HSE Manual for office based employees

APPENDIX 2 ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT

Consult with your Regional HSE Advisor to confirm whether or not there is asbestos in

your office. If NO, ignore this Appendix.

A2.1 Introduction a
Most Taylor Wimpey Offices are of recent construction and do not

contain asbestos. If this is not the case, an Asbestos Management

Plan is required in order to ensure compliance with the Control of WARNING
Asbestos at Work Regulations and other relevant legislation, with CONTAINS
the aim of preventing, as far as reasonably practicable, exposure to ASBESTOS
asbestos.
Breathing asbestos
dust is dangerous

to health

Follow safety
instructions

A2.2 The Asbestos Management Plan

The Asbestos Register gives details on the location, type, quantity and condition of
asbestos-containing materials identified in the property. If you cannot locate the Register,
contact your Regional HSE Advisor.

There are three documents, which, together with the Asbestos Register and this
procedure, constitutes the Asbestos Management Plan. Blanks of these forms can be
downloaded from the TWUK onsite Intranet – HSE channel – Office Manual
Documents.

 Asbestos Log – a record of construction work carried out in the office that could
potentially disturb asbestos.

TAYLOR WIMPEY UK
ASBESTOS LOG

Property:…………………………..
Page:……

Name Contractor Company Location of work Nature of work Will work Contractor Work authorised -
name disturb any signature Office Manager
asbestos?* signature

*Areas that have not been accessed to inspect should be presumed to contain asbestos until proven otherwise.

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 Asbestos Incident Form – a record of unplanned disturbance and/or damage to
building materials or plant and services that contain or may contain asbestos.

TAYLOR WIMPEY UK 4. Any Further Action Required
ASBESTOS INCIDENT FORM
For example, details of cleaning, removals required etc. or none in the case where materials were
1. General Details found not to contain asbestos

Property: Office Manager:
Location of incident: Time:
Date:

2. Details of Incident

Include details of materials involved, what happened, damage incurred, presence of dust and debris,
personnel present etc.

Signed: Print name:
Date: Time:

Signed: Print name: 5. Action Taken
Date: Time: For example, materials removed (cross-reference to permit to work etc).

3. Action Taken

For example isolation of area, personnel contacted (e.g. Health, Safety and Environment Director,
Asbestos Consultant), inspection and sampling activities etc

Signed: Print name:

Signed: Print name:
Date: Time:

 Asbestos Condition Monitoring Form – for recoding inspections of asbestos
containing materials recorded in the Asbestos Register at the frequency stated in
the Register. Completed forms should be appended to the Register.

Any significant changes in the condition or seal of any asbestos item or a change in
use of the area that would increase the likelihood of people being exposed should be
brought to the attention of the Office Manager/Administrator. Advice should also be
sought from the TWUK Environmental advice line 0845 003 8752. Any required
remedial action will then be decided upon.

TAYLOR WIMPEY UK
ASBESTOS CONDITION MONITORING FORM

Property:……………………………………………
Page:….

Date Location Description Damage Condition Debris / Overall Changed Change in use Inspector Action to be Action close-
of seal dust? Condition since last of area since
inspection? last inspection? taken out

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The procedures are summarised in the following Asbestos Management Action List:

ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT ACTION LIST (if applicable)

Conduct a Management Asbestos Survey of the TWUK property
(Location and assessment survey, presumptive or sampling (minor intrusion)
Review the survey results to ascertain any removal/remedial works required
Arrange for these works to be carried out
Prepare an Asbestos Management Plan to include:

 Regular monitoring of the condition of these materials
 Procedures for controlling those conducting maintenance/construction works
 Procedures for action to take in the event of an incident
 Defining the responsibilities of employees and external contractors
Arrange:
 Training for employees as required
 A source of specialist asbestos advice

 Environmental advice line 0845 003 8752

Your Regional HSE Advisor will provide the necessary details and responsibilities if an
Asbestos Management Plan is required for your premises.

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A2.3 Planned Works Procedure < PRIOR TO WORKS > < DURING WORKS >

START



Consult the Asbestos Register

Works likely to Y
disturb asbestos? Consult with Regional HSE Advisor

N

Y Can works be
replanned to avoid disturbing

 Y asbestos?
N
Are works likely to

affect an area not

surveyed?

NY Can works be
replanned to avoid

the area?

N

When contractor arrives on site – Contact your Regional HSE
confirm the scope of the works Advisor who will assist with
identifying suitable controls

Y Has scope changed?



N

Make Contractor aware of any asbestos in the vicinity of the working area.
Contractor and Office Manager/Administrator to complete and sign the
Asbestos Log.

