Title: Essex County Council school boiler room asbestos survey program
Following my letter dated 13th June 2016 and subsequent communications relating to Essex County Council’s pro-active program of asbestos surveys and remedial works of Community and V/C schools boiler rooms, it has been requested we clarify what the procedures are during and after the site visit by our chosen asbestos surveying company, Armstrong York.
Armstrong York will carry out an asbestos ‘management’ survey of the boiler room. The management survey is restricted to reasonably accessible parts and no intrusion is made into the structure or ducts. It involves taking samples from within the room for analysis at a UKAS registered laboratory to determine whether there is any asbestos containing material (ACMs) and how they should be managed. From the visit there are a number of outcomes described below:
1) No asbestos identified
2) Asbestos identified which poses low risk to health as long as the school monitors and manages on a local level according to the Essex County Council’s’ Managing Asbestos’ Policy HSP 9.17
3) Possible ACM identified that Armstrong York believe could pose a risk to health resulting in the immediate closure of the boiler room
If outcome 3 applies to your school, the surveyor will notify the school immediately and issue a document with instructions the school must follow. The school will need to prevent access immediately to the boiler room until notified otherwise. This is a precautionary measure until the results of the sampling confirms if the material contains asbestos or not. The surveyor will also carry out reassurance air sampling within the room to determine if there are any ACMs airborne.
If the samples taken are confirmed as not containing ACM then the school will be notified accordingly and access to the room permitted. If the UKAS laboratory confirms that the samples taken do contain asbestos and your boiler room has been closed, the school will be notified and Essex County Council’s chosen asbestos removal company, Aspects will contact the school to arrange a preliminary site visit. This visit will require the representative from Aspects to access the closed boiler room. As experienced asbestos removal consultants (they will have been provided with a copy of the survey), they will risk assess what safety requirements, such as personal protective equipment are required before entering the boiler room. As a minimum they will need to wear the appropriate face protection such as a face mask covering their nose and mouth. No other persons will be allowed to enter the closed boiler room.
Aspects will work closely with the school on how the works will be managed which depends on what removal methods are required. Notification will be provided that entry to the boiler room is permitted once the removal works are complete.
After all 3 outcomes, the school will receive a copy of the survey which they will need to use to update their asbestos register and management plan.
The attached frequently asked questions should assist with most queries but if you have any further queries relating to the above that are not covered, please contact the Corporate Health and Safety Team via email: or tel: 03330 139818