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Potential Risk Of Environmental Contamination Of Asbestos Dust On Collapse Of Hospital Tower

In the UK, the health risks from Asbestos exposure includes not only industrial workers, but also school teachers, Office Workers, NHS Hospital Staff, Engineers, and members of the public who can be exposed when buildings are demolished or when entering buildings containing asbestos that is not stabilised and covered.

A recent example of this happened on the 22nd April this year, at the old Royal Hospital site in Liverpool.

The Duncan Building contained asbestos, and was recently demolished without any apparent precautionary methods used to prevent airborne asbestos dust from contaminating the local area.

When demolition work began on this Hospital Tower block, the accidental collapse of the whole block created a huge plume of dust which was carried into the air; covering surrounding roads, pavements and buildings in dust, including houses and commercial premises.

From the video clip on the right, it can be seen that nearby workers clearly did not expect the building tower to collapse, otherwise they would not have been so close to the site in front of only a wire fence.

Local media reported on the accidental fall of the complete tower block the next day, but only after the video had gone viral on social media. Click on the image above to run the 1 minute clip. You can see the full 6 minute video on YouTube

The Liverpool Echo report of the collapse of the tower block, quoted the Hospital as saying that the programmed demolition was a controlled event and involved required safety procedures!

The video clearly shows that was not the case and that the tower had collapsed as a result of work being done using a mobile piece of equipment to break up the front of the tower block.

The video does not show any form of worker protection or public safety procedures, with regard to avoiding environmental pollution of dust which in all probability contained silica and asbestos within the mix of concrete dust.

Both of these substances can cause forms of cancer.

If asbestos was present, then inhalation of it, even by workers or members of the public; puts them at risk of developing asbestos related illness such as Mesothelioma. It does not require a huge amount of dust to be inhaled.

According to the Royal Liverpool Hospital website, the procedures to prevent health risks from Asbestos dust and environmental pollution includes:

• Soft strip inside buildings before demolition, retaining walls and windows to provide a screen against dust
• Bag and removal of debris prior to demolition and damping down of material stockpiles
• Water suppression techniques (atomised and targeted jet water)
• Air handling units with primary and secondary filters to capture dust, pollen, bacteria and finer dust particles.

It is hard to see evidence of that having taken place prior to the collapse of the tower block shown in the video above.

The company concerned and the Hospital management claim that all precautionary measures including, an Asbestos register and a Health and Safety Executive Refurbishment/Demolition Survey were completed, and a suitable contractor was given the demolition contract with the work that being done in the right way.

The hospital states on their website:

"This is to ensure that nobody will be harmed by work on asbestos-containing materials (ASMs) present in the premises or equipment and The Trust has checks in place to ensure the specialist company carrying out the demolition will adhere to all legislation related to the removal and disposal of ASMs."

In fact the statement should say "ACMs" - Asbestos Containing Materials, and not ASMs.

Anyone wishing to complain about what happened when the Duncan Building collapsed, or the results of the air quality analysis that should have been done; and analysis of the building rubble after the collapse of the building; should contact the contractor, DSM Demolition:

• Email - RLUHcomplaints@dsmgroup.info
• Will Scriven, Lead Communications Manager - 07827 318709
• Head Office - 0121 322 2225

Source:unionsafety / MAVSG / Liverpool Echo / Royal Liverpool University Hospital /Paul Frost (video) / YouTube

 

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