 people die every year from asbestos-related diseases.

Norwegian Homes should have carried out a survey for the presence and quantity of asbestos in the building, prior to demolition.

This incident was entirely preventable and the clean-up costs far outstripped the costs of a survey and safe removal of the asbestos material."

Norwegian Homes Limited pleaded guilty on May 26th this year and received a fine of £4,500 coupled with £11,959 in costs.

C&D Consultancy offer a couple of courses specifically targeted at understanding the dangers and dealing with asbestos. You can find details about the courses on the following two pages:

Asbestos & Demolition Awareness
Asbestos Awareness

Source: HSE

Spectra Analysis interview about Asbestos Surveys

UKAS accredited Spectra Analysis has posted a video interview on YouTube regarding Asbestos Surveys. We've included the video above.

Angela Chouaib, Head of Business Development at the company, gives an overview of the company along with answering a number of questions relating to asbestos surveys.