10 tips of save you a small fortune on asbestos management · 10 tips of save you a small fortune...

10 TIPS OF SAVE YOU A SMALL FORTUNE ON ASBESTOS MANAGEMENT

3

Introduction

If you are responsible for procuring a project involving a building built before 2000 the chances are it maywell contain some asbestos. Since 1999 it has been illegal to use asbestos containing materials (ACMs) inconstruction or refurbishment. However asbestos was used extensively as a building material in GreatBritain from the 1950s through to the mid-1980s and much of it is still in place.

It is estimated that 2.4 million homes and as much as 75% of commercial, industrial and municipal buildingsstill contain some asbestos containing materials.

According to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) asbestos accounts for over 4,000 deaths each year in theUK. Given the long delay between first exposure and the onset of disease (15-60 years) and its widespreaduse after the war this number is expected to go on rising for at least the next ten years.

Asbestos is therefore a key healthy & safety issue which needs to be managed at the outset and throughoutthe lifetime of demolition, refurbishment or maintenance projects.

It is estimated that managing asbestos accounts for 10% of the cost of demolition and as much as 5% ofspend on refurbishment projects is allocated to the identification, removal and reporting asbestoscontaining materials.

The following document provides 10 tips to enable you to minimise the amount you spend on managingasbestos without compromising the safety of those involved. The suggestions have been compiled byexperts in all disciplines from surveying to analytical work and removals at asbestos consultancy GlobalEnvironmental and licenced removals contractor, Clifford Devlin.

It is unlikely that all ten tips will be applicable to your individual circumstances but, even if you find just twoor three useful, this short read will have been valuable.

Paul Clarke-ScholesAsbestos Consultant, Clifford Devlin

Note: All of the advice contained in this document is consistent with current best practice pertaining toasbestos management. If implemented correctly none of our suggestions will compromise the integrity ofthe process involved or the health & safety of those affected by it.


4

Share as much information as possible with your asbestos consultancy/s to minimise the cost of an R&D survey

Unlike Management surveys, R&D asbestos surveystarget only the areas which are likely to be disturbed bythe building works.

If you are procuring or pricing forthcoming works forwhich a scope has been prepared - pass this to yourconsultancies in advance or publish this as part of theInvitation to Tender so that they can accurately assessthe area and locations that they will need to survey.

On large or complex projects you may wish to inviteprospective consultants to visit site so they can see forthemselves the location of the works

Sitting down at the planning stage with the consultant isvital to ensure that only the planned refurbishmentareas are targeted for the survey.

It is not necessary to blanket an entire property orhousing archetype raising survey costs and potentialreinstatement costs. We can focus on what is actuallyrequired.

This will therefore affect:

● Survey time - a greater yield of surveys per daybased on day rates

● Less impact on the occupants - reducing potentialfor costly complaints

● A reduction in reinstatement costs if there aredelays in programmes

CASE STUDY

The refurbishment and demolitionsurvey will only be necessary in thespecific area/location where theworks will take place, eg cupboard,part of a room, kitchen/bathroom.

HSG 264

An order was received to carry out an R&D surveyto a flat in this property. After the surveyorarrived it was quickly realised that the propertyhad a significant value to it due to the extensiveand expensive decorations.

After an impromptu conference call with thedevelopers and the buyers it was apparent thatno consideration had been made to the impact ofa full scale R&D. A management survey wascarried out but revealed little due to a lack ofscope from the client and only surface areasinspected. We have subsequently returned tocarry out a specific R&D to areas affected only byreinstatement works.

During this second attendance the scope changedagain from the developers and a third visit willnow need to be made. Our works could haveeasily been completed on the first visit withcareful planning and involving the consultancy atthe outset.

The survey cost has now trebled. After speakingto the client subsequently when the plans hadbeen finalised it transpires that that the originalsurveyor inspection was adequate.

1 Share your information


5

Minimise damage caused during asbestos works to reduce the costs of reinstatement

Asbestos surveying and removal works, by their verynature are intrusive procedures and damage to thefabric of properties is an inevitable consequence of thediscipline. However, there are a number of techniqueswhich consultancies and contractors can use tominimise damage and reduce the costs of re-instatement.

