Competitive Tendering, Cheapest Price - Poor Workmanship

HUB4 on 20th August 2007 reported that the president of the Institute of Demolition Engineers has accused local authorities of putting price before professionalism when demolishing structures containing concrete contaminated with asbestos.

Davd Turner, believes that there is a "serious lack of knowledge of the CDM Regulations" at local authority levels and has called upon the Environment Agency to work with the Institute and the National Federation of Demolition Contractors to resolve the issues surrounding the disposal of concrete and hazardous waste. Speaking at the Institute's Southern regional meeting in London, Turner said that recent de-regulation had done professional demolition companies a disservice.

"Best practice is the removal of contaminants such as asbestos prior to the commencement of demolition work. This, of course, relies on the employment of professional and competent contractors using trained and preferably licensed staff, he says. "However, problems immediately arise because clients, aware that Artex and asbestos removal could exceed demolition costs, push for the asbestos to stay or favour the cheapest tender for its removal. In either of these scenarios the demolition contractor or engineer is at risk of financial loss or prosecution."

The president of the institute of Demolition Engineers, believes there is Local Authority ShortcomingsTurner also highlighted his concern over interpretation of regulations relating to the disposal of contaminated concrete. "Concrete is denoted a hazardous waste if it contains a dangerous substance above threshold concentrations but this is open to wide interpretation among officials," he says. "Some say that if sampling throughout the building shows an asbestos level below the threshold of below.01%, the concrete is contaminated rather than hazardous waste. But others say that any asbestos level, irrespective of whether the asbestos is white or blue, defines the concrete as ‘hazardous'. There needs to be clarification from the Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive."

To read the full account please click on the following link:
http://www.hub-4.com/news/674/ide-confronts-contaminated-concrete-crisis