E-fact 48: Safe maintenance – asbestos in building maintenance
Asbestos is the collective name for several naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals that can be separated into thin, durable threads. It was once widely used because of its properties: it is heat resistant, withstands acids and other chemicals, and it is a good insulator. Although the use of asbestos has been banned in EU, millions of cubic metres of materials containing asbestos are still in place in existing buildings. Building maintenance workers are at a high risk of coming into contact with asbestos when working on insulations in buildings and industrial installations such as pipes, roofs, walls etc.
This E-fact will help building maintenance companies and workers become more aware of the risks of asbestos, and develop the knowledge and skills to avoid exposure to the hazardous fibres.
:
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
:
26.04.2010
Available in:
[English]
One conclusion from the EU-OSHA economic incentives project is that incentives schemes should not only reward past results of good OSH management (such as accident numbers in experience rating), but should also reward specific prevention efforts that aim to reduce future accidents and ill-health. Experts from the economic incentives project therefore suggested the development of compilations of innovative and evidence-based preventive solutions, starting with the three sectors construction, health care and HORECA (hotels, restaurants, catering). The preventive measures from these compilations are worth promoting in their own right, as well as being applied in economic incentives schemes. These preventive solutions can be used as a basis for incentive-providing organisations to develop their own incentive scheme, adapted to the specific situation in their sector and country.
This Guide on Economic Incentives Schemes is intended to serve as a practical and user-friendly guide to help incentive providers to create or optimise their own economic incentive schemes. Incentives schemes should not only reward past results of good OSH management (such as low accident numbers), but should also reward specific prevention efforts that aim to reduce future accidents and ill-health. Therefore the expert group suggested the development of compilations of innovative and evidence-based preventive solutions, starting with the three sectors construction, health care and HORECA.
This Magazine is part of the resources produced to support the European Campaign on Safe Maintenance. The articles in the Magazine demonstrate the wide range of maintenance related issues that have an impact on maintenance safety and more generally on safety and health at work. These include, among others, maintenance organisation, maintenance planning, risk assessment, human behaviour, chemical safety, design, subcontracting maintenance, communication and training, and inspection of personal protective equipment.
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