Some processes or products give off dust more easily than others, but work on any of the following activities is likely to produce some asbestos dust or fibre release:

* the removal (stripping) of old asbestos insulation materials from buildings or machinery. This is an activity that is likely to produce very high dust levels and should normally be carried out by a contractor licensed by HSE;
* the manufacture of products wholly or partly made from raw asbestos, e.g. asbestos textiles;
* the installation, maintenance, repair and general handling of products containing asbestos, e.g. asbestos cement products, insulating board, friction materials such as brake pads and clutch linings;
* the removal of roofing felts, old floor tiles, textured paints and plasters containing asbestos;
* some installation, repair and maintenance work by plumbers, electricians, carpenters etc.

From May 2004 all duty holders have a duty to identify and manage Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM) in non-domestic premises. Duty Holders are all those with responsibility for maintenance and repairs on non-domestic premises.

Those in control of premises should:

* Determine the location and condition of any ACMs, presume that materials contain asbestos unless there is evidence that they don’t
* Make a record of the location and condition of ACMs in the premises.
* Assess the risks of how likely anyone is to be exposed to fibres from ACMs
* Have in place a plan on how the risks will be managed, and take steps to put in place and action a management plan.
* Provide information on the location and condition of ACMs to anyone likely to work on or disturb them.

You should ask to see the ACM register which should contain details of where any ACMs may be located and the chances of disturbing them during the work.

Progress through the processes associated with the implementation of the duty to manage may encourage the need to appoint a competent person to carry out all or part of the work e.g. surveying, asbestos bulk sampling, asbestos removal and asbestos air testing.

HSE’s ‘Comprehensive guidance on managing asbestos’ (HSG 227) provides useful tips on the tendering and contracting process in relation to the engagement of surveyors and licensed contractors. The information includes the things to look for to help you ensure that a contractor has the competences to provide you with the most appropriate service. A List of Asbestos Contractors can be found on HSE’s Asbestos Topic site whilst lists of accredited surveyors and laboratories can be obtained through the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS)

Usefull web links
www.ukas.com.
www.arca.org.uk
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/index.htm
http://www.hse.gov.uk/campaigns/asbestos/index.htm

* check that their current arrangements for the management of asbestos within their premises are effective and are being applied properly;
* adopt a precautionary approach to maintenance work. Until a proper assessment has been carried out of their premises they must assume that all materials being worked on containing asbestos, adopting the standards set out in 'Asbestos Essentials'. Alternatively they can carry out a 'mini survey' of the material being worked on before the work is done; and
* carry out an initial inspection of the premises to look for serious damage and disturbance of material and take effective remedial action as necessary.

NO

Asbestos is only a risk to health when it releases its fibres. So where the material is in good condition and in a location where it will not be disturbed it should be left in place and effectively managed.

Where asbestos materials are found to be in poor condition and/or are likely to be disturbed then removal may prove to be the appropriate option. However, you should firstly be considering encapsulating, repairing or sealing damaged materials, or where disturbance is an issue reorganise the workplace to avoid the risk. Where this can be achieved then leave the materials in place, record their presence and manage them effectively.

It should be remembered that removal of asbestos that is in good condition and is not likely to be disturbed could give rise to unnecessary risk and expense.

Work with asbestos can release small fibres into the air. Breathing in asbestos fibres can eventually lead to a number of diseases. These include:

* asbestosis or fibrosis (scarring) of the lungs;
* lung cancer; and
* mesothelioma, a cancer of the inner lining of the chest wall or abdominal cavity

However, provided the asbestos is intact, sealed and undisturbed, it will not pose a risk to health.

Trades such as plumbers, carpenters, electricians and structured cabling contractors and other construction workers are most at risk as they may come across asbestos during routine repair, installation or refurbishment work. Asbestos insulating board is particularly common in buildings constructed before 1980 and was used in fire doors, ceiling tiles, internal walls and panels.

Due to the length of time between exposure and the onset of mesothelioma (up to 60 years) other high risk industries can generally be associated with past exposures to asbestos including:

Shipbuilding and ship repair, railway rolling stock and locomotive building, and the installation of lagging or other insulation materials in buildings or industrial plant.

There are three main types of asbestos - chrysotile, amosite and crocidolite; they are usually called white, brown and blue asbestos respectively. However they cannot be identified just by their colour. Only white asbestos is now used in the UK, mostly for the manufacture of asbestos textiles, gaskets, friction materials such as brake pads and clutch linings, and asbestos cement products.

