Managing Asbestos on Transpower Sites: Tips and Guidelines

Managing asbestos on Transpower sites

Background Asbestos was widely used in many building products in the past Suspected or unidentified asbestos containing material (ACM) may be uncovered during work on Transpower sites ... what should you do about it? 2

Be proactive Understand what asbestos looks like and where it may be found Know your sites and identify/confirm presence of ACM by lab testing Ensure the asbestos register includes all known ACM hazards on your sites Review the register as part of work planning to ensure known ACM will not be disturbed If known ACM must be disturbed to conduct the work: liaise with Grid Performance on removal or management in situ options as appropriate include in scope of works and risk register adjust budget as necessary Get to grips with the service advisory Asbestos Management on Transpower sites 3

Know how to react Be vigiliant! Asbestos might be discovered during work buried e.g. buried pipes, material covered over in existing concrete, old landfill, cable ducts, inside electrical equipment (ODJBs, gaskets) revealed during drilling, sanding, cutting, etc in the soil soil can be contaminated as a result of ACM having been dumped there historically, or where fragments have contaminated the soil Work must stop immediately Treat it as asbestos and hazardous until testing confirms otherwise Demarcate the area, erect warning signs, and prevent entry of personnel Report discovery and exposure or potential exposure to ACM to Transpower as a safety incident or near miss Communicate potential presence to all workers in the vicinity Update asbestos register, including actions/controls to mitigate risk 4

We are managing known ACM ACM is only dangerous when friable when it s deteriorating We are creating a National Asbestos Register, managed centrally Grid Performance is responsible for assessing and monitoring buildings and grounds for presence and condition of asbestos once it is known and verified They will also work with you to install appropriate signage and update site specific asbestos registers They assess risk and prioritise ACM removal or management in situ, until removal as part of a project is viable or deterioration is detected and removal becomes necessary The service advisory has more detail and further information 5

So, the message is: Be proactive read the service advisory Know how to react if ACM is encountered Grid Performance are managing the asbestos on our sites work with them to keep everyone safe Call safety practitioners for advice if ACM is suspected (Steve Notman, Danny Kooyman, Paul Simpson) Health & Safety Manager is the go-to person for asbestos identification and management procedures 6