How to Protect Employees From Asbestos | Guide for Employers

Asbestos remains a silent but deadly threat in workplace safety. Asbestos-related diseases claim thousands of lives each year, and many of these casualties could have been prevented with the right awareness, diligence, and precautions. Educating employees on the subject is always the first step in developing compliance and ensuring safety.

For this reason, the Astutis Asbestos Awareness Course is a critical tool for organisations to guard against asbestos-related risks that could strike at any moment if left unchecked. 

What is Asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral composed of thin, needle-like fibres invisible to the naked eye. Asbestos is resistant to heat, electricity and corrosion, which caused it to become widely used in the military and construction fields for decades.

Over time, it was found that exposure to asbestos came with serious health risks.

Why is Asbestos Awareness Important?

Asbestos, once hailed for its versatility, is now infamous for its association with severe health risks. When inhaled after disturbance or damage, the microscopic fibres it’s made up of can lead to life-threatening conditions such as lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis. 

According to the latest Asbestos statistics published Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Asbestos still kills around 5000 workers each year, which is astonishingly more than the number of people killed on the road. Not only that, around 20 tradesmen die each week from prior exposure to the deadly substance. This isn’t from a few isolated incidents either, as it can be present in any building built or refurbished before the year 2000. This is why proper training on the matter is so important.

The Astutis Asbestos Awareness Course is not just about meeting regulatory requirements; it's a proactive step towards mitigating these risks and protecting lives. 

Asbestos Awareness Course Syllabus

The Astutis Asbestos Awareness Course syllabus provides learners with a full understanding of:

• Where asbestos is found.
• The dangers of asbestos.
• The do’s and don’t of working with asbestos.
• Disposal methods.
• Appropriate PPE.

This course can be delivered via a virtual classroom course or on-site by one of our expert tutors. The details of each element of the course are as follows:

Element 1

The course begins with a foundational understanding of asbestos, exploring:

• Who is likely to be exposed to asbestos?
• What is asbestos?
• Why is it harmful?
• When and where is someone most likely to be exposed?
• How to minimise exposure?

Element 2

Learners will then learn about the legislation and regulations surrounding asbestos in the workplace:

• What are the key requirements of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2012?
• What is the duty to manage asbestos containing material (ACM)?
• What is notification?
• What medicals and health records are required?
• What training is required?

Element 3

Finally, the course will cover the essential information of removing and protecting against asbestos. They will know answers to questions such as:

• What are the golden rules when working with asbestos?
• What are the key pieces of equipment?
• What are the key removal techniques?
• What about cleaning and disposal?
• How do I avoid personal contamination?
• What about PPE?

Attendees will break out into different groups at the end of each module to consolidate the information they have learnt so far.

What Are the Benefits of Asbestos Awareness Training?

The Astutis Asbestos Awareness Course is a comprehensive program that empowers individuals to recognise, assess, and manage asbestos risks effectively. Beyond legal compliance, investing in this course is an investment in the well-being of employees, contractors, and anyone who could be exposed to asbestos during their work.

By including the Astutis Asbestos Awareness course in your training program, your organisation will benefit greatly from an enhanced understanding of working around asbestos, helping to prevent long-term health issues and increasing workplace safety.

This course transcends traditional training by delving into a comprehensive syllabus that covers everything from the basics of asbestos to industry-specific nuances that apply directly to your industry. Other company benefits include:

• Compliance with Regulation 10 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 which requires employers to ensure “employees are given adequate information, instruction and training to those that are liable to be exposed to asbestos”.
• Enhancement of your reputation amongst potential customers/clients, regulators, insurers, and stakeholders.

Investing in the Astutis Asbestos Awareness Course is not just a commitment to compliance; it's a commitment to a safer, healthier future where the dangers of asbestos are met with knowledge, awareness, and proactive prevention. Safeguard lives and enrol your staff on the Astutis Asbestos Awareness Course below.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is UKATA, and Is UKATA Accreditation Required for Asbestos Awareness Training?

