If managed carefully, asbestos in a hospital does not pose a risk to patients or staff. However, any disturbance of the material has the potential to endanger lives. In fact, the BBC found “352 claims were made against health trusts between January 2013 and December 2017 by people who had developed asbestos-related diseases in NHS buildings” – resulting in £16.4million of compensation paid out to victims.…
There are a variety of materials commonly found within the rail environment which are classified as hazardous materials The presence of such materials may pose a risk to the health of staff or members of the public, and while some are fairly innocuous unless disturbed or released, others present a greater risk due to their presence.…
As anybody involved in the UK ground investigation industry knows, our day-to-day works are very heavily influenced by numerous UK and European standards and specifications. Given that the works we undertake are of such importance to the success and prosperity of the country, you can see why this is necessary.…
Growing consumer awareness and increasingly stringent regulatory demands have resulted in renewed emphasis on the quality of water and selection of disinfectants used for the washing and preparation…
Following the launch of the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) ‘DustBuster’ campaign, aimed at tackling occupational lung disease caused by construction dust and other hazardous substances, Mary Cameron, occupational hygiene team leader at SOCOTEC, takes a closer look at the initiative and how you can ensure compliance.…
Up until its ban in 1999, asbestos was used widely for its insulating and fire resistant properties - with use in the rail industry no exception. Buildings in the rail sector as well as the train rolling stock were – and continue to be - commonplace for asbestos containing materials.!…
Unknown materials and substances found on-site, in products, or during processing can be a major cause for concern. Being able to effectively and precisely identify them enables public and private sector organisations such as corporations, police, hospitals and councils to take action to prevent risk.…
Cheap, durable and flexible with excellent insulation and fireproofing agents, asbestos was used extensively throughout the 1900s until its ban in 1999. Due to its popularity, asbestos containing materials (ACMs) can still be found in a wide range of locations, including those you may not even think of.…
Various activities undertaken at industrial sites can pose a potential environmental risk to that site or the surrounding environment. Commonly, previous occupants of a site or neighbouring premises can significantly impact on the contamination levels present in the land.…
The effects of climate change are hitting the headlines as we continue into our fourth month of high temperatures. Warm weather and hot summer holidays, quite naturally, see an increased use of many water applications. Air conditioning units and associated cooling towers, for example, are in greater demand in the summer, swimming pools are visited more frequently, and hose pipes are pulled out of hibernation for a summer of use.…