Blue and brown asbestos (the two most dangerous forms) have not been imported into the UK for nearly 20 years and are now banned by law. However all three types may still be found in:

* sprayed asbestos and asbestos loose packing - generally used as fire breaks in ceiling voids;
* moulded or preformed sprayed coatings and lagging - generally used in thermal insulation of pipes, boilers;
* sprayed asbestos mixed with hydrated asbestos cement - generally used as fire protection in ducts, firebreaks, panels, partitions, soffit boards, ceiling panels and around structural steel work;
* insulating boards used for fire protection, thermal insulation, partitioning and ducts;
* some ceiling and floor tiles;
* millboard, paper and paper products used for insulation of electrical equipment, asbestos paper has been used as a fire proof facing on wood fibre board;
* asbestos cement products, which can be compressed into flat or corrugated sheets. Corrugated sheets are largely used as roofing and wall cladding. Other asbestos cement products include gutters, rainwater pipes and water tanks;
* certain textured coatings.

A recent miscellaneous amendment to the 2004 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations places restrictions on the supply and use of cement and cement preparations including Mortars, Grouts and certain tile adhesives containing hexavalent chromium (‘Chromium VI’). This came into force on the 17th of January. However there will still be products on the market that were manufactured before this date.

It also prohibits the supply and use of cement that contains more than 2 parts per million of soluble chromium VI except where it is used in an enclosed process where there is no chance of skin contact.
Packaging should now contain information where the chromium VI content would exceed the above limit if it were not for the use of reducing agents. Information on storage conditions and shelf life of the product must also be included.

Chromium compounds have been recognised for a long time as being a notorious skin sensitiser, chrome dermatitis is a common complaint. Between 200 and 400 new cases are diagnosed each year. Once a person is sensitised even minute exposures can cause severe cases of dermatitis. Those most at risk are construction workers such as bricklayers, tile layers, and workers laying concrete floors. However anyone using cement products could be at risk if they don’t take suitable precautions.

Although these measures are aimed at reducing the numbers contracting dermatitis it is important to remember that exposure to wet cement can cause damage to the skin in other ways including cement burns.

Employers should be ensuring that they offer users the facility to find a comfortable working position by providing them with enough workspace and suitable furniture and equipment.

The Health & Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 Require employers to ensure that any regular DSE user has a suitable and sufficient assessment of their workstation carried out and that daily work routines are planned, encompassing adequate breaks or changes of activity to reduce their workload at that equipment.

To prevent other staff getting aches and pains you need to make sure that they adjust their chair and VDU equipipment to find a comfortable working position. Make sure that they use good keybooard and mouse techniques and do not work for excessive periods of time in the same position. Ensure that they take adequate breaks by carrying out other activiities away from the computer. Regular short or mini breaks are preferable to a few longer breaks. If possible breaks should be taken away from the screen.

You should encourage your staff to report any problems or symptoms at an early stage. As with any health issue the earlier it can be diagnosed and treated the more likely it is that the condition can be managed to the mutual benefit of the employer and employee.

Early management intervention and treatment of an individuals symptoms both physical and psychological can reduce the impact and the onset and duration of RSI. Thus avoiding these conditions causing permanent long term damage to the individuals health.

he Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations (1992) cover the use of computers at work.

Many companies have policies on eyesight tests, so check with your personnel, health and safety, occupational health or union safety representatives. An assessment of the workplace should be carried out to identify computer users.

The whole workstation set-up can affect an individual’s ability to work without fatigue or stress, so it is very important that the workstation is set up correctly. There is no reliable evidence that work with display screen equipment causes any permanent damage to eyes or eyesight, but it may make users with pre-existing vision defects more aware of them, and may give some users temporary visual fatigue or headaches. Uncorrected vision defects can make working at display screens more tiring or stressful than it should be, and correcting defects can improve comfort, job satisfaction and performance.

The regulations require employers to provide an appropriate eyesight test to users who request one. The test includes a test of vision and an examination of the eye. For the purpose of the Display Screen Equipment Regulations, the test should take account of the nature of the users’ work, including the distance at which the screen is viewed.

Display screen users are not obliged to have such tests performed but, where they choose to exercise their entitlement, employers should offer an examination by a registered optician, or a registered medical practitioner with suitable qualifications. They are free, however, to specify that a particular company or professional provide the test.

The provision of eye and eyesight tests and glasses under the Regulations is at the expense of the employer. This is the case even if the user works on other employers’ workstations. Glasses for normal use are at the user’s own expense. Glasses needed specifically for display screen work should be paid for by the employer, but this liability is restricted to payment of a basic pair. If users wish to choose more costly appliances the employer is not obliged to pay for these, but may either provide a basic pair, or contribute a portion of the total cost of a luxury pair.

