NEWS RELEASE
PR 1747
For Immediate
Release
26 May 2004
New asbestos
rules come into force
NEW rules to
reduce the risk of exposure to asbestos in the workplace have just
come into force.
Bath & North East Somerset Council’s
Environmental Protection Team are advising that many buildings used
by businesses in the area contain asbestos.
Under the new regulations anyone
responsible for business premises must check for asbestos and take
the appropriate action if it is found. The Health and Safety
Executive estimate that these new regulations will save over 5,000
lives over the next 50 years.
Simon Harwood, Environmental
Protection Manager, said: “The new duty will help protect the
largest group of workers at risk from an asbestos related disease –
building and maintenance workers. The new rules require those who
have responsibility to maintain and repair commercial premises to
assess whether there is asbestos present.
“They will then need to remove it or
manage it according to the condition of the asbestos. Information
on the location and condition of these materials must be given to
anyone likely to disturb it. The worker will then be in a position
to avoid contact with the material. Bath and North East Somerset
Council has published a Health and Safety Handbook which includes
information about how businesses should manage risks from asbestos.
It is given out to all businesses during routine health and safety
inspections.”
For more details contact the Health
and Safety Executive’s information hotline on Tel: 08701 545500 or
the South West office in Bristol on Tel: 0117 9886000.
For more
information, contact:
Keith Fowler,
Principal Environmental Health Officer, on Tel: 01225 396914 or
e-mail keith_fowler@bathnes.gov.uk
Simon Harwood, Environmental
Protection Manager, on Tel: 01225 477555 or e-mail simon_harwood@bathnes.gov.uk
Issued by: Bath
& North East Somerset Press Office, tel 01225 477827 or 477283,
email: pressoffice@bathnes.gov.uk |
