Building owners in the UK are struggling to meet a basic new asbestos regulation

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Building owners in the UK are struggling to meet
a basic new asbestos regulation
Olive Learning
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Due to its strength, durability, and resistance
to fire and water, asbestos was widely used in
building products until the 1990s. However, after
some researches, Worksafe now reports asbestos
as being worlds number one killer in the
workplace and believe around 170 people die each
year from asbestos-related diseases. The Health
and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016
were introduced to try and protect the workers
as possible from exposure to asbestos fibers in
the workplace. Currently, building owners or
occupiers who manage or control a workplace must
ensure and have made clear that asbestos or
asbestos-containing materials are identified at
the workplace. Also, after introducing these
rules and regulations some industrial building
owners are struggling to meet a basic necessity
to have an asbestos management plan to deal with
the hazardous material if it is found in their
buildings. Asbestos management is really
important to those who deal with asbestos
continuously. Building owners and occupiers are
currently required to conduct an asbestos survey
of all buildings in their workplace. When
asbestos is found, the building owner and
occupier must keep a record of the location and
condition of the asbestos, update their risk
register indicating the presence and location of
asbestos or asbestos-containing materials. The
Health and Safety at Work Regulations on
asbestos mean that property owners with a
property which
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• is operating as a workplace must not only
  identify whether asbestos is present but have an
  asbestos management plan in place.
• New measures to prevent asbestos contamination
  during renovations and demolitions could prove
  costly for building owners, but industry leaders
  say change is well overdue. Health and safety
  consultants report a big jump in demand for
  asbestos surveys of commercial buildings, but
  they're also struggling to find the suitably
  qualified staff to do the work.
• An asbestos management plan is a written plan,
  which must contain information about
• The identification of asbestos or
  asbestos-containing material in the site,
• The decisions, including reasons, on how the risk
  arising from the asbestos is to be managed
• The procedures for detailing incidents or
  emergencies involving asbestos or
  asbestos-containing material in the workplace
  and
• Information and training that will be provided to
  the workers.
• Roles and responsibilities and
• Health monitoring regularly in the workplace.
• The new regulations mainly apply to commercial
  properties, but they also apply to residential
  properties in certain situations, for example, if
  the property is undergoing renovation, repair or
  maintenance work.