There are several types of materials known as asbestos, and three of those types were widely used in building materials up until the year 2000, when they were finally outlawed by the UK government after an initial ban was imposed in 1985. The industry was so powerful that it was allowed 15 years to deplete its stockpiles.
So, what does that mean to you, the worker?
Asbestos-Containing Materials (ACMs) were installed in buildings up to and including the year 2000. Artex, putty, pipe lagging, insulation, and soundproofing could all contain ACMs. Therefore, any worker who is breaking the fabric of a building—such as cutting, grinding, drilling, or breaking—must be able to recognize suspect materials and must receive annual training to refresh that information.
All buildings completed prior to 2001 must have Asbestos Management Plans and Asbestos Surveys, indicating where within the property asbestos has been discovered and how its condition is managed.
Every refurbishment and demolition (R&D) project on buildings completed before 2001 must have R&D surveys carried out for ACMs, and all ACMs must be removed by licensed contractors before refurbishment or demolition.
This information could genuinely save your life, as asbestos is a Class A carcinogen and will (over time) cause cancer, mesothelioma, COPD, and many other pleural diseases that can eventually be fatal.
Companies are required to have policies in place to manage risks to their workers and to control the risk of exposure. Make sure you know how to recognize ACMs.
Why MyRamsApp
From our experience, we’ve seen that contractors often rely on poor-quality Word or Excel templates found online, spending up to eight hours a month editing and adapting RAMS. These documents frequently fail to gain first-time approval, causing costly delays, disrupting project schedules, and complicating labour logistics. MyRAMSapp eliminates these issues by providing RAMS specifically designed for single-trade specialist contractors, saving time and reducing costs.
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