If an individual is allowed to choose their own glasses to correct eye or vision defects, which include display screen work but go wider than that, employers need contribute only the costs attributable to the requirements of the display screen work involved.

It should be noted that experience has shown that in most working populations only a minority (usually less than 10%) will need special corrective appliances for display screen work. Employees who need these may include users who already wear spectacles or contact lenses, or others who have uncorrected vision defects.

Anti-glare screens and other devices that purport to protect against radiation are not special corrective appliances.

A free leaflet is available from HSE Books (Tel: 01788 881165).
Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations (1992)HSE Books ISBN: 0717604101

Visit HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk

Health and Safety First Aid at Work Regulations require that first aid arrangements must be made for all staff. The level of cover needed should be risk assessment based and will depend on the numbers in the workplace and the risks created by work activities, the hours of work and so on. A first aider is someone who has undergone a training course approved by HSE.

Where a risk assessment identifies that a first aider is not necessary, the minimum requirement is to have an appointed person who can take charge when someone is injured or falls ill, including calling an ambulance if required. Appointed persons should not attempt to give first aid for which they have not been trained. Remember that an appointed person should be available at all times people are at work on site - this may mean appointing more than one.

Further assistance can be obtained from HSE Books.

* First aid at work. HSE Books L74, ISBN: 0717610500, £6.75
* First aid at work. HSE Books INDG 214, free for a single copy
* Basic advice on first aid at work. HSE Books INDG215, free for a single copy

To order publications from HSE Books visit www.hsebooks.co.uk

Visit HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk

There are several boxes on the health and safety at work poster which should be filled in:

Employee Representative
Place the name and contact details of the person who has been appointed or elected by the employees to represent them on issues relating to health and safety. If no one has been appointed or elected by the employees, and the employer consults directly with the employees, then this box is left blank. Leaflet number INDG 232 on the Consultation with Employees Regulations is available from HSE Books (Tel No 01787 881165).

Management Representative
Regulation 7 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999) states that every employer shall appoint one or more competent persons to assist him in undertaking the measures he needs to take to comply with the requirements imposed upon him by the regulations. This box is for the person appointed by the management, for Health and Safety, i.e. a health and safety adviser or officer.

Your enforcing authority for health and safety depends on the type of business you conduct. The HSE enforce over premises such as factories, building sites, mines, farms, fairgrounds, quarries, railways, chemical plant, offshore and nuclear installations, schools and hospitals. Their local office can be found in the telephone directory, and a map/list of all HSE regions is available on the web at:
www.hse.gov.uk/fod/fodhome.htm.

The Local Authority Environmental Health Departments enforce over premises such as retailing, some warehouses, most offices, hotels and catering, sports, leisure, consumer services and places of worship. Details of your local authority can be found in your local telephone directory.

Further information is available at:

The Employment Medical Advisory Service (EMAS), who have departments located at local HSE offices are the medical advisory service department of the HSE
www.hse.gov.uk/contact/infocentre.htm

Publications
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999), Approved Code of Practice, HSE Books L21 ISBN: 0717624889
The Consultation with Employees’ Regulations HSE Books
Safety Representatives and Safety Committees. Approved Code of Practice HSE Books L87, ISBN: 071761220 1 £5.75.
To order publications from HSE Books visit www.hsebooks.co.uk

It is worth clarifying the position in relation to the responsibilities of the Management Committee and the responsible person for health and safety matters within an organisation. Every management committee should appoint one of their number to be responsible for health & safety matters. It is also important that the committee, in carrying out their responsibilities, set out their expectations of senior managers with health and safety responsibilities and the arrangements for keeping the committee informed and advised of all relevant matters concerning performance. In the main the committee needs to accept formally and publicly its collective role in providing health and safety leadership within the organisation. The Health and Safety policy documentation needs to reflect this.

To assist with their duties each organisation must appoint competent individuals. Employers are solely responsible for ensuring that those they appoint to assist them with health and safety measures are competent to carry out the tasks they are assigned and are given adequate information and support. In making decisions on who to appoint, employers themselves need to know and understand the work involved, the principles of risk assessment and prevention, and current legislation and health and safety standards. Employers should ensure that anyone they appoint is capable of applying the above to whatever task they are assigned.

Notwithstanding the above specific requirements, all workers and volunteers have to:

* Co-operate with supervisors and managers on health and safety matters
* Not interfere with anything provided to safeguard their health and safety
* Take reasonable care of their own health and safety; and
* Report all health and safety concerns to an appropriate person

Further guidance:
Directors responsibilities for health and safety – INDG 343 - http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg343.pdf

If you are pregnant, have recently given birth or are breastfeeding, your employer must make sure that the kind of work you do and your working conditions will not put your own health or your baby's health at risk. There are specific laws which require your employer to protect you at work while you are pregnant as well as when you return to work as a new mum, including the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. To get the full benefit of this protection you must notify your employer in writing that you are pregnant or have recently given birth or are breastfeeding. Your employer may ask for a certificate from your GP or midwife, confirming you are pregnant.

