Asbestos Survey of ECC School Boiler Rooms - Frequently Asked Questions
Preparation – Before the survey.
Questions / Answers1 / When will my school survey take place? / The first surveys will be arranged in June 2016 and all will be completed by September 2017.
2 / Will I have a surveyor turning up at short notice? / No. The surveying contractor (Armstrong York Asbestos Environmental Ltd) will contact you in advance to arrange access. Please be as accommodating as you can so the program is not delayed.
3 / Will the survey work take place out of hours? / No. There is no need for that as it will not disturb asbestos and, as it only affects staff only parts of the site. It should not disrupt teaching.
4 / Will I have vans with “Asbestos” on the sides on my site and people in those disposable suits walking around? / No. The contractor will not have vehicles branded in that way and surveyors should not be suited up until close to the room(s) they are to survey.
5 / Will the surveyors be DBS (formerly CRB) checked? / They may not be, as there is no legal or policy requirement for them to be. However, it is good practice to accompany them around the school (but not while surveying the boiler/plant room).
6 / Why do I have to supply a copy of my existing survey/register?
(Doesn’t EEC already have a copy?) / ECC holds copies centrally of the original surveys, and others it has commissioned but does not hold the latest copy - if schools have arranged surveys of all or parts of premises themselves more recently. This will ensure we have the latest information available.
7 / Does the survey/register have to be electronic or hard copy? / Either is fine but it must be complete and in full colour (as colours are used to identify different areas and materials).
8 / Is there anything else I should be doing before my survey is arranged. / Yes. Check you are aware of the latest version of the ECC Managing Asbestos policy, and supporting documents (available via the health and safety pages on Essex Schools Infolink and that you are managing any asbestos on your site according to the policy.
9 / Why aren't you surveying otherareas in the school? / Our monitoring activities and audit results tell us that schools are generally good at maintaining areas which are used for the curriculum. However, we have found problems in some of these, staff only, areas.
When the surveyor arrives on site.
Questions / Answers10 / How long will the surveyor be on site? / A survey of one plant room will normally be completed within a working day and may be much less. However, if they find something which needs an air test they may have to arrange to come back, normally the next working day.
11 / What will the surveyor need from the school? / They will need:
- Keys etc. as necessary to access the boiler plant/room(s) and things like hatches or inspection covers;
- Someone to show them where they are, where they can park etc.
- a copy of the latest survey/register you have to take away;
12 / Will they want to get into all plant and tank rooms? / No. They must have access to any boiler rooms and any plant or tank room in the same area (often there is a plant room area adjacent to the boiler room or above it in the same space).
They will not survey plant rooms in other parts of the site or swimming pool plant rooms.
13 / What will happen if damaged asbestos containing materials are found or suspected? / If this occurs the surveyor will secure the boiler room/plant room so no one can access it, except to carry out an air test. They will inform the head teacher or other responsible person what they have found, or suspect, and provide you with very clear instructions what to do, and what not to do both verbally and in writing.
14 / Why might they do an air test? / If asbestos has been damaged an air test will tell us if a significant number of fibres have been released into the air which could be breathed in. If the result is “clear” it gives some reassurance that the risk of exposure is low.
If problems are found – Remedial works.
Questions / Answers15 / How long will it be before the area can be entered? / Even if there is only a small area of contamination an HSE notification is normally required and we then have to wait 14 days before the work starts, so it is likely to be a few weeks before anyone is allowed back into the area.
A contractor, commissioned by ECC, will have to carry out a local clean up (i.e. do just enough to make it safe to enter) and access should then be able to be restored.
16 / What if more than a clean is required? (removal work or encapsulation) / If there is asbestos containing material which it would be better either to remove or treat in some way, then this will be programmed into a separate contract program to be carried out some time over the next 3 years, based upon priority.
17 / Will it be safe to use the boiler room as normal until these extra works are done? / Generally Yes. However, you will be made aware of any areas of particular concern and you may have to avoid disturbing them and report any damage immediately.
18 / What if my boiler room is locked off and the boiler breaks down? / Do not access the room.
If it is an emergency, or the school is at risk of having to close as a result, it may be possible to arrange access with or by an asbestos contractor. Guidance will be available on Infolink on how to deal with a lack of heating or hot water pending a solution being found.
19 / How will I know when it is safe to re-enter? / The school will be issued with a reoccupation certificate to evidence that the room is safe to use as normal.
Finance – who pays for what?
Questions / Answers20 / Will ECC pay for the survey? / Yes. The survey program is being organised and funded centrally. Schools will not be asked to pay for it.
21 / Who will pay for the clean-up/removal works? / You will have received a letter about the schools contribution towards maintenance works as agreed at Schools Forum. Any required works will be funded from this.
22 / Who will pay if supplementary heating or other arrangements are needed due to the boiler being out of action? / The school will be expected to pay for these.
Risks and who needs to know what.
Questions / Answers23 / Asbestos isn’t dangerous unless it is damaged – right? / That’s right. As long as it is regularly checked to ensure it has not been damaged it is safe. It is only if it gets damaged and the fibres are in the air they can be breathed in to the lungs – which is where they can cause disease.
24 / Do we need to tell the parents/students? / No. This activity should not pose any risk to them so they do not need to be actively told.
25 / What if they ask what is going on? / This isn’t a secret so, if they ask, tell them honestly that the Council is checking/resurveying plant/boiler rooms for asbestos as part of its ongoing management.
26 / What do we need to tell the staff? / You need to let staff who work in, or access, the boiler/plant rooms what we are doing and anyone who deals with premises maintenance or finances.
All staff should already be aware of where asbestos is present where they work (or how to find out) and, if we identify a risk to anyone they will be informed and advised accordingly.
27 / So what happens if we think someone may have been exposed to asbestos? / If you suspect that is the case you must report it to the ECC Corporate Health and Safety Team on the usual ECC accident/incident report form. If this is identified as a possibility by the new surveys the surveyor will advise you of the risk and what you need to do both verbally and in writing.
Other
Questions / Answers28 / What happens if my school is approached by the media? / Please refer them to the ECC Press Office 03330 132800.
29 / What will happen if my school decides to convert to an academy? / If your school indicates that it is likely to become an academy before the survey has taken place we will amend the survey program to ensure that the survey is undertaken in time for it to be included in the pack of information which is handed over to the new employer.
30 / Will there be further information provided? / Yes. There will be more on this via the usual infolink and other schools communications channels.
Sources of more Information
31 / Where can I find more information on asbestos management ahead of that? / More information on the duty to manage is also available from:The Health and Safety Executive -
Your Trade Union Safety Representative.
Department for Education –
You may also have seen the Education Funding Agency data collection exercise (which ended on 31st March) -
However, please check the school infolink first for the ECC policy and other supporting documents – see question 8 above.
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