Many surveyors now use endoscopes to identify ACMsin concealed areas such as voids, cavities or behindsemi-permanent fixtures. This can reduce the diameterof the cavity required to access these areas fromapprox 50mm to 10-15mm.

The financial benefit of this will be realised if the worksare cancelled or indefinitely postponed for whateverreason. In such circumstances, intrusions created bythe survey need to be fully re-instated.

Smaller holes can be reinstated using quick drying fillerand paint while larger intrusions may requirereplacement of building and potentially a second visit ifthe hole required bonding and skimming and takingdrying time into account for the painting.

The value of this will be realised fully when dealing inlarge refurb programmes involving say, affordablehousing.

Disassembly of asbestos removal enclosures, which aretypically fixed to existing structures using tape/aerosoladhesive and foam to seal any gaps, can also causedamage to the decorative order.

There are techniques that can be used to prevent orminimise damage: Timber members wedged at asuitable point, say between two walls can be used toaffix correx sheeting rather than fixing directly to thewall. An experienced operative should also know how tolap the polythene so that the majority of, if not all, thetaped joints are on the inside and the polythene is notfixed to the existing structure at all.

2 Limit the damage


6

Areas that are excluded from an R&D survey will require a second visit before the works

If surveyors are unable to access a location withoutcausing significant damage that would leave thepremises unfit for occupation/re-occupation they areduty bound to identify these locations as inaccessibleand exclude them from the report.

This can cause significant additional costs of a secondvisit to access the excluded area before the workscommence.

You can avoid some of the additional, unforeseen costsof re-visits, by instructing the Facilities or Site Managerto facilitate as much access as possible for the survey.Ideally they will escort the surveyor around the buildingor provide a full set of keys. In circumstances whereducting, closed risers or obstacles are preventing fullaccess ask them to organise specialist labour to provide"opening-up works" on-the-spot. This might soundexpensive but this will have to be done at some pointbefore the works start - you might as well get this donein one visit.

Usually areas like this will be identified by the surveyorat the outset and communicated to the projectmanager.

● Area was locked

● Area is enclosed i.e. void, duct

● location is too high to access using ladder

● Plant not isolated

● Biological hazards that prevent a surveyorentering

● Structural issues - unsafe access

● Inhabited areas

● Sensitive areas that require constantoccupation- security etc

● Specialist trades for some areas like liftshafts etc

REASONS FOR EXCLUSIONS

On smaller projects these will need to be identifiedprior so that a dual visit with a specialist trade and thesurveyor can be arranged. High level access can be aco-operative arrangement by waiting until the erectionof scaffolding or combined use of a scissor lift withother trades rather than a separate stand-alonearrangement that will need to be duplicated later in theproject.

CASE STUDY

Global Environmental's survey teamsencountered some problems accessing areasthat fell outside the scope of the HSE's surveyguidance e.g. hidden risers and areasobstructed by kitchen worktops.

The building contractor was unhappy withthese areas being excluded from the report. Wediscussed the issue with them and they wereable to supply specialist labour to open-up theconcealed areas in each property archetypes.Samples were taken and any positivelyidentified locations were included in futuresurveys.

3 Minimise survey exclusions


7

Innovative methods to access external high areas can reduce costs considerably

When areas have been assigned for demolition thewhole building fabric i.e. not just targeted areas willneed to be surveyed intrusively to identify asbestos thatwill need to be removed beforehand to preventasbestos fibres being released into the atmosphereduring the works.

Even controlled demolition will require the externalparts of the buildings to be surveyed for asbestos.

If the building is to remain unoccupied before thedemolition then it may be possible to leave the surveyand removal works until a demolition scaffold has beenerected allowing the operatives to work from it beforethe structure is dismantled.

However, if the demolition is not scheduled to startuntil some point in the future you will need to find waysof accessing the elevations.

CASE STUDY

Global Environmental were appointed to carry outdemolition asbestos surveys of two buildings at anNHS Hospital in Central London.

The buildings were enclosed on all sides byadjoining properties and the demolition was notexpected to start within 2 years eliminating thepossibility of using the demolition scaffold to workfrom.

Faced with these challenges we proposed usingrope-access methods to survey the exteriors.

We enrolled the surveyor on a one-week trainingcourse to achieve Level 3 Rope Accessaccreditation and we engaged the services ofindustrial abseiling specialists to set-up and attendthe rigs. The work took 3 days to complete but,despite this, we estimated we saved the Trust over£50k on scaffolding the buildings.