Your employer should carry out a risk assessment of your working conditions and if any working conditions are found to be a risk to your health or your baby your employer must remove or reduce that risk. If the risks remain they must temporarily alter your working conditions or hours of work to remove the risk. If this is not possible your employer must offer you a suitable alternative job. If they can't offer you a suitable alternative job, your employer should suspend you on full pay for as long as is necessary to avoid the risks.

You also have the right to reasonable time off work for antenatal care and you have the right to be paid for this time off. The term 'Antenatal Care' can include time off for parent craft or relaxation classes as long as they are taken on the advice of your midwife or doctor.

For more information, visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/index.htm, call the Adviceline on 0800 019 2211 or email your query for professional advice and support.

This comes under the Health and Safety Personal Protective Equipment Regulations (1992). Where risks cannot be controlled by any other means, or where legislation requires its specific use, employees must be provided with suitable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). If PPE is required, it should be identified during the risk assessment process, and must be issued free of charge. If the company say safety footwear is required, the employee should not be asked to supply their own or even contribute to the cost. The caller stated that he would now go back to his line manager and explain the position.

Guidance can be found in Personal Protective Equipment at Work. HSE Books L25, and guidance on the regulations ISBN: 0717604152 £5.75
To order publications from HSE Books visit www.hsebooks.co.uk

This comes under the Health and Safety Personal Protective Equipment Regulations (1992). Where risks cannot be controlled by any other means, or where legislation requires its specific use, employees must be provided with suitable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). If PPE is required, it should be identified during the risk assessment process, and must be issued free of charge. If the company say safety footwear is required, the employee should not be asked to supply their own or even contribute to the cost. The caller stated that he would now go back to his line manager and explain the position.

Guidance can be found in Personal Protective Equipment at Work. HSE Books L25, and guidance on the regulations ISBN: 0717604152 £5.75
To order publications from HSE Books visit www.hsebooks.co.uk

Unfortunately things do, occasionally, go wrong at work and it is important to deal with the events following an incident in the specified manner.

You must record the details of incidents in your accident book. A new version of the accident book has recently been introduced to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998. Businesses must change their accident book to comply with the Act by 31 December 2003. The new publication, the HSE Accident Book (BI510) is available from HSE Books (see http://www.hsebooks.co.uk/pubf.html?4313 ).

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) require deaths or major injuries, over three days injuries, certain diseases and certain dangerous occurrences to be reported to the relevant enforcing authority, either the Environmental Health Department of your Local Authority or HSE (if you are not sure which consult the A-Z list of enforcement allocation at http://www.hse.gov.uk/lau/lacs/23-15.htm ).

Alternatively, accidents, diseases and dangerous occurrences may be reported to the Incident Contact Centre. The Centre was established on 1 April, 2001, as a single point of contact for receiving all incidents in the UK.

You can report incidents by any of the following routes:

Telephone - 0845 3009923 (available Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.00pm)

Internet - www.riddor.gov.uk

Form - by completing the relevant hard copy form and sending:
By fax - 0845 3009924
By post to:
Incident Contact Centre
Caerphilly Business Centre
Caerphilly Business Park
Caerphilly
CF83 3GG

You can still report directly to your local HSE Office or Local Authority by completing and sending the hard copy form. These are:

* F2508 - Report of an injury or dangerous occurrence
(download a Word template of this document here)
* F2508a - Report of a case of disease
These reports will be forwarded to the ICC for processing

Accident statistics show that the most common accidents in almost all workplaces are slips, trips and falls. Even a simple accident such as this will have a significant impact on any business. Accidents are very costly, you may need to employee a temp or incur overtime costs covering for this avoidable absence. It can also put additional demands on staff members required to cover for the absent employee. This incident should also be reported under RIDDOR.

Employers must ensure that floors are suitable, in good condition and free from obstructions. People must be able to move around the workplace safely. Look for slip and trip hazards around the office are floor coverings in good condition, spaces between desks and traffic routes kept clear and trailing cables avoided. You should carry out regular inspections to make sure that hazards are avoided. It is vital that prompt action is taken if any problems are identified.

This will need the cooperation of all staff so make sure everyone is aware of the required standards. Make sure there is enough storage space available so that staff are not tempted to place items on the floor. The particular issue with the location of the shredder should be looked at. Is there somewhere in the office where it can be located that means employees will not trip over it.

