An influential group of MPs has called on the Government to embark on the phased removal of asbestos from all schools to protect teachers, staff and children from the dust’s potentially harmful effects.

Strong intervention on reducing exposure limits relating to occupational carcinogens and increasing compliance in the workplace could prevent nearly 8500 cases of cancer over the next 50 years, according to an HSE expert.

The Welsh Government has launched an independent review into the management of asbestos at Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth.

The growth and popularity of free schools could expose teachers and pupils to health risks from poor asbestos management, unless the Government gets to grips with providing better training on the matter for governors and teachers.

The HSE is seeking views on revising the Control of Asbestos Regulations to bring them into line with the parent European Directive.

A building contractor has been fined after its workers were exposed to asbestos fibres during refurbishment work at a premises in Swansea, South Wales.

Workers and shoppers were potentially exposed to asbestos on the busy high-street construction site of a south-east London building contractor because he flouted the rules on working with the hazardous material.

Marks & Spencer has expressed its disappointment at the £1 million fine handed down to it yesterday (27 September) for putting staff and customers at its Broad Street store in Reading at risk of exposure to asbestos.

Two companies and a contractor have been prosecuted for releasing asbestos fibres during an office refurbishment project in Birmingham city centre.

A proactive inspection by the HSE uncovered serious safety failings by a company that was carrying out roof repairs at a house in Croydon.

Shops, offices and schools are just some of the workplaces in the services sector where asbestos could be present. But how do such organisations ensure they have the controls in place to safely manage this potentially deadly substance and, at the same time, remain open for business? Sadie Hopson explains.

In January this year, the HSE published new guidance on asbestos surveying,1 which explicitly advocates the need to be able to demonstrate and ensure competency. Martin Gibson, Martin Stear and Jon Murthy explain how both surveyors and duty-holders can do so.

The five years since the duty to manage asbestos was introduced have seen an explosion in the number of asbestos-surveying service-providers – many of whom are nowhere near competent. Martin Stear, who will be presenting on this topic at the SHP Arena at Safety & Health Expo, discusses the problem.

Pleural plaques are caused by inhaling asbestos fibres but, unlike more malign conditions caused by exposure to the deadly substance, they are symptomless and do not cause disability. Nevertheless, there is a great deal of legal debate and development in the area of compensation for sufferers, so Mike Boyle reviews the legal reasoning that has led to the current position and argues that any reversal would be counter-productive.

Robert Owen CMIOSH was diagnosed with mesothelioma in September last year and sadly died six months later. He always believed that the professional advice he gave to organisations throughout his career saved many people from unnecessary pain and injury, and maybe even death. By writing this personal case study, it was his intention to continue to provide that advice by warning others of the dangers of asbestos.

A university has been praised by the HSE for its commitment to safety by providing free training over and above the legal minimum requirement.

The HSE has found no evidence of raised levels of cancers among employees at a cement plant in Wales.

The HSE’s target 4000 hours of face-to-face training to be donated by asbestos training companies to vulnerable tradesmen during September has been exceeded by almost 100 per cent.

The HSE is calling on organisations that provide asbestos training to pledge free courses up to a total of 4000 hours to reflect the approximate number of deaths in Britain each year caused by the deadly dust.

College lecturers across Britain are being invited to download a free training package to help raise awareness of asbestos among young apprentices.

Engineering and environmental services firm Thomson Ltd has launched a new iStar Asbestos Management software system.

Start Software says it is the first asbestos-software supplier able to support data capture on Windows Mobile, Android and iPhone devices.

Risk-management software company, Msycdo, describes Shine, which was launched at SHE 11, as innovative software that takes the headache out of complying with asbestos regulations

Asbestos-services provider, the AcePSI Group, says it is continuing its expansion in the UK by opening a new regional office in Bellshill, Scotland.

AcePSI Group health and safety consultancy was created through the merger of Asbestos Consultants to the Environment and PSI2000.

AcePSI Group describes itself as one of the UK’s leading health and safety consultants, having been created through the merger of Asbestos Consultants to the Environment and PSI2000, a provider of health and safety management software.

Asbestos trainer Natas has launched an interactive e-learning programme for asbestos awareness.

A commonly heard mantra is ‘a poor asbestos survey is worse than no asbestos survey’. This will ring true with organisations who have, in some cases, parted company with large sums of money, only to be given a false sense of reassurance. This confidence is shattered when it is revealed that the surveys are less than thorough.

Asbestos specialists DMW Environmental Safety Ltd have recently launched their Analytical Response Unit. The company says it can now send a mobile unit to any mainland-UK site and test bulk material samples on site, thus avoiding transportation and routine laboratory delays.