You may encounter circumstances when conventionalaccess methods are not available for example: Too highto use ladders (i.e. above 2 storey) or an enclosedlocation prevents the safe location of a cherry-picker orscissor lift.

Scaffolding just to allow asbestos surveys and removalsto take place will probably be prohibitively expensive. Acost effective alternative is to use rope-access methods.

The surveyor will need to have minimum of Level 3Rope Access training and you will need to hire theservices of an industrial abseiling firm to facilitate theprocess.

This all sounds expensive too but, compared toscaffolding, it is extremely cost effective.

4 Challenge the conventions


8

Explore the feasibility of keeping asbestos works in normal working hours

The risk of fibre release means that intrusive asbestossurveying and all asbestos removal needs to be carriedout in vacant areas i.e. segregated from occupants,other contracts and/or the general public.

If properties requiring surveys or remediation areoccupied the areas where these works are requiredneed to be isolated. If it is not feasible to decantoccupants then the only other option is to schedule theworks out-of-hours i.e. 18:00-07:00 or weekends innormal workplaces.

However, you will almost certainly pay an additional 30-35% for the privilege.

For a simple survey or small removal project thereduction in disruption or inconvenience to the tenantsby not decanting them and scheduling the work outsidetheir normal occupation may be a price worth paying.However, in larger, complex properties or when largevolumes of hard-to-access ACMs are involved the out-of-hours premium may become a significant cost.

With a bit of imagination and no little of tenacity theremay be some workarounds that you can identify andimplement to eliminate, or at least reduce, the amountof work that needs to be conducted at a premium rate.Here are some suggestions:

● Discuss with the Facilities Manager the occupants'normal routines to explore any patterns ofoccupancy which might afford you a window ofopportunity?

● Could the survey be conducted during the lunch-break? Perhaps there is a training day scheduledwhen area will be vacant?

● Would the occupants be prepared to decant to anadjacent area to allow the works to be conductedon an area by area basis?

● Could any void space such as risers or ducts -typical locations for ACMs - be safely segregatedfrom the adjoining occupied area? For exampleRetail environments often segregate service areasby careful management rather than wholesaleevacuation. Warning signage, and peoplemanagement can be effective where there is reallyonly one point of entry to manage.

● Because a management survey does not involvefully invasive methods when sampling, it can usuallybe conducted safely in occupied areas i.e. surveyorscan carefully work around staff and visitors - makesure they are briefed in advance and accompanied

Finally if a survey must be conducted out-of-hoursexplore ways in which you can avoid the issue of lone-working and reduce the work to a one-person team ifthere is someone available to accompany them i.e.security personnel.

Rather than accepting the orthodoxy of out-of-hoursand the increased costs it is worth discussing these andother options with the Facilities team and theconsultant/contractors involved to see if there are waysof reducing the bill.

Ask for a risk assessment to be carried out in advanceto ensure that safety is not being compromised.

5 Avoid ‘out-of-hours’


9

A more detailed evaluation of asbestos containing materials may identify cost savings

A scoring system is used in asbestos survey reports torate the risk of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM's)that have been found. A formula is used which ratesasbestos type, condition and material type to create aMaterial Hazard assessment. This ranges from 3 (lowestrisk) to 12 (highest risk).

Based on this score the consultant will typically make arecommendation for how to proceed. You may find thatmost consultants will automatically recommend"removal" for any ACM's rated perhaps 9 or 10 andabove.

However, there is another more detailed evaluationwhich can be used - known as a priority risk assessment- which can be conducted which takes into account avariety of other factors that can contribute to the riskposed such as accessibility, occupancy, frequency ofmaintenance and the usual activities carried out in itsvicinity etc.

By using this additional scoring system what appears tobe a high risk item may be mitigated down to a mediumrisk and the subsequent cost of managing reduced. Forexample - an AIB panel identified and scored within acupboard has a higher score when scored on materialassessment alone and typically the recommendationwould be to remove.

However, additional factors in the priority riskassessment such as it being within a locked cupboardwhich is opened only annually may reduce its score andrecommendation down to 'encapsulate' or even'manage' - considerably less expensive actions thanremoval. When extrapolated across a large building orproperty portfolio the savings could be significant.

