SearchIn the specialized field of ground engineering, where workers frequently interact with made ground and disturb soils, the likelihood of encountering and associated risks with asbestos exposure are well documented. Whilst dangerous levels of exposure to asbestos are infrequent in the ground engineering world, knowledge of what form that asbestos could take and what that actually looks like in the ground could be the difference between a legal or illegal activity or creating a significant risk.
Hopefully, Asbestos Awareness Training (AAT) forms a part of most company’s training programmes, however, this training is often failing to fulfil the requirements of the Health and Safety Executive’s provided expectations as it is often not relevant to the work activity or workplace. This means that many in the industry receive only generic asbestos training, which often fails to address the specific hazards faced by ground engineering workers and the risk posed by asbestos in soils.
Asbestos awareness training, which is stipulated for “anyone who is liable to disturb asbestos during their normal work, or who supervises those employees” under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, is designed to cover the basics: types of asbestos, health risks, legal responsibilities, and general procedures for avoiding exposure. While crucial for a broad audience across the construction industry, this training often falls short for those in ground engineering, a sector that involves complex interactions with potentially contaminated soils, made ground, imported materials and buried infrastructure. Even despite the HSE’s guidance on who should undertake AAT, statistics from the last 12 months of the British Drilling Association’s annual driller’s audit show that 12% of their participants hold no asbestos training whatsoever.
Ground engineering frequently takes place on brownfield sites where asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) may be present on or beneath the surface. Generic training often focusses on asbestos in buildings and what it looks like within buildings, like pipe lagging or ceiling tiles, which does not adequately prepare workers for the challenges posed by asbestos risks associated with demolition, weathering, crushing etc. The skills required to identify potential asbestos-contaminated soil during excavation, for example, are vastly different from those used in dealing with asbestos insulation in buildings.
This gap in training can lead to dangerous lapses in safety protocols, as workers may be unaware of how to recognize and handle asbestos risks unique to their work environments.
Why does AAT need to be task-specific?
The HSE guidance on AAT makes specific reference to the training being “appropriate for the work and the roles undertaken by each worker (and supervisor)”. This means task-specific asbestos awareness training for ground engineering workers should be undertaken to address the unique risks and challenges faced on ground engineering sites. By offering in-depth knowledge and practical guidance tailored to the specific activities and environments they encounter, learners can be better equipped in how to identify potential asbestos and know what the immediate next steps are.
A key focus of task-specific training is the identification and assessment of asbestos hazards. Ground engineering workers must be able to recognize potential ACMs not just in buildings, but in soil and other subsurface conditions, as well as its potential presence on the surface. This requires an understanding of how asbestos was historically used, disposed of, and how it might have spread over time.
For instance, asbestos was commonly used in products like cement pipes and drainage systems. When these materials are buried or broken up, they can pose significant risks to workers who may unknowingly disturb them as part of a ground investigation, or wider earthworks projects. Task-specific training equips workers with the knowledge to identify these risks and raise the alarm.
What are the benefits?
Task-specific asbestos awareness training offers several key benefits. First and foremost, it enhances worker safety by providing the knowledge and skills necessary to identify and avoid potential asbestos exposure in specific ground engineering environments such as ground investigations, earthworks, piling, land drilling, remediation etc. This not only protects individual workers but also contributes to a safer workplace culture, where everyone is aware of the risks and takes proactive steps to mitigate them.
Secondly, it helps employers comply with their legal obligations under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, 2012. By providing training that reflects the specific risks of their work and their working environments, employers can demonstrate due diligence and eliminate the risk of fines or legal action in the event of an asbestos-related incident.
Finally, task-specific training can lead to improved project outcomes. When workers are confident in their ability to identify asbestos risks in soils, this allows the project to pro-actively develop a suitable and sufficient work plan and control measures to allow it to proceed more smoothly. This results in fewer delays or disruptions caused by unexpected or unnoticed asbestos discoveries later on in the project.
Task-specific training options
The British Drilling Association have identified the importance of AAT by making evidence of it a mandatory requirement for all drillers undertaking the BDA Audit from 1st October 2024. In response to this, ground engineering training specialists Equipe Group have developed a task-specific asbestos awareness training course, titled ‘Asbestos Awareness for Ground Engineering’ and have been providing free access to the course to all BDA member companies until the audit requirement comes into force on 1st October. The course is taken online and is available on-demand via their GEO Academy e-learning platform.
Calum Spires, Operations Director at Equipe explains more about the course: “Providing customers with task-specific and industry focussed training courses is what we do. Whether that is site supervisory training or CAT & Genny training, we always believe that when it comes to health and safety, it should be task-specific and industry related. Equipe already delivers a ground engineering-focussed non-licensed asbestos in soils course. However, we recognise that not all ground engineering companies choose to work with asbestos or carry out work which may disturb asbestos, and therefore, offering a ground engineering focussed Asbestos Awareness Training will help BDA members and other ground engineering employers meet their legal obligations.”
The need for task-specific asbestos awareness training in the ground engineering sector cannot be overstated and as discussed above is an integral part of HSE guidance. While generic construction-related training provides a valuable foundation, it is insufficient to address the unique risks faced by ground engineering workers. By investing in tailored training programs that reflect the realities of their work and workplace, companies can better protect their workers, ensure compliance with legal requirements, and improve project outcomes. In an industry where the stakes are high, there is no substitute for task-specific knowledge and preparedness.
Article provided by Calum Spires, Operations Director and Julian Lovell, Managing Director, Equipe Group
For further information, contact:
Calum Spires
Equipe Group
+ 44 (0)1295 670990