There are three types of training which are required under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006:
Licensed Training is required annually for Operatives, Supervisors, Managers and Directors.
Non-licensed Training is required annually for any workers and their Supervisors who are undertaking planned work with asbestos which does not require a license, eg Roofing Contractors removing asbestos cement roofs, Maintenance Workers removing asbestos gaskets etc.
Asbestos Awareness is required for anyone who may potentially disturb asbestos in the course of their normal duties, and their Supervisors. It is intended as a health protection measure to prevent accidental exposure by educating workers to look for asbestos materials and stop work before they disturb them. From an employers perspective, this is important in order to prevent enforcement action or potential claims.
The Approved Code of Practice L143 lists professions which the training is required for, as follows:
The above list is not exhaustive.
The HSE are aware that compliance is low with Non-licensed and Asbestos Awareness Training and estimated in 2006 that 880,000 workers were inadequately trained. This level of compliance is being closely scrutinised by the HSE at present, as part of the review of the Duty to Manage, which is currently on-going. Many Clients are making this a condition of approved supplier status, and some are making it a barrier to entry onto site. The HSE has already made three firms train hundreds of staff at a cost in excess of £100,000.
On 27 February 2008, the HSE will officially launch an asbestos campaign called 'You're more at risk than you think'. This is also the date of National Mesothelioma Day and serves as a reminder that in an average week, 20 tradesmen die from asbestos-induced deaths. This includes 6 Electricians and 3 Plumbers. The HSE will initially concentrate on the North West regions using trade press, mail shots and local radio adverts. The campaign will then be rolled out across the UK.
UKATA member training providers should be used for these types of training in order to ensure that the standards required in the legislation and guidance is adhered to. The HSE has confirmed that if training has not been provided by a UKATA member, the employer may be asked to demonstrate how the training complied with the legislation and guidance.
UKATA is an independent training provider association, launched in January 2008 with the backing of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), to audit and monitor training providers and set standards for all types of asbestos training. OHS Ltd is a member of UKATA and has a representative on the Executive Committee.
The HSE and Asbestos Licensing Unit (ALU) are concerned by the poor standards of some training provided to asbestos workers. In 2002, the HSL were commissioned to investigate the training and recommend ways to improve standards. The report found that courses varied between providers in adequacy of practical sessions, numbers of delegates, duration and trainer competence. In addition, mixed courses were being run, ie Operatives and Supervisors, which resulted in them being insufficiently tailored to individual needs.
As a result, all the training providers were called to a meeting to make suggestions as to how courses should be run. From this meeting, the Asbestos Training Providers Working Group (ATPWG) was formed and tasked to improve guidance and standards. It was made up of representatives from the HSE, ALU and Training Providers. OHS Ltd supported the work to improve standards in the asbestos industry and had a representative on the ATPWG.
The ATPWG commented on the changes to the Approved Code of Practice and wrote Chapter 4 of the Licensed Contractors Guide which deals with training. In addition, a Code of Conduct for Trainers was written which required that Chapter 4 was followed and courses were independently audited to verify this. All Training Providers were contacted by the HSE and asked to sign the Code of Conduct. Those that did, and forwarded an independent audit which demonstrated a satisfactory standard, were classed as HSE recognised providers. A list of these was held on the HSE website. However, a further report by the HSL in 2006 showed that some of the recognised providers were not adhering to the required standards.
One of the main recommendations of the 2002 HSL report was that an independent training provider body be established to standardise and improve training. The HSE decided that this would be the way forward to ensure compliance. As a result, UKATA has been formed out of the ATPWG and the HSE have formally tasked UKATA to audit and monitor training providers, set standards and manage the list of recognised training providers. The HSE website references UKATA, and the list of the Training Providers has been transferred to the UKATA website http://www.ukata.org.uk/. Three types of training are covered by UKATA; Licensed Asbestos Work, Non-licensed Asbestos Work and Asbestos Awareness.
Using a UKATA member for training ensures that the standards of training provided will conform to the legal requirements. The system of audits assures the standards. This protects employers against enforcement action, accidental exposures and protects workers health.