Asking your consultant to carry out priority riskassessments when embarking upon a managementsurvey may incur an additional fee as it will entailadditional scrutiny of the locations and may involvediscussions with occupants or Building Managers.However, it could deliver significant savings over thelifetime of an asset management contract. I

n truth, you will have to conduct this exercise at somepoint anyway to complete your management plan later,so you may as well allocate the costs up front.

The combined material and priorityassessment results should be usedto establish the priority for thoseACMs needing remedial action andthe type of action that will betaken. There are various remedialoptions available: in many casesthe ACMs can be protected orenclosed, sealed or encapsulated,or repaired. These options shouldbe considered first. Where suchactions are not practical, ACMsshould be removed.

HSG 264 (130)

6 Ask for priority risk assessment


1010

Pilot studies will help you predict your asbestos costs more accurately

Asbestos management is not an exact science andunexpected challenges can occur after works havestarted that can have an impact on costs andprogramme.

The survey will only estimate the quantities of ACMs tobe removed and often much more is found once theworks commence. Approximately 10% of removalprojects involve significantly more ACMs than estimatedin the survey with average additional removal costs of£50k - £100k as well as the associated overrun toprogramme.

The problems are most likely to be severe in buildingsbuilt between to 1930s and the 1970s, wheninstallation was at its peak and the problems are mostlikely to arise when there is going to be substantialopening up works.

This is obviously the nightmare scenario for theQuantity Survey or Cost Consultant.

So how can you mitigate these risks and protect yourprofessional reputation?

If you have been tasked with providing a provisionalsum for asbestos for a refurbishment project inadvance of taking vacant possession of the property i.e.before the refurbishment survey can take place it is notsensible to rely on the information in a managementsurvey to quantify your asbestos risk. You may wish toconsider a pre-survey pilot study which will involve adesk study and site visit by an asbestos consultancythat has experience of working in the particularproperty type involved.

In some circumstances it may even be prudent toarrange for some limited intrusive work to evaluate thelikelihood of ACMs in high-risk, concealed areas such asplant rooms, risers, ductwork, behind screed or otherbuilding materials. The pilot study may cost between£5k - £10k but compared with an unexpected overrunof tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands it mightbe considered money well spent.

If you are basing your price on a refurbishment surveymake sure that you firstly have chosen a reputable,experienced UKAS-accredited consultant to carry it outand secondly that you provide them with as much detailabout the scope of extent of the project as possible sothey can tailor the survey accordingly.

7 Mitigate the unexpected

CASE STUDY

The £30 million full refurbishment of an ArtDeco 11-storey building in Covent Garden.Project Managers included a cursory provisionalsum of £30k for asbestos removal.

Clifford Devlin won a competitive tender toundertake the strip-out and any minor asbestosremoval. Shortly after commencement of thesoft strip ACMs were revealed in a number of'concealed' locations:

● Asbestos insulation within the building'sinternal columns

● Pipe lagging buried within the screed

● Pipe lagging to redundant pipework inwindow recesses

● Asbestos insulating board in risers exposedas the column cladding was removed

The works completed in Dec 2015, 12 monthsover-programme with £3 million unforeseenadditional spend on remediating the asbestos.


11

A forensic interpretation of the survey could cut removal costs by half

Here is a typical scenario: the surveys have beencompleted, an inventory of asbestos has beengenerated which together with the reports you forwardto removal contractor to price… right…? WRONG!

We would strongly recommend that you invest in thepreparation of an asbestos remediation specificationthat could reduce the volume of removal work by asmuch as 30%.

The specification, prepared by an independentconsultant (possibly your survey company) will providea forensic interpretation of the inventory of ACMs whichthe removals contractor will not. After all it is in theirinterests not to find areas that won't be disturbed bythe refurb works or suggest encapsulation which is lessexpensive.

While the survey records the findings it doesn'tnecessarily assess the implications. The specificationshould be prepared in consultation with otherstakeholders i.e. FM team, building contractor or thewider design team, so that it can take account thelocations, methodology and extent of any activity whichhas been planned.

SOME EXAMPLES

Your building contractor provides an inventoryof works to the consultant who is also inpossession of the asbestos register and reports.They are then in a position to cross-referencethe two inventories to identify any locationswhere ACMs have been found but whereinvasive refurbishment is not taking place.