While having someone off work can be an inconvenience the important issue here is to ensure that your employee does not suffer permanent ill health. If he has to stop working both the he and the company will suffer.
Find out if the absence is related to his exposure to the product being used to spray the wood. If it is classified as a hazardous substance under the COSHH regulations. You should have a risk assessment. I would consider referral to occupational health to ascertain if his ‘sore chest’ is related to this exposure

The supplier of your spray must provide you with a Material Data Safety Sheet (MSDS) and you can use the COSHH e-coshh essential website to give you further information on the properties of the spray and the effects it can have on health. Also consider industrial hygiene sampling to determine if the exposure to the spray is above the WEL (workplace exposure limit).

You should look at alternatives to using or spraying this product. Can you purchase timber pre – treated? Is there an alternative product that is safer? Can the product be painted on rather than sprayed? These measures will eliminate or reduce the risks from spraying this product.

Personal Protective Equipment should only be considered when all other controls are not reasonable. A dust mask will not provide suitable protection for any sprayed product. A suitable half or full-face respirator may be required. As an employer you should consider adjusting or limiting his work activities until you have an accurate diagnosis, or until you implement additional controls to reduce exposure.

The Working Time Regulations (1998) state that a worker is entitled to an uninterrupted break of 20 minutes when daily working time is more than six hours. It should be a break in working time and should not be taken either at the start or at the end of a working day.

Regulation 10 of the Working Time Regulations (1998) states that a worker is entitled to a rest period of 11 consecutive hours rest in each 24 hour period during which he works for his employer. However, there are a number of special circumstances in which the entitlement to rest periods does not apply, for example, where the activities involve a need for continuity of service or production, or where there is a foreseeable surge of activity. Also, if a shift worker changes shift, it may be possible for them to take their full rest entitlement before starting the new pattern of work. In such a case the entitlement to daily and weekly rest does not apply.

An adult worker is also entitled to one day off a week, but this can be averaged over two weeks.

There are also different requirements for young or adolescent workers. If a young worker is required to work more than four and a half hours at a time, then they are entitled to a break of thirty minutes. A young worker is also entitled to twelve uninterrupted hours each twenty-four hour period in which they work. Both these entitlements can only be altered or excluded in exceptional circumstances. Young workers are also entitled to two days off each week and this cannot be averaged over two weeks.

There is a free guidance book and leaflet produced by the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry), which can provide more information. These publications are available from the DTI on Tel: 0845 6000 925 and the references are URN 00/633 for the book and URN 00/632 for the leaflet.

In addition to the Working Time Regulations, an employer also has a duty of care towards employees under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (1974). The general duty imposed on all employers is to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees.

If you require further advice regarding work rest breaks, please contact ACAS at Frawborough House, 123 Bothwell Street, Glasgow G2 7J. ACAS enforce these sections of the regulations, while HSE enforce the parts of the regulations dealing with the 48-hour week, night work limits, night work health assessments and workforce and collective agreements.

Although there is a recommended minimum temperature for indoor workplaces there is no similar recommended maximum temperature.
The Approved code of Practice for the Workplace regulations says that the temperature in all workrooms inside buildings shall be reasonably comfortable during working hours without the need to wear special clothing.

The minimum temperature in workrooms should normally be at least 16oC unless much of the work involves severe physical effort in which case the temperature should be at least 13 oC. It’s not always just a matter of temeprature, you may also need to consider other factors such as air movement and relative humidity.

There is no maximum temeprature for workplaces however there may be some exeptions for workplaces such as bakeries, foundries and coldstores where it would be impracticable to maintain these temperatures. However all reasonable steps should be taken to achieve a temperature which is as close as possible to comfortable. The HSE guide to thermal comfort in the workplace says that an acceptable zone of thermal comfort for most people in the UK lies roughly between 13°C (56°F) and 30°C (86°F). But depending on the nature of the work people could suffer at the upper and lower limits.

Where the temperature imight uncomfortably high, for example because of hot processes or the design of the building, reasonable steps should be taken to try and achieve a comfortable temperature,you could look at measures such as insulating hot plant such as boilers and heating pipes, providing air-cooling plant, shading windows by using blinds, screens or films and siting work areas and people away from places subject to radiant heat.

You could also look at local cooling In extremely hot weather fans and increased ventilation may be used instead of local cooling. If conditions are such that workers are still uncomfortable in hot conditions at work you should consider other measures such as job rotation, more frequent breaks and access to cool drinks. In cold conditions suitable protective clothing and rest facilities and provision of hot drinks may be of some help.