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Recent research from Zurich Risk Services revealed that a frightening 85% of companies in the North of England have no plans in place to deal with the risks associated with asbestos in the workplace. Only 22% were aware of the recent changes to the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations (CAWR) 2002, making the North's businesses most at risk from asbestos in the UK.
The survey was conducted by Zurich Risk Services to find out if businesses in the UK were aware of the changes to CAWR 2002, which now include a "duty to manage." The new regulations make it clear that businesses must be able to prove that they have plans in place to deal with asbestos in the workplace. The HSE are sending out clear signals that controlling asbestos in the workplace must now be seen as a priority.
Other key results from the survey about awareness of the new asbestos regulations revealed that on a sliding scale of 1-5, (with 1 being a minor concern and 5 being a major concern), a staggering 51% of businesses in the North rated the threat to health that asbestos can pose as a major concern. Also rated as major concerns were prosecution (50%) and the value of their company's property (41%). Causing least concern was their company's reputation should asbestos be discovered. Only 26% of businesses named this as their major cause of concern. Employee compensation was also a big worry for businesses. In fact, compensation for asbestos-related claims can easily reach the £100K mark.
Roger Cottell Managing Director, Zurich Risk Services continued, "We are urging businesses in the North to get advice on how the new asbestos regulations will affect them. Good risk management could reduce all the biggest causes for concern that appeared in the survey."
Asbestos can be found in many different types of products such as boiler installations, pipe lagging, sprayed fireproofing coatings, thermal insulating boards, roof cladding, wall cladding, asbestos-cement boards and panels and vinyl floor coverings.
The amends to the regulations now extend duty-holders' responsibilities to;
- Finding out where, if at all, asbestos is located, how much there is, and what condition it is in;
- Keeping an up-to-date record of the above information, in the form of an asbestos register;
- Presuming that any materials identified contain asbestos unless strong evidence proves otherwise;
- Notifying all parties likely to be exposed to asbestos-related risk;
- Preparing, implementing and periodically reviewing a plan to manage asbestos in the premises.
In conjunction with The National Britannia Group, Zurich has recently launched a consultancy service specifically designed to identify and manage the risks associated with asbestos.
Roger Cottell concluded, "Each stage of our asbestos management programme is designed to carefully assess and determine the level of risk posed by asbestos in each individual environment. For example, where asbestos is located it need not necessarily be removed, but can be managed in-situ. Management of asbestos-related risk is the way forward - and we believe this research clearly demonstrates the need for creating more awareness of the risks that the material can pose."
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For further information, please contact:
Natasha Stonebridge, Zurich Risk Services 0121 698 5829
Susannah Jeffery, Zurich Financial Services 01489 561559
The Zurich Financial Services Group is an insurance-based financial services provider that focuses its activities on its key markets of North America, the United Kingdom and Continental Europe. Founded in 1872, Zurich is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It has offices in approximately 60 countries and employs well over 70,000 people. | 