During routine social housing refurbishmentssome tenants may decline the offer of abathroom refurb and, for example, AsbestosInsulating Board (AIB) identified in the bathroomriser can be encapsulated rather then removed -a significantly cheaper and faster method ofremediating it.

A factory area requires a new floor. The tileshave been removed and there is a bitumencoating to the concrete. Whilst the bitumen isan ACM it would not be cost effective to removethe bitumen. A simple screed will encapsulatethe bitumen adequately to mitigate the riskdown to a simple update to the register to bekept on file.

While the spec will require some investment perhapscost a few days work to compile and complete, it couldreduce the removal costs by as much as 50% as well asgenerating significant associated programme savingsand certainty.

The document can be prepared in-house if you employa knowledgeable person who is responsible forcollating asbestos information and providing advice.Alternatively this task can be outsourced to an asbestosconsultancy - the existing surveying company or a thirdparty.

They key point here is that the specification shouldNEVER be completed by the removals contractor. Well,not if you expect it to save you money, anyway.

8 Commission a remediation specification


12

Think carefully when you need an analyst to be present

Air testing, carried out by a UKAS-accredited analyticalconsultant, is required to ensure areas are safe to re-occupy following both asbestos removal and intrusivesurveying work. Below are a number of tips topotentially save reduce costs on analytical works andenhance the veracity of this vital part of the asbestosmanagement process.

Firstly, ensure that you procure an independentanalytical company - don't ask the removal contractorto arrange the air testing. This will avoid a potentialconflict of interest between the contractor and theanalyst. There have been cases when familiaritybetween them has compromised the integrity of theprocess.

There may be circumstances when you may not evenrequire an analyst at all. For example, HSE guidancedocuments for non-licensable material removal whichlists a number of lower-risk ACMs such as floor tiles andtextured coatings. A certificate of cleanliness followingintrusive work of the materials can be safely issuedfollowing a visual inspection by a person appointed bythe client (Ref HSG 210 EM10). In practice this meanssomeone with experience or even the contractors thatremoved the ACMs themselves.

Similarly smoke testing of asbestos enclosures,required before licenced removal commences, canagain be safely conducted by a person appointed by

the client - in this instance this can be undertaken by a"trained contractor" following instruction on a tasksheet. At least two persons should carry out this testwith the LARC supervisor acting as the witness. Forgood measure it can be witnessed by an independentperson appointed by the Client (e.g. analyst). Thewitnessing of the smoke test is not part of the 4-stageclearance process, so it is not a prerequisite that it iswitnessed independently just good practice.

While it is only compulsory for the analyst to attendduring the 4-stage clearance process it is good practicefor them to be present at the outset also to carry outinitial test to establish a baseline fibre count, to conductinitial "Leak Tests" and personal testing during theremoval, to demonstrate that work is being conductedsafely. The minimum unit for analytical work is typically½ day as this will include travel, setting-up, fibre countsand paperwork. Therefore, for minor removal worksinvolving just an hour or two on-site will require a fullday of analysts' time to be present during thecommencement and completion.

However, for more substantial projects there is no needfor blanket attendance by the analyst. For example a3-day project involving the removal of 40-50 sqm AIBceiling from an unoccupied area you may only need tobook a ½ day to cover set-up and another ½ day for theclearance duties. For major programmes ofremediation lasting several weeks it may be sensible toinvite the analyst in for a significant period initially, butonce good data is available from a range of differentactivities, airtest frequency can be reduced toperiodically to carry out check testing, to show that theworks remain well controlled.

9 Target the air testing


13

Contemplate the long-term plans for your property/s before embarking upon intrusive works

Asbestos removal is usually a very invasive anddisruptive process which is best scheduled concurrentlywith other planned works, if possible, to share theassociated costs involved such as decanting live areas,opening-up works maintenance of lift shafts, windowextractions, voids upgrades in social housing etc

The HSE advice has always been to leave goodcondition ACMs in situ and manage them, if possible.Therefore in circumstances when reinspections, due tochange of ownership or use, have recommendedremoval it may worth pausing before embarking uponany remediation to investigate any futuredevelopments in the property's lifecycle when theworks could be undertaken.

