AMAC (Asbestos Management Auditing Company)
The asbestos removal industry is one of only three industries in which companies require a licence to operate. The Health & Safety Executive’s Asbestos Licensing Unit is robustly enforcing the requirements of the Control of Asbestos regulations 2006. This has resulted in some asbestos removal contractors failing to meet the Industry Standards required by the regulations and this has lead to one or more of the following actions:-
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Inclusion onto the Asbestos Licensing Unit ‘Priority Visit’ list which means constant unannounced HSE site visits.
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Reduction in the terms of a new license from 3 years to 1 year with special conditions imposed.
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Total revocation of the asbestos license.
A large number of Asbestos Removal contractors are already subject to at least one of the above impositions thus seriously affecting their trading position or preventing them from trading at all.
AMAC working with the Contractor
AMAC is a totally independent management auditing company dedicated to providing a first class and truly independent asbestos management and site auditing service to companies or individuals who are involved in asbestos related industries and our services are free to those customers who choose Direct Insurance as their preferred partner for Insurance.
Complying with current Health and Safety legislation, particularly the asbestos regulations, is becoming increasingly time consuming and is fraught with pitfalls for the contractor. AMAC’s Contractor Compliance Audits provide informed feedback regarding legislative compliance, and if utilised positively can provide the contractor with a very powerful management tool.
As far as the asbestos contractor is concerned, it is far more preferable for the contractor to identify his own mistakes and remedy them, than it is to have an enforcement officer identify the problems which may lead to prosecution, enforcement action or worse still, loss of his licence.
Through site compliance auditing AMAC can provide a valuable service to contract managers, directors, etc. and actually assist in developing management tools and working strategies, ensuring legislative compliance for under-pressure contractor managers. Independent audits provide “peace of mind” that you’re compliant with legislation and also demonstrate to the HSE, upon license renewal, your continual, conscientious commitment to meeting Industry Best Practise and Standards.
AMAC’s Management compliance auditing is designed to be utilised to assess the effects of company policies relative to their health and safety plans and safe working procedures. It also provides ‘snapshots’ of sites, offices, etc. to ensure that company working procedures are being implemented correctly and finally it provides companies with the confidence that they are complying with relevant H&S legislation, plus allowing them to focus freely on other aspects of their businesses at the same time as delivering a truly safe working environment for their employees.
Freedom of Choice
AMAC’s compliance auditing service has been developed to cover the legislative requirements of the following range of companies.
Duty Holders
Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations places a requirement on businesses to manage asbestos in any premises they are responsible for maintaining. AMAC provides an ‘auditing for compliance’ service designed, via physical auditing, to verify duty holders’ total asbestos management plans and registers. AMAC can make recommendations regarding maintenance procedures, risk assessments and company asbestos policies, whilst at the same time ensuring duty holders are complying with the CAR and carrying out the actions required by their management plan.
Training Providers
In order to be included on the HSE list of competent training providers anyone who provides asbestos related training should have agreed in writing to follow the HSE training guidance set out in chapter 4 of the HSE Publication ‘Licensed Contractors Guide’ and should be able to demonstrate compliance. AMAC can provide a commercially independent auditing service for training providers to assist them in complying with the requirements of chapter 4. AMAC is not a commercial training provider; it can offer a completely independent auditing service for training providers, assuring them of a totally impartial, objective and confidential service.
Asbestos Removal Contractors & Licence Holders
Asbestos removal contractors are required to work within the framework of the
Control of Asbestos Regulations and the Hazardous Waste Regulations. In addition, they have to apply for an HSE Asbestos Licensing Unit Operating Licence at regular intervals. AMAC via compliance auditing provides a totally independent service and feedback regarding contractor compliance with regulations. As AMAC is a totally independent organisation the service it provides for each contractor is impartial, objective and confidential.
Multi-Discipline Contractors
Multi-discipline contractors can benefit from AMAC’s compliance auditing service relative to all of their divisions, particularly if a division is likely to have operatives who may be working adjacent to, with, or likely to disturb asbestos. AMAC can provide outside independent auditing which will compliment the systems a multi discipline contractor already has in place and because of AMAC’s independent status, the contractor receives a fresh and alternative view on their health & safety procedures and issues.
Tel/Fax: 01325 460112
E-mail info@amac.org.uk
Advisory Service mikekeeligan@amac.org.uk
Publications christine@amac.org.uk
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