 Further asbestos Possible asbestos
suspected - disturbed or
The contractor damaged –
wishes to change the Contractor to report see section 4.5
to Office Manager/ Incidents
scope of works.
Administrator.

 Office Manager/Administrator

to Contact Regional HSE
Advisor

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The Finance Director, with the assistance of the Office Manager/Administrator, is the
person responsible for the control of planned works at the property. The scope of
planned works can be wide and could, for example, include:

 replacing a broken light fitting to a ceiling;
 replacing a valve on a heating or hot water pipe;
 putting up a set of shelves on the wall of an office;
 servicing the boiler;
 installing wall partitions to create more offices; and

 general ongoing maintenance work.

Note that any reference to a contractor in this document applies equally to in-house
personnel carrying out works as well as external contractors.

The flowchart below outlines the procedures to be followed.

The Asbestos Register (see section A2.2) gives details of materials that have been
identified as containing asbestos at the property. Any works, however minor, that affect
these materials could disturb asbestos. The survey will have been largely non-intrusive,
meaning that any area that could not be accessed without incurring damage would not
have been inspected. This would include the following:

 Above fixed ceiling tiles;
 Below floor coverings and within floor voids;
 Behind walls and cladding;
 Within boxing; and
 Within fire doors.

In addition, where there are areas that may not have been
inspected for health and safety reasons such as:

 Electrical plant and services;
 Gas plant and services;
 Interiors of plant and services such as tanks, pipes, air-

conditioning plant, boilers, heaters, ducting;
 Lift shafts; and
 Areas at height (above 3 m).

The specific limitations will be outlined in the survey document.

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Examples of how this might apply:

 Replacing a light fitting to a ceiling would have been covered by the survey, as the
ceiling material would have been inspected. Removing part of a fixed ceiling to
replace some wiring associated with the light fitting would not be covered by the
survey as no access would have been gained above the fixed ceiling.

 Putting up a set of shelves on a wall would have been covered by the survey, as
the wall material would have been inspected. Demolishing the wall to create a
larger room would not have been covered by the survey, as the wall cavity would
not have been inspected.

 Repairing a valve on a pipe running along a wall would have been covered by the
survey, as the pipe would have been accessible for inspection. Breaking out
boxing to access a pipe in order to repair a valve would not have been covered,
as the area within the boxing would not have been accessible for inspection.

 Installing a new cable above a suspended ceiling of the type where the tiles can
be pushed up would have been covered by the survey, as the ceiling void would
have been inspected. Installing the cable above a suspended ceiling where the
tiles are fixed in position would not have been covered, as no access would have
been gained to the void to inspect.

 Fixing a leak in the cold water tank in the roof space would have been covered by
the survey if there was good access available and a floor within the roof space. It
would not have been covered by the survey if, for example, the access hatch was
situated at height above a stairwell or there was no floor in the roof space, which
meant that access could not be gained to inspect.

 Fixing a leak in the roof may not have been covered where the roof was at height
and no access could be gained to inspect.

 Repairing a leak to a toilet cistern that is accessible and visible would have been
covered by the survey but repairing a leak to a cistern that is boxed in behind the
wall of the toilet cubicle would not have been covered as no access would have
been available to inspect.

 Painting a length of boxing in an office would have been covered, as the boxing
material would have been inspected. Removing the boxing would not have been
covered as this would affect any materials within the boxing which would not have
been inspected due to lack of access.

THE SURVEY DOCUMENT MUST BE READ IN ORDER TO ASCERTAIN THE
SPECIFIC AREAS THAT WERE NOT SURVEYED.

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A2.4 Incidents

An incident is any situation that is unplanned and leads to the disturbance and/or damage
to building materials or plant/services that contain or may contain asbestos, for example:

 Water leaks;
 Vandalism, break-in;
 Fire/flood;
 Accidental damage; and
 Unauthorised maintenance works.

The procedure as illustrated in the flow-chart below should be followed and details
entered on the Asbestos Incident Form. A copy of the form can be downloaded from
the TWUK onsite Intranet – HSE channel – Office Manual Documents (see section
A2.2).

Consult the Asbestos Register

N Are any of Y
the damaged/disturbed
Was the area materials listed as containing
surveyed?
asbestos?

Isolate affected area (e.g. by
shutting door to office) and

remove personnel

N

Y Y

Any Contact you Regional HSE
reason to suspect Advisor
asbestos? (e.g. training, local

knowledge).

N

No requirement to complete Record details of incident and
Asbestos Incident Form action taken on Asbestos
Incident Form and copy to:
 Property Manager and
 HSE Director

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