5th November 2019
NHS learnings help Stansted Airport with asbestos management
Extensive experience from a 16-year career managing NHS buildings has been brought to the aviation industry by Stuart Leighio, Asset Assurance, Compliance & Authorising Manager, Assets Engineering at Stansted Airport.
Stuart, who joined London Stansted Airport in September 2018, explained: “My role is to ensure that all Stansted Airport’s assets are being correctly maintained. From my experience working for the NHS as an estate’s manager, I knew it was likely that some of the airport’s assets built before 1999 may contain asbestos. It was important to me that my team and I knew how to correctly manage the risk while carrying out maintenance, so arranged for appropriate training with Asbestos Training Limited.”
Stansted Airport has a diverse portfolio, with some buildings even built during the Second World War. These were constructed by the US Air Force in 1942 as part of Stansted Mountfitchet Airfield that on D-Day saw bombers from Stansted led more than 600 aircraft over the beaches of occupied France.
In 1966 Stansted became a civilian airport and since then has steadily grown. Today, owned and operated by Manchester Airports Group (MAG), more than 28 million passengers pass through Stansted every year, making it the fourth busiest airport in the UK.
Recognising the asbestos risk, Stuart engaged Asbestos Training Limited (ATL) to deliver the three-day UKATA-approved Duty to Manage – Appointed Persons course, an industry-wide course which Graham O’Mahony, Managing Director of ATL developed for the leading asbestos training association.
The course is designed for people like Stuart which are responsible for asbestos containing materials in buildings which are defined within the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR), HSG 264 – Asbestos: The Survey Guide (HSG264) and HSG 227.
The regulations require duty holders to identify the location and condition of asbestos in non-domestic premises and to manage the risk to prevent harm to anyone who works on the building or to building occupants.
Graham himself delivered the course at Stansted Airport to Stuart and seven of his colleagues who all passed with flying colours (no pun intended) and each received the UKATA-Approved Duty to Manage - Appointed Persons course certificate.
Stuart said: “Without exception everyone came away with praise for how the course had been delivered and presented. The course content has given us the tools and knowledge to manage the asbestos on site both on a day-to-day basis as well as for the future.
The asbestos journey for Stuart and his colleagues doesn’t stop here. He explained: “Now we have done the course we are in the position, as a team, to sit down and further define where the asbestos is on site, undertake risk assessments and organise any work which is deemed necessary.”
ATL’s Duty to Manage – Appointed Persons course is delivered at venues throughout the UK and can also be delivered inhouse. To find out more, get in touch with a member of team.