Control of Asbestos Regulations (CAR) 2012 – Regulations Kept Simple

Confirms ‘These Regulations may be cited as the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and come into force on 6th April 2012.’

Confirms in Summary that ‘This regulation provides definition and interpretation of the terms used in the Regulations.’

This regulation states how the Regulations apply to duty holders (including self-employed). It also highlights the exemptions.

This regulation covers the duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises. It requires duty holders to identify the location and condition of asbestos in non-domestic premises and to manage the risk to prevent harm to anyone who works on the building or to building occupants. It also explains what is required of people who have a duty to co-operate with the main duty holder to enable them to comply with the regulation. Non-domestic premises includes the common parts of domestic premises.

This regulation requires employers to identify the presence of asbestos and its type and condition before any building, maintenance, demolition or other work, liable to disturb asbestos begins. It also sets out the requirement to arrange a survey if existing information on the presence of asbestos in the premise is incomplete or appears unreliable.

This regulation requires employers to carry out a risk assessment to identify the risk of exposure to asbestos. It sets out the requirement to record any significant findings and put in place steps to prevent, or reduce, exposure to employees.

This regulation requires employers to prepare a written plan before work on asbestos is carried out, including details of work, and the appropriate actions to control risk and prevent harm.

This regulation requires employers to obtain a licence from HSE before they can carry out any licensable work with asbestos.

This regulation requires employers to notify the appropriate enforcing authority of proposed work which is either licensable (always notifiable) or NNLW (applies to some non-licensable work). It also outlines the requirements to notify any material change which might affect the particulars of the original notification, this is particularly important for licensable work.

This regulation requires employers to make sure that anyone liable to disturb asbestos during their work, or who supervises such employees, receives the correct level of information, instruction and training to enable them to carry out their work safely and competently and without risk to themselves or others.

This regulation requires employers to prevent employees being exposed to asbestos or, if this is not possible, to put in place the measures and controls necessary to reduce exposure to as low as is reasonably practicable.

This regulation requires employers to put procedures in place to make sure employees use and apply control measures. It also requires the employees to make full and proper use of those measures.

This regulation requires employers to carry out regular inspection and maintenance of control measures to make sure they are kept in good efficient working order. It also requires a competent person to test and examine exhaust ventilation and RPE at suitable intervals and for records of examinations and tests to be kept for at least five years.

This regulation requires employers to prepare procedures on what to do if there is an accident, unplanned, uncontrolled release of asbestos fibre. Also, for licensable work, procedures must be planned, implemented and tested and warning systems should be in place. Details of this information must be given to the emergency services.

This regulation requires employers to prevent or reduce the spread of asbestos anywhere work is being carried out under their control.

This regulation requires employers to make sure that work areas, plant and equipment used for asbestos work are kept clean. It also requires the employer to make sure the area is thoroughly cleaned after work is finished.

This regulation requires employers to make sure that areas where asbestos work is being carried out are separated, clearly marked, and restricted to those required to work in the area. It also requires the employer to provide suitable facilities for employees to eat and drink.

This regulation requires employers to arrange monitoring of airborne asbestos fibres and keep records of the results. It sets out how long records should be kept and that they should be made available to employees or the regulator as required.

This regulation requires employers performing their own air testing to do it in a way that meets the criteria as set out in ISO 17025. It also requires employers to make sure that any person they engage to perform asbestos air testing and site clearance is competent and accredited by the appropriate accreditation body.

This regulation requires employers performing their own analysis of material to check for asbestos in a way that meets the criteria set out in ISO 17025. It also requires employers to make sure any person they engage to perform analysis is accredited to ISO standard by the appropriate body.

This regulation requires employers to arrange appropriate examinations for any employees who carry out licensable work or NNLW. Its also sets out what health records employers must keep and for how long

This regulation requires employers to provide suitable and sufficient washing, changing and storage facilities for employees, and sets out the specific requirements for hygiene facilities for licensable work.

This regulation requires employers to make sure that raw asbestos and asbestos waste is properly packaged, labelled, stored and transported.

This regulation provides interpretation of the prohibitions.

This regulation explains the prohibitions of exposure to asbestos .

This regulation outlines the requirements on the labelling of products containing asbestos.

This regulation highlights exceptions and exemptions and when they apply.

This regulation explains exemption certifications and when they may be granted.

This regulation explains how The Secretary of State for Defence may grant exemption in the interests of national security.

This regulation states and explains how these regulations can or may apply to any works outside Great Britain.

This regulation outlines existing licences and exemption certificates.

This regulation explains what is revoked and what must be kept.

This regulation makes clear grounds for a defence if an offence is committed; namely that ‘’it is a defence for any person to prove that all reasonable precautions were taken and all due diligence was exercised by that person to avoid the commission of that offence’’.