What should you do?
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Ask the building manager or your boss for information on asbestos in the building or the area you are working in - If no information about asbestos is available, stop and check. You have a legal right to know
- Remember, the people you are working with may not be aware of the dangers, or worse; not care!
People in charge of the maintenance and repair of workplace buildings have a legal duty to provide anyone likely to disturb asbestos-containing materials with up-to-date information about the location and condition of asbestos before work starts, so that the appropriate precautions can be taken. This information is often referred to as the 'asbestos register'.
Ideally, information about asbestos should already have been obtained by the contractor/employer as part of the contract tendering process. If you are not given information about whether asbestos is present, you need to ask your boss or the building manager before you start any work. Older colleagues may tell you asbestos is not really that bad and to get on with the job. It's up to you who you listen to...but are they still going to be around in 20 years to help you if you've contracted an asbestos-related disease?
The legal requirement to provide information does not apply to domestic building owners/occupiers, and therefore does not cover private/rented domestic housing. If work is being done in domestic premises, then the contractor/employer must establish whether asbestos is present before work starts. Therefore, you should ask your boss for information about asbestos before doing any work.
