Background
These asbestos guidance notes have been created to assist anyone who may disturb asbestos containing materials (ACMs) when working on our infrastructure. It will also assist responsible managers and those who control site safety and access, by showing where ACMs are likely to be. The guides follow the below naming convention:
AGN (asset guidance note) – Asset Discipline (3 letters) – Risk Level (H for high or M for medium) – Asset Name
Details on potential risk
The Technical Authority (TA) has completed an assessment of all our assets and the guides have been created for medium and high risk assets. Lots of information was used to complete the assessments, including (but not limited to); previous survey information, location, asbestos type and accessibility.
This guide highlights the most significant risks, but there may be others
The guides provide a list of locations where ACMs might exist, but there may be others. You should always assume that an asset will contain asbestos unless it has been inspected/surveyed and recorded on Network Rail’s Asbestos Risk Management System, ARMS – https://arms.networkrail.co.uk/ – The guides must not be used in place of an asbestos survey.
Please note that the validity of the medium-risk priority guidance notes has been extended until January 2022.
The high-risk priority guidance notes for the Buildings, Electrical Power, Plant, Traction & Rolling Stock, Telecoms and Tunnels disciplines have now been removed from Safety Central.
This is because all high-risk priority asbestos assets have now been surveyed by an asbestos consultant and appropriate management plans put in place or removal activities carried out by the regions.
If you require a copy of the guidance notes, please contact the Network Technical Head.
Asset Information and Maintenance
The guides provide some information on what asbestos materials may be associated with an asset and information on the use of the asset. Common maintenance tasks and frequencies have also been detailed within the guides.
Work with asbestos
Within the guides there is information on the types of work with asbestos and what is required, who can undertake the works and what is required to undertake the works safely.
Further Information
The guides contain references to documents that can provide more detailed information on all matters related to asbestos.
