Tips for Managing Asbestos in Educational Institutions
Asbestos has been a critical safety concern for decades. Despite this, recent Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspections have highlighted that it remains a significant issue in some educational settings. While many schools have implemented effective procedures to manage asbestos, some are still falling short, with outdated registers and incomplete management plans being identified as key concerns.
Join WorkNest to learn how to manage your asbestos, update your asbestos management plan, and meet HSE requirements so you can maintain a safe environment and ensure your school is inspection-ready.
26 September, 9.30 am - 10.30 am
What's on the agenda?
Effective asbestos management protects the health of staff and pupils and ensures legal compliance, preventing potential legal and financial repercussions for educational institutions. With the HSE having recently carried out 400 inspections in schools across Great Britain, is your organisation taking all necessary steps to keep people safe?
In this free one-hour session, WorkNest’s Regional Health & Safety Manager, Maria Leonard, will explain everything you need to know to manage asbestos correctly within an educational setting. We will cover:
- Asbestos survey requirements: Learn about the different types of asbestos surveys (management and refurbishment & demolition) and how to evaluate results to identify the presence and condition of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). Plus, discover the steps to take post-survey, including communicating the findings to relevant stakeholders.
- Developing and maintaining an asbestos management plan: Get insights into the HSE’s recommendations for improving asbestos management plans in schools. Discover best practices for documenting and updating the plan, defining clear roles and responsibilities, and how Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) can adapt plans to individual sites while maintaining a cohesive approach.
- Training and responsibilities in asbestos management: Find out more about the areas for improvement identified by the HSE in regard to asbestos-related training within educational institutions. Plus, understand who should oversee different aspects of the asbestos management plan (including maintenance staff, headteachers, and governing bodies) and what training programs and resources are available to ensure everyone is adequately informed and equipped to handle asbestos safely.
- Managing and monitoring asbestos: Understand the HSE’s requirements for annual monitoring of asbestos, best practices for maintaining accurate and up-to-date records of ACMs, and how to implement a robust monitoring system (including regular site inspections and timely updates to the asbestos management plan) to ensure ongoing compliance and safety.
Have a question for our host?
Do you have a question about how to manage asbestos within your setting? Please submit your question in the form, and our host will aim to address as many of them as we can at the end of the session.
Exposure to ACMs can cause serious diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis. These materials were commonly used in the construction of school buildings before being banned in 1999, and many schools still contain a significant amount of them, making proper monitoring and management essential.
In recent years, the HSE has been actively inspecting schools to ensure compliance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. In 2022/23, it revealed that whilst most educational institutions effectively manage asbestos, some still have significant failings such as outdated surveys and incomplete management plans. Common issues included a lack of up-to-date asbestos survey, incomplete asbestos management plans, and inadequate regular monitoring of ACMs.
The HSE emphasises the need for schools to maintain comprehensive asbestos management plans that outline responsibilities, ensure regular monitoring, and provide clear procedures for dealing with any asbestos disturbances. Schools are also required to train staff and contractors on asbestos risks and management practices.
Register for free webinar
IOSH Managing Health & Safety Risks in the Education Sector
This exclusive course has been specially designed by WorkNest based on our extensive knowledge and experience of working with schools, colleges and other education and training providers. Largely equivalent to the IOSH Managing Safely course, it focuses solely on the Education sector and is compressed into two days in recognition of the limited time you have available.
Webinar review
“Having attended a few WorkNest webinars, I am always impressed with the no-nonsense, well-balanced guidance they provide. Their advice gives me confidence to deal with situations that may arise in an appropriate way and the fact that they follow up with answers to all the questions posed during the webinar is an added bonus.”
Mary Greig, Scaled Solutions
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