Develop Training (DTL), a leading training provider to the construction sector, is working with Ridgewood Environmental to stress the need to prepare workers against the threat posed by asbestos in the ground.
Ridgewood Environmental and third-party provider, DTL, have recently been approved by UKATA to deliver a brand new Asbestos in Soils training course. To launch the training they are inviting employers to attend one of two free seminars on Thursday 8 November at DTL’s Derby centre in Ascot Drive.
The seminars will allow employers to view some of the course content, meet the training team, and ultimately find out if the training is suitable for their employees. Several external speakers will also be in attendance, including representatives from Tanglewood Environment and Dyne Solicitors, who will be discussing legislation and duty of care for asbestos-contaminated soil.
Jim Donnelly, a training delivery manager at DTL, said: “The menace from asbestos in buildings is well known, but it can also be hazardous when disturbed in the soil. Finding it beforehand is a challenge for construction site managers. The substance may be present as fragments of insulation materials visible to the naked eye, or as micro fibres requiring scientific tests to confirm their presence.” He added: “People need the skills to conduct proper risk assessment, and to implement a range of other steps depending on the nature and scale of the problem.”
Those steps could include ensuring licensed personnel carry out remediation work, informing the Health and Safety Executive of the incident, and providing protective equipment, including respirators. Disposing of waste and decontaminating operatives may also be required, and air monitoring might be set up on site or near to neighbouring homes.
