JSP 375 Vol 2 

MoD Health & Safety Handbook 

ARRANGEMENTS TO DEAL WITH ACCIDENTS, INCIDENTS AND EMERGENCIES 

33  Procedures, information and warning systems must be put in place to deal with an emergency in 

the workplace related to the use of asbestos in a work process or the removal or repair of asbestos 

containing materials. 

AIR MONITORING 

34  Air monitoring must occur unless the exposure of an employee to asbestos is not likely to exceed 

the action level or the employer can demonstrate in another way that the requirements for control in 

regulation 10(1) have been complied with.  Employees carrying out this monitoring must have received a 

similar standard of training, supervision and quality control to those required by EN 17025.  Where an 

external laboratory is to be engaged to carry out air monitoring, only those laboratories that can 

demonstrate they conform with EN 17025  

35  A suitable record of any monitoring carried out must be kept.  The record or a suitable summary 

must be kept.  Guidance on the retention of records is given in Leaflet 

55

. 

CLEARANCE AIR SAMPLING 

36  Areas where asbestos work has been undertaken should be subject to clearance air sampling 

before they are returned to normal (unrestricted access) use.  A UKAS accredited laboratory should 

undertake the sampling and analysis. Areas should not be returned to normal until airborne fibre levels 

are below the clearance indicator of 0.01f/ml of air. 

37  Sampling and analysis of airborne asbestos can help in assessing risk when it is suspected that 

fibres are released regularly or where a background concentration of asbestos has built up.  It will not be 

useful if the main mechanisms of fibre emission are transient and infrequent, unless the sampling period 

coincides with a period of fibre release.  At the very low concentrations, which are normally found in 

buildings, it is difficult to sample and analyse airborne asbestos accurately. 

HEALTH RECORDS AND MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE 

38  Health records for each employee exposed to asbestos must be maintained unless the exposure of 

that employee does not exceed the action level.  All such records must be kept. Guidance on retention is 

in Leaflet 

55

39  Every employer must ensure that each of his employees who is exposed to asbestos has been 

medically examined within the previous two years by an employment medical adviser or appointed 

doctor, unless the exposure of that employee does not exceed the action level. 

40  MOD personnel employed on work with asbestos on a regular basis but below the Action Level 

should receive 2 yearly medical surveillance.  This will include a questionnaire and spirometry, and 

access to a medical officer to discuss the results if requested or required. 

41  MOD Registered Asbestos Workers will continue to come under medical surveillance on a 2 yearly 

basis, or more frequently if the medical officer considers it appropriate.  Routinely, the surveillance will 

include a questionnaire and spirometry, and access to a medical officer to discuss the results if 

requested or required. 

42  MOD Registered Asbestos Workers are MOD civilian personnel who continue to be employed by 

MOD and who previous to the 1987 Regulations were directly engaged on dusty work with asbestos, 

including those who are or have been subsequently transferred to other areas of work in MOD and are 

no longer engaged in activities related to the use of asbestos.   Note that the number of Registered 

Asbestos Workers was kept to a minimum, but included: insulators/laggers; cleaners directly associated 

with asbestos insulation work; personnel servicing asbestos contaminated equipment and clothes; and 

other designated personnel who worked on specified tasks involving materials containing asbestos, 

where the dust levels were likely to exceed the exposure limits. 

Leaflet 5 Annex A 

Page 8 

 April 

2003