Why is asbestos dangerous?
- Asbestos still kills around 5000 workers each year, this is more than the number of people killed on the road.
- Around 20 tradesman die each week as a result of past exposure
However, asbestos is not just a problem of the past. It can be present today in any building built or refurbished before the year 2000.
When materials that contain asbestos are disturbed or damaged, fibres are released into the air. When these fibres are inhaled they can cause serious diseases. These diseases will not affect you immediately; they often take a long time to develop, but once diagnosed, it is often too late to do anything. This is why it is important that you protect yourself now.
Asbestos can cause the following fatal and serious diseases:
- Mesothelioma
- Asbestos-related lung cancer
- Asbestosis
- Pleural thickening
Duties
Responsibility for premises | Who has the duty to manage under regulation 4? |
The owner has sole responsibility for the premises or has sole responsibility for the common parts of multi-occupied buildings. | The owner. |
Under a tenancy agreement or contract, tenants (including employers or occupiers) are responsible for alterations, repairs and maintenance. | The tenant or tenants in multi-occupancy premises. |
Under a tenancy agreement or contract, the owner keeps responsibility for maintenance and repairs, and the owner has control of access by maintenance workers into the building. | The owner. |
Under a tenancy agreement or contract, responsibility is shared between several people, eg owners, sub-lessors, occupiers and employers. | Each party – for those parts of the premises for which they have maintenance responsibilities. Note that employers occupying the premises also have a general duty of co-operation to comply with the requirement of any health and safety regulations under regulation 11 of the Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1999. |
If an owner/leaseholder uses a managing agent. | The owner. The managing agent would act on behalf of the owner but does not assume the owners duties in law. The ultimate responsibility remains with the owner. |
There is no tenancy agreement or contract. | The person in control of the premises. |
The premises are unoccupied | The person in control of the premises. |
Tenancy arrangements and how responsibilities may be allocated or shared |
If you need anymore information then please email me.