UKATA, the UK Asbestos Training Association, is not a government regulator. It is a membership body that sets standards for asbestos training providers, including course syllabi and a tutor competency framework, and it maintains a directory of over 180 approved providers.

UKATA membership itself is not a legal requirement. What the law requires is that training meets the standards set out in Regulation 10 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, regardless of which provider delivers it. That said, choosing a UKATA-approved training provider is a useful shortcut for employers, since it signals that a course has been checked against a recognised syllabus and is delivered by a competency-assessed tutor.

What Are the Different Types of Asbestos?

There are three main types of asbestos historically used in UK buildings:

• chrysotile (white asbestos), used in insulation, textiles and brake linings
• amosite (brown asbestos), used in insulation and construction products; and
• crocidolite (blue asbestos), used for acid and heat resistance.

All three were banned in the UK in 1999, and all are treated as equally hazardous under UK law. There is no evidence that any one type is safer than the others, and there is no known safe level of exposure to any of them.

What’s the Difference Between Asbestos Safety Training and Training for Licensable Work?

Asbestos awareness training is the entry-level course required for anyone who might come into contact with asbestos-containing materials during their normal work, even if they never intent to disturb them. It covers what asbestos is, where it is likely to be found and how to avoid the risk of exposure.

Licensable work is a different, higher-risk category, and it can only be carried out by a contractor holding an HSE asbestos licence. HSE decides whether work is licensable based on risk rather than the material alone: non-licensable work must be low intensity and sporadic, must not exceed the legal control limit of 0.1 fibres per cubic centimetre of air, and must meet further conditions relating to the condition of material. Awareness training on its own does not qualify someone to carry out non-licensable or licensable work; both require further, task-specific training on top of it.

Can Online Asbestos Awareness Learning Be Completed?

Yes. HSE guidance confirms that e-learning can satisfy the requirements of Regulation 10 for awareness-level training, provided the course covers the right content. Online asbestos awareness training and in-person classroom training are both legally valid options, as long as the course itself meets the regulation's requirements.

Astutis delivers its own asbestos awareness training as live, trainer-led sessions, in a virtual or classroom format. The virtual option gives learners the flexibility of online training without losing the ability to ask a tutor questions as they go.

Are Employers Legally Required to Provide Asbestos Instruction and Training?

Yes. Under Regulation 10 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, every employer must make sure that anyone liable to disturb asbestos during their normal work, or anyone who supervises them, receives the right level of information, instruction and training. This duty applies broadly, covering trades such as electricians, plumbers, joiners, painters and construction and demolition workers, not only staff working directly in asbestos removal. It sits within an employer's wider health and safety duties, not as a standalone add-on.

Who Is Most at Risk of Exposure to Asbestos in the Workplace?

HSE identifies tradespeople and maintenance workers who disturb the fabric of buildings as most at risk of exposure to asbestos fibres. This includes electricians, plumbers, joiners and heating and ventilation engineers carrying out routine repairs, alongside construction and demolition workers and licensed contractors removing sprayed coatings, insulation and lagging.

Can Asbestos Be Found in Soil?

Yes. Asbestos in soil is a recognised issue on construction, demolition and land redevelopment sites, particularly on brownfield land with an industrial history. It has been significant enough that a Joint Industry Working Group, formed in 2011 with support from HSE, published dedicated guidance for assessing and managing it.

Anyone working in ground investigation, demolition, waste recycling or land remediation on a site with a history of industrial use should treat the possibility of asbestos in soil as a genuine risk rather than a theoretical one.

How Do I Choose an Asbestos Awareness Training Provider?

Look for a training provider whose course is built around Regulation 10 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, delivered by a suitably competent tutor. UKATA membership is one widely used signal of quality in the training provider market, since UKATA-approved providers are checked against a set syllabus and a tutor competency framework.

Beyond accreditation, look at a provider's own track record: independently verified learner satisfaction scores, pass rates and wider approvals relevant to your sector all point to a training course worth trusting with your team's compliance and their safety.