Investigating any forthcoming events until when theremoval could be postponed such as planned majorrefurbishment or even demolition could saveconsiderable sums in the short term and enable theworks to be carried out more conveniently and cost-effectively at the time.

Discuss the feasibility of managing the ACMs with yourasbestos consultant first (you may want to request aPriority Risk Assessment - see tip 6), to ensure that theACMs can safely be encapsulated and managed untilthis eventuality.

CASE STUDY

Clifford Devlin were asked by a property developer toprice the removal of asbestos found in boiler roomsof a commercial property handed back after longterm lease expired. The removal works wereestimated at £30k. However, discussions with thelandlord revealed that the building was scheduled tobe demolished within the next 3 years - at whichpoint the boiler room would be dismantled andremoved during the "soft strip", probably under fullycontrolled conditions since asbestos materials couldbe present and you can't guarantee that there isn'tdebris beneath the old boilers.

We were able to recommend that the ACMs in theboiler room were left in-situ until the demolition asthey could be safely encapsulated (at a cost of just£10k) and the room would normally remain locked,would be fitted with the requisite H&S warning signsand access controlled by the FM team. An annualschedule of re-inspection was initiated.

The landlord saved £20k in the short term with thefull removal postponed to at time when all theequipment would be made redundant and 'wrap andcut' techniques could be used to remove whole piperuns in one quick operation.

10 Consider the big picture


14

About Clifford Devlin

Clifford Devlin is one of the South East's mostexperienced and well-respected asbestos managementcompanies. We have been providing planned andresponsive asbestos remediation to support theconstruction sector for over 30 years.

The company has been continuously licenced since1986 and a member of the industry's trade body, theAsbestos Removal Contractors Association (ARCA).

All of our work is carried out in compliance withindustry best-practice and is independently auditedunder the ARCA Site Audit Accreditation Scheme.

We work directly for clients as well as principalcontractors and members of the professional team.Our Asbestos Division directly employs over 20 highlytrained operatives who work in supervised field-teams.

Our own fleet of purpose-built vehicles for transportingACMs has been customised with air-tightcompartments that can only be accessed from a side-loading door to prevent fibre from being releasedduring transit.

For more information please contact us on Tel 020 7538 8721 email [email protected] or visitwww.clifford-devlin.co.uk

We operate our own asbestos waste transfer station inLondon which is licensed by the Environment Agency toprocess up to 32 cubic metres of asbestos waste on adaily basis and can be used by clients who requireimmediate disposal of damaged or fly-tipped asbestoscontaining material.

Field personnel are therefore familiar with working inoccupied premises and all staff are given training inhow to behave in residents' properties and how tomanage their requirements and expectations.Particular emphasis is placed on liasing with the elderly,disabled or vulnerable tenants and communicating withthose whose first language may not be English.


15

About Global Environmental

Global Environmental has been providing acomprehensive range of asbestos managementservices for over 6 years to help public and privatesector clients to manage their duty of careresponsibilities and comply with the Control ofAsbestos Regulations 2012. Services in this sectorinclude:

Asbestos surveying - refurbishment, refurbishment &demolition and management surveys of all types ofproperty including residential, commercial, municipaland industrial

Asbestos management - consultancy andpreparation/maintenance of asbestos managementplans to enable landlords and property managers todeliver their duty of care to tenants, residents and thepublic

Asbestos consultancy -specialist advice and guidanceto clients on how to manage asbestos containingmaterials (ACMs) in their property portfolios and thecorrect response to emergency situations

Training - range of asbestos awareness and technicalcourses

Project management - considerable experience ofproject managing removal works. This service caninclude procurement of licenced asbestos removalcontractors, preparation of specifications, supervisionof works on-site, arranging air testing and 4-stageclearances, liaison with the client's representative andany third parties.

For more information please contact us on Tel 020 7300 7288 email [email protected] or visitwww.globalenvironmental.co.uk

Clifford Devlin LimitedClifford HouseTowcester RoadLondon E3 3ND

Tel: 020 7538 8721Email: [email protected]: www.clifford-devlin.co.uk

Global Safety & Environmental Limited140 Tabernacle Street

LondonEC2A 4SD

Tel: 020 7300 7288Email: [email protected]

Web: www.globalenvironmental.co.uk

10 tips of save you a small fortune on asbestos management · 10 tips of save you a small fortune...

Documents