I smell two things here and you have my sympathy with both.  One is a rat.
It would not surprise me,  if you informed us all at a later date, that the
'survey'  was very poor and carried out by a non accredited UKAS contractor
who thought a large organisation such as yours an easy target. With the
current legislative drive and media interest in asbestos, there are a lot of
them around.   There would be a lot of lost face with your Health and Safety
colleagues if that was bought to light.  The second is some very poor H&S
practice so lost face would probably not be a bad thing.  How such a massive
undertaking can be considered without 1) a health and safety risk
assessment, and 2) a business risk assessment is beyond me and probably most
on the list.   My experience of H&S advisers is that nit-picking
defensiveness and poor practice generally go hand in hand.  Conversely, an
open minded and mutually supportive approach also tends to go with good
practice -strange that!

Unfortnately I think you have a political game to play here as you probably
already know.  If you are feeling exasperated with this situation, I am sure
there are others who feel the same.  Find out who they are and get some
allies.  Also set out your expectations about how you would like to see such
a project tackled.  Cost out the options and go as high as you can.  It can
be time consuming but might just help you prove your real worth.  And
finally, you are right to be concerned about the possible drain on OH time.
We have had a couple of incidents round the country where asbestos has been
'discovered' and it causes a lot of worry - particularly when you inform
people that there really is nothing you can do apart from make a note in
their records.  We also gave 'affected' employees a note to take to their GP
but it was a pacifying exercise more than a medical one.

The best of luck

Lindsey Hall
National OH Manager
Environment Agency



----- Original Message -----
From: "Kate Venables"
<[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2003 12:20 PM
Subject: asbestos removal and OH


Dear colleagues - your advice would be appreciated on a local issue.  My
safety colleagues are seeking to persuade our employer to carry out a large
and costly programme of asbestos removal and/or encapsulation.  There has
been no written risk assessment or assessment of cost-benefit.  There has,
apparently, been a "survey" from an asbestos removal contractor but the
report has not been made available, at least not to the relevent committees
or the OHS.  I have argued for more discussion, circulation of written
papers, some involvement by the OHS, without success.  I am concerned (a)
that this spending may be ill-considered and unnecessary.  I am also
concerned about (b) a complete lack of any consideration that a major
investment in asbestos removal/encapsulation is likely to uncover a need for
health surveillance for longterm workers who may have been exposed in the
past eg during maintenance work, and (c) that this programme is likely to
lead to an increase in self-referrals to the OHS by people who want to
discuss the effects of asbestos and whether it has affected their health or
may do in the future.  As well as a complete lack of consultation about the
removal/encapsulation programme, there has been absolutely no attempt to
consult me about the OH implications.  Whenever I raise these issues with
the safety team or in relevant committees, I am fobbed off and ignored.

It is particularly galling because, at the same time, the OHS is trying to
build up on several fronts from a small, frankly inadequate, service to one
which is actually effective.  The justification and funding of any OH
proposal is scrutinised in the most nit-picking and intrusive way in our
committees - with the safety officers leading the negative and critical
commentary.  Needless to say, few OH initiatives have been funded.

Your thoughts would be much appreciated - best wishes - Kate