Licensed asbestos contractors facing review to ensure highest health and safety standards
Date published:
An initiative aimed at licensed asbestos removal contractors will be undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) in the new year.
The inspection campaign will check the Plans of Work produced by licensed contractors to ensure they are fully assessing all risks and taking every necessary step to protect both their works and members of the public.
Although Plans of Work are submitted by licensed contractors at the time of notification, these plans are also required for non-licensed and notifiable non-licensed works. These risk assessments and Plans of Work should be proportionate to the scale and risks of the works being undertaken.
HSENI Acting Principal Inspector Julian Richmond said the inspections were vital to protecting health as asbestos remains a major killer of trades people in Northern Ireland. He said: “This isn’t a box ticking exercise - this is a crucial, comprehensive review to save lives and keep people healthy. Once the fibres of asbestos get into your lungs the damage can be devastating and permanent so we must ensure every licenced contractor is assessing the risks comprehensively and are complying with Legislation and current guidance to protect everyone impacted by the work they are doing.
“A condition of the contractor’s license is the provision of a suitable and sufficient Plan of Work which, along with all assessments, must be prepared by a competent person, who has knowledge and experience of the type of work, best practice and is familiar with all the current control measures.”
When undertaking licensable work, notification must be submitted, along with details of the proposed work, to HSENI at least 14 days before work starts. This allows proposals for carrying out work with asbestos are assessed and if appropriate, to inspect the site either before and/or during the work.
Full notification consists of:
- a completed ASB5-NI form
- a suitable and sufficient site-specific Plan of Work (including reference to the current version of the company’s standard procedures)
- a copy of the current asbestos licence
The 14-day notification period commences only once all information has been received.
To assist companies in preparing for this initiative, they can view the following guidance links:
- Managing and working with asbestos - (hse.gov.uk)
- Asbestos Regulation 7 plans of work – purpose and core principles - (arca.org.uk)
- ALU - Asbestos Liaison Group - Memo 04 12 - Suitable and sufficient plans of work (aka method statements) - (arca.org.uk)
- Work with asbestos that needs a licensed contractor - (hse.gov.uk)
- Risk assessments and plans of work - (hse.gov.uk)
HSENI Inspectors will be reviewing Plans of Work submitted at the time of notification and where further information or clarification is required, action will be taken to address these directly with the licensed contractor.
The HSENI’s Workplace Health Campaign statistics show there were 15 Asbestosis work-related deaths in 2022.
Notes to editors :
- The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body, sponsored by the Department for the Economy (DfE), and is the lead body responsible for the promotion and enforcement of health and safety at work standards in Northern Ireland: www.hseni.gov.uk.
- For media enquiries please contact: HSENI Press Office on 028 9024 3249 or by email: media@hseni.gov.uk. For out of hours please contact Duty Press Officer 028 9037 8110.