More than half of Scottish NHS buildings contain asbestos, with the NHS Lothian health board in particular reporting that 92% of their buildings contain the material
It has been found that over half of Scottish NHS buildings contain asbestos, which can cause lung cancers such as mesothelioma.
Eight of the fourteen health boards in Scotland reported having asbestos in over 50% of their buildings.
NHS Lothian reported a particular high of 92% in their buildings.
Although banned for current use, asbestos is still present in older buildings
Asbestos takes around 5,000 lives every year in the UK, with around 20 tradesmen dying each week from past exposure.
A recent survey by ElectricalDirect found that 72% of tradespeople have come across asbestos in their working lives.
Three in five (60%) find it every year, over a third (35%) said every month, and one in 12 (8%) come face to face with asbestos every day.
Licenced contractors are required to prevent release of asbestos fibres
Tim Turney, global marketing manager at industrial hygiene and workplace hazard monitoring expert, Casella, commented:
“Whenever asbestos is removed, it is a legal requirement to use licenced contractors and to ensure strict regulations and guidance are followed to limit the potential release of dangerous, airborne fibres. The guidance, depending on national practice, typically includes personal air sampling and/or static air sampling, to ensure that there is no exposure during remediation work or during the cleaning and clearance processes at a removal site.
“In the UK, a four-stage clearance process is used, involving a preliminary check of the site condition and job completeness, a thorough visual inspection inside the enclosure or work area, air monitoring and a final assessment of the post-enclosure or work area following dismantling.
Air sampling can reduce the cost of asbestos removal works
“Licenced contractors may also take air samples before work is undertaken to establish a background level measurement. Conducting a test before disturbing any materials could save thousands of pounds on decontamination and environmental cleaning fees and help to avoid exposure. Additionally, trained professionals may take air samples during work on or near asbestos to confirm that there is no leakage from the enclosure.
“Using air sampling pumps with remote connectivity, such as Bluetooth and a mobile phone app, can help while gathering the necessary measurements.
“Ultimately, asbestos monitoring has the power to save lives, and innovations in technology can make this process easier and faster than ever before.”
