Hi-Viz

Volume 10, Issue 28

Bernard Sims Associates

Guildford Office
York House
38-42 Chertsey Street
Guildford
Surrey
GU1 4HD

Tel 01483 467270

Mirfield and Glasgow Offices:
c/o 192a Huddersfield Road
Mirfield
West Yorkshire
WF14 8AU
Tel 0800 093 7785
 

Email bsims@bsims.co.uk

This newsletter is sent to clients and contacts of Bernard Sims Associates and people that we think might be interested in learning more about health and safety. If you wish to unsubscribe to this newsletter, please forward the email to marketing@bsims.co.uk Please do not 'Reply' to this email directly. 

Have you have got adequate fire safety protection? All you have to do is to appoint a competent person and keep up to date with your fire risk management in order to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order known as RRFSO 2005

For further advice contact BSA on 01483 467270 or bsims@bsims.co.uk
 

Retained Health & Safety Advisors
(inc BSA Advice Line)
To have a competent health & safety resource is important:
BSA offer a service which includes free phone or email advice, to be named as your competent advisor (certificate available) and to advise changes in health & safety legislation which may affect your company.

Since we first offered this service the response from you has been really positive. Contacts have found the service, quick and cost effective in these hard times.

If you want to know more about the service please contact Roger Koester on 01483 467270.

BSA Vision for the Future

"Working together to become the premier supplier, providing a safer environment, for all, throughout the United Kingdom & Ireland"

bsims@bsims.co.uk 
or phone
01483 467270

URGENT: Updated guidance issued by the HSE for Asbestos Surveys.

'HSG 264 Asbestos: The Survey Guide', has now replaced and expanded on the previous guidance 'MDHS 100: Surveying, sampling and assessment of asbestos containing materials'.

The document is aimed at

• those conducting asbestos surveys
• those who commission asbestos surveys
• those with specific responsibilities for managing asbestos in accordance with Control of Asbestos Regulations (CAR) 2006.

The document contains specific guidance for clients and duty holders to follow when appointing a contractor to carry out an asbestos survey with much more emphasis put on the client assessing the competency of the contractor, "The HSE now state The duty holder should not appoint or instruct an independent surveyor to carry out a survey unless the surveyor is competent".

It also sets out

• how to decide what type of survey is appropriate
• how to select a competent surveyor
• what the client should expect from a surveyor
• what the client should provide to the surveyor

In addition it highlights issues (eg restricted access, excluded areas and other caveats) which not only reduce the effectiveness of the survey, but also have serious implications for managing asbestos. It also explains what checks should be made on the survey report to ensure its validity and accuracy (ie 'contract management').

• The document includes guidance for surveyors who carry out the asbestos surveys. It sets out how to survey premises for ACMs
• the methodology to use in carrying out surveys
• how to report and present the results
• advice on how to recognise and sample suspected ACMs
• the survey strategy to use when surveying large numbers of similar properties (eg domestic housing)

The document can be downloaded from the HSE website  using the following link.

http://books.hse.gov.uk/hse/public/saleproduct.jsf?catalogueCode=9780717663859

The new guide is now live and should be adhered to by all parties when managing asbestos or when planning and undertaking asbestos surveys.

If you would like to know more about these guidelines or would like to book a seminar please contact BSA on 0800 093 7785 and ask for Keith or any of the team.

BSA Seminars

We will include Asbestos in the September seminar in Guildford so see http://www.bernardsimsassociates.com/page/events for details.

The page also gives dates for further seminars in Bristol and Mirfield