HML’s Client Ensure Proper Asbestos Management
This newsletter focuses on our client, Kershaw Contracting Services, part of The Kershaw Group. Kershaw Contracting Services provide insulation and asbestos management, for both the private and public sectors, as well as private households.
Hayward Miller are contracted to work on the asbestos management side of the business, to help increase sales and contribute to the continued success of Kershaw.
Hayward Miller are proud to be working with a client who provide such an important service. Repeated exposure to asbestos fibres can lead to diseases such as Pleural Mesothelioma, a type of cancer, which unfortunately takes around 20 years to present any symptoms, so can be very dangerous. The UK has one of the highest rates of Mesothelioma in the world due partly to the fact that the UK Government permitted the use of asbestos for much longer than many other countries. In 1992, it became illegal to make new products containing asbestos and, in 1999, the selling and fixing of materials containing the mineral was banned.
Who is most at risk?
According to The Mesothelioma Center (Asbestos.com), the top 5 at-risk occupations for asbestos-related diseases are as follows:
• Construction Workers e.g. demolition crews, home renovators
• Firefighters – from airborne fibres and protective clothing
• Industrial Workers e.g. mechanics, foremen, trade labourers, chemical workers, machinery operators
• Power Plant Workers – from heat-resistant products
• Shipyard Workers – shipbuilders pre-1980 as well as those who served onboard ships
Other workers at risk in the UK include HVAC engineers, Plasterers, Roofing Contractors, Painters, Pipe Fitters, Maintenance Workers, and even Teachers.
Anyone with responsibility for the repair and maintenance of non-domestic premises, either through ownership or through a tenancy agreement or contract, must comply with the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations, which can be found here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/632/contents/made
How can our client help?
Kershaw Contracting Services offer:
• UKAS accredited asbestos surveys
• HSE-licensed asbestos removal
• Asbestos encapsulation
• Asbestos management advice
Kershaw provides a complete asbestos management solution at a competitive price. They can work with any type of property, from domestic housing to listed buildings.
What makes Kershaw stand out from other asbestos management companies is their tablet-based data collection system, which saves more than half the time and automatically builds a report as the survey is being conducted. This reduces the duration of the work to three or four days. Kershaw then create a management plan to address the findings, which can easily be shared with others working within the building’s structure.
When it comes to asbestos removal, Kershaw guarantees the minimum amount of disruption to your business. They can also offer more cost-effective solutions by using one of two methods of encapsulation. Kershaw offers annual inspections after the work has been done, to make sure you continue to comply with your legal duties to regularly inspect the building.
Kershaw’s accreditations include PAS 2030:2014, ISO 140001, ISO 9001:2008 and ISO/IEC 17020:2012 (for asbestos surveys).