Who is at risk?

As long as asbestos is in good condition and is not being, or going to be, disturbed or damaged, there is NO risk. But if it is disturbed or damaged, it can become a danger to health, because fibres can be released into the air and people can breathe them in.

Anyone who uses your premises, be it a visitor, employee or maintenance personnel, can be at risk if they are exposed to where asbestos has deteriorated or has been damaged and is releasing fibres. In particular, anyone involved in drilling, sawing or cutting into the fabric of the building could be at risk.

The scientific evidence on exactly what exposures cause disease is unclear. But what is extremely clear is the fact that the more fibres breathed in, the greater the risk to health. That is why it is important that Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM’s) are identified and that everyone who works with them should take appropriate precautions.

In very brief terms, the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2006 make it very clear that if you own, occupy, manage, or have responsibility for non-domestic premises which may contain asbestos, you will have a legal duty to either manage the asbestos risk or will have a legal duty to co-operate with whoever manages that risk.

Read on to see more about how the asbestos law affects you and why it’s important to avoid very severe penalties for non-compliance.