Bristol City Council Case Study

Location/Area: Bristol
Start Date: 2000 to present
Team: ACE Ltd (part of ACEPSI Group) Bristol Operations

The Issue

Bristol City Council owns and manages a wide range of commercial properties that include office buildings, schools and various other public buildings. Many of these buildings were constructed prior to the introduction of legislation covering the use of asbestos in buildings and with the inclusion of asbestos containing materials (ACMs). Bristol City Council is therefore required to manage the asbestos in order to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Regulation 4 of CAR 2012, Defective Premises Act 1972 and Environmental Protection Act 1990 for the health & safety of their tenants, staff and contractors.

The Task

‘Asbestos Consultants to the Environment Ltd’ (ACE) is a part of the contractors framework that carries out Asbestos Management for Bristol City Council. We are involved in undertaking a complete range of asbestos management services, including surveys, survey re-inspections, bulk sample analysis, air fibre monitoring (including four stage clearances, backgrounds and emergency re-assurance air tests) and project management of asbestos removal/asbestos removal contractors, for commercial properties (including many schools) in Bristol.

The Approach

Since the year 2000, we continue to carry out) many management and re inspection surveys. We currently gather and provide ‘priority risk assessment’ information on the council’s behalf and according to pre agreed criteria. In addition to this numerous refurbishment and demolition surveys are undertaken prior to planned maintenance, refurbishment or demolition works. Another service we offer is to schedule work on behalf of Property Services. We contact the relevant people at Bristol City Council’s managed premises to inform them in advance to schedule in, planned works. This is done by our dedicated Project Manager or team of schedulers either by telephone, email or post and also  when necessary, confirm back in writing or via letter or email. Further, if required, ACE does not hesitate to arrange and complete works in out-of-office hours and during holiday periods. This helps is assuring least disruption to the occupants and ensures more safety.

Besides providing regular professional advice and consultancy, ACE is also prompt is providing emergency services e.g. collecting and analysing bulk samples, emergency air fibre monitoring and organisation of emergency environmental cleaning or asbestos removal.

After surveys are completed we issue reports in our standard format as well as in the council’s specified format. Management reports are issued with ‘priority risk assessment’ information and a completed CIPFA spreadsheet which enables Bristol City Council to update their Asbestos Registers accordingly.

With the help of a dedicated Operations/Project Manager, regular communication and periodic contract review meetings, ACE is able to keep track of the council’s needs and project deliverables effectively.

The Result

ACE has been successfully assisting in managing asbestos in wide variety of commercial properties for Bristol City Council for the past decade. The work has always been carried out as per the agreed targets timescales, within budget and accident free.

This case study demonstrates ACE’s ability to deliver a complete range of asbestos management services, its willingness to engage in a close working relationship with the customer to enable them to achieve their targets and to carry out the work without causing disruption to the occupants of commercial properties.