Asbestos Awareness Training

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous material that’s been a popular building material since the mid-20th century, all the way up until 1999. The fibres are long, thin and flexible, which gives them excellent protective properties against fire and corrosion. Unfortunately, these fibres are also devastating to human health, as they cannot be broken down by the human body, and can cause fatal diseases, leading to the total outlawing of asbestos materials just before 2000.

Because asbestos is often mixed with another material, it can be hard to know if you’re working with it or not. But if you work in a building built before 2000, it’s likely that some parts of it will contain asbestos.

Why is asbestos so dangerous?

If inhaled, asbestos fibres commonly lodge in the lungs, which is a leading cause of certain cancers. The HSE’s ‘Hidden Killers’ campaign has highlighted the dangers of asbestos related diseases, such as mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural thickening, amongst others.

These diseases will not affect you immediately – they often develop over months or even years, but once diagnosed, it is often too late to do anything. Each year, approximately 4000 people die of asbestos-related illnesses, making it a bigger killer than road accidents.

Who is Asbestos Awareness Training aimed at?

Asbestos Awareness training is essential for employees whose work has the potential to expose them to asbestos.

Regulation 10 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 (CAR2006) makes it the responsibility of employers to ensure their staff have undergone suitable asbestos awareness training, so that they are fully prepared for the risks they may face in the vicinity of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs), and can react swiftly and decisively in response to any developing hazards.

This training is necessary for any individual whose job may potentially expose them to the risk of asbestos. This covers anyone whose work is likely to disturb the fabric of a building or structure, even superficially. This includes (but is not limited to): paint stripping, drilling, removing wall boards, roof sheets, or ceiling tiles.

• The properties of asbestos and its effect on health, with a particular focus on its contribution to the heightened risk of lung cancer in smokers
• The types, uses and likely occurrence of Asbestos and ACMs in buildings, plant and equipment
• The general procedures to be followed when dealing with an emergency in the event of the uncontrolled release of Asbestos dust into the workplace
• How to specifically avoid the risks from Asbestos