CSCS Asbestos Awareness 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of air monitoring during and after licensed asbestos removal work?
- To check the temperature of the work area
- To measure airborne fibre concentrations during work to ensure controls are effective, and to carry out a 4-stage clearance test after removal to confirm the area is safe for reoccupation (Correct answer)
- Air monitoring is optional during asbestos work
- To measure oxygen levels only
Correct answer: To measure airborne fibre concentrations during work to ensure controls are effective, and to carry out a 4-stage clearance test after removal to confirm the area is safe for reoccupation
Air monitoring during licensed asbestos work measures airborne fibre concentrations to verify that controls (enclosure, RPE, suppression) are effective. After removal, a 4-stage clearance procedure is required: visual inspection, reassurance air test inside the enclosure, dismantling and final visual inspection, and a final air test that must show fibre levels below 0.01 f/cm3 before the area is returned to normal use.
Question 2: What information must be displayed on asbestos warning labels in accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012?
- Only the word 'Danger'
- The lowercase letter 'a' on a white background with a red triangle, the words 'WARNING — CONTAINS ASBESTOS', and the warning 'Breathing asbestos dust is dangerous to health — Follow safety instructions' (Correct answer)
- No specific format is required
- A simple skull and crossbones symbol
Correct answer: The lowercase letter 'a' on a white background with a red triangle, the words 'WARNING — CONTAINS ASBESTOS', and the warning 'Breathing asbestos dust is dangerous to health — Follow safety instructions'
Regulation 38 and Schedule 2 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 specify the mandatory warning label format: a lowercase 'a' on white background within a red triangle with red border, the warning text 'Contains asbestos', the statement 'Breathing asbestos dust is dangerous to health', and 'Follow safety instructions'. These labels must be placed on all known ACMs and asbestos waste.
Question 3: What is asbestosis and how does it differ from mesothelioma?
- They are the same disease
- Asbestosis is fibrosis (scarring) of the lung tissue caused by heavy, prolonged exposure, while mesothelioma is a cancer of the lung lining that can result from even brief exposure — both are caused by asbestos (Correct answer)
- Asbestosis is a skin condition and mesothelioma affects the liver
- Asbestosis is curable but mesothelioma is not
Correct answer: Asbestosis is fibrosis (scarring) of the lung tissue caused by heavy, prolonged exposure, while mesothelioma is a cancer of the lung lining that can result from even brief exposure — both are caused by asbestos
Asbestosis is a chronic condition where asbestos fibres cause progressive scarring (fibrosis) of the lung tissue, typically requiring heavy and prolonged exposure over many years. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the pleura (lung lining) or peritoneum (abdominal lining) that can result from even brief or low-level exposure and is always fatal. Both diseases are recognised under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
Question 4: Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, what must an employer provide before any work that may disturb asbestos?
- Only verbal instructions
- A suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk, a written plan of work detailing how the asbestos will be managed, appropriate training, health surveillance, and adequate PPE/RPE (Correct answer)
- A phone number for the HSE helpline
- Nothing beyond normal construction risk assessments
Correct answer: A suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk, a written plan of work detailing how the asbestos will be managed, appropriate training, health surveillance, and adequate PPE/RPE
The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 require: a suitable and sufficient risk assessment (Reg 6); a written plan of work detailing methods, controls, and emergency procedures (Reg 7); information, instruction, and training (Reg 10); health surveillance including medical examinations (Reg 22); and adequate PPE and RPE. For licensed work, a 14-day notification to the HSE is also required before work begins.
Question 5: What is the notification period required before licensed asbestos removal work can begin?
- No notification is required
- The HSE must be notified at least 14 days before licensed asbestos work begins, using the ASB5 notification form (Correct answer)
- 24 hours' notice to the local council is sufficient
- 30 days' notice to the Environment Agency
Correct answer: The HSE must be notified at least 14 days before licensed asbestos work begins, using the ASB5 notification form
Regulation 9 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 requires that the enforcing authority (usually the HSE) is notified at least 14 days before licensed asbestos work begins, using form ASB5. This notification includes details of the work location, type of asbestos, methods of removal, and control measures. The HSE may inspect the work at any time.
Question 6: What should be assumed about a building material of unknown composition in a pre-2000 building during construction work?
- It is safe unless it looks like asbestos
- It must be presumed to contain asbestos until proven otherwise by laboratory analysis of a representative sample taken by a competent person (Correct answer)
- It can be drilled or cut to check for fibres visually
- Only materials that are grey or white could be asbestos
Correct answer: It must be presumed to contain asbestos until proven otherwise by laboratory analysis of a representative sample taken by a competent person
Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and HSE guidance HSG264, if the composition of a material is unknown in a pre-2000 building, it must be presumed to contain asbestos until a representative sample has been taken by a competent person and analysed by a UKAS-accredited laboratory. Asbestos cannot be reliably identified by visual inspection alone — laboratory analysis is the only definitive method.
CSCS Asbestos Awareness 4
What is the purpose of air monitoring during and after licensed asbestos removal work?