A fire risk assessment is a review undertaken of a building to assess its fire risk and to provide recommendations to make the building safer if needed. If there are less than five occupants regularly in the building, then it is not required for the assessment to be written down, even if that would be a wise step to confirm awareness.
Are fire risk assessments a legal requirement?
A Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) is a legal requirement. It is your duty to identify fire risks and hazards in your premises and take appropriate action.
What is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005?
It replaced most fire safety legislation with one simple order. It means that any person who has some level of control in premises must take reasonable steps to reduce the risk from fire and make sure people can safely escape if there is a fire.
Where does the order apply?
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to virtually all premises and covers nearly every type of building, structure and open space.
For example, it applies to:
Planning a fire strategy
offices and shops;
premises that provide care, including care homes and hospitals;
community halls, places of worship and other community premises;
the shared areas of properties several households live in (housing laws may also apply);
pubs, clubs and restaurants;
schools and sports centres;
tents and marquees;
hotels and hostels; and
factories and warehouses.
It does not apply to:
people’s private homes, including individual flats in a block or house.
Who is responsible for the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005?
You are responsible for fire safety in a business or other non-domestic premises if you are:
Under the order, anyone who has control of premises or anyone who has a degree of control over certain areas or systems may be a ‘responsible person’. For example, it could be:
the employer for those parts of premises staff may go to;
the managing agent or owner for shared parts of premises or shared fire safety equipment such as fire-warning systems or sprinklers;
the occupier, such as self-employed people or voluntary organisations if they have any control; or
any other person who has some control over a part of the premises.
What are the main rules under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order?
You must:
carry out a fire-risk assessment identifying any possible dangers and risks;
consider who may be especially at risk;
get rid of or reduce the risk from fire as far as is reasonably possible and provide general fire precautions to deal with any possible risk left;
take other measures to make sure there is protection if flammable or explosive materials are used or stored;
create a plan to deal with any emergency and, in most cases, keep a record of your findings; and
review your findings when necessary
More about Fire Risk Assessments.
A fire risk assessment is a review undertaken of a building to assess its fire risk and to offer recommendations to make the building safer if needed. If there are less than five occupants regularly in the building, then it is not required for the assessment to be written down, even if that would be a wise step to confirm awareness.
If you are completing a fire risk assessment here are the elements that you will need to consider:
Fire log books are essential to manage your risk
emergency routes and exits.
fire detection and warning systems.
fire-fighting equipment.
the removal or safe storage of dangerous substances.
an emergency fire evacuation plan.
the needs of vulnerable people, for example the elderly, young children and those people with disabilities.
providing information to employees and other people on the premises
staff fire safety training.
In addition to these, consideration will also have to be given to the following, when carrying out the assessment,
Fire Risk Assessment – Process
Identify the fire hazards. Such as sources of ignition such as naked flames, heaters or some commercial processes; sources of fuel such as built-up waste, display materials, textiles or overstocked products; and sources of oxygen such as air conditioning or medicinal or commercial oxygen supplies.
Identify people at risk. Such as people working near to fire dangers; people working alone or in isolated areas (such as in roof spaces or storerooms); children or parents with babies; and the elderly or infirm and people who are disabled.
Evaluate, remove, or reduce risks. You should remove or reduce any fire hazards where possible and reduce any risks you have identified. For example, make sure you separate flammable materials from sources of ignition; and have a safe-smoking policy.
Record your findings, prepare an emergency fire-plan and provide training. You need to record, plan, instruct, inform and train. You will need to record the dangers and people you have identified as especially at risk in step 1 and step 2. You should also record what you did about it in step 3. A simple plan can help you achieve this.
Review and update the fire risk assessment regularly. You should make sure your fire-risk assessment is up to date. You will need to re-examine your fire-risk assessment if you suspect it is no longer valid.
How often are fire risk assessments required?
The recommendation is that the responsible person completes a Fire Risk Assessment at least once per year, but it can be sooner, if for example where there has been a significant change in the environment that is being assessed, any changes to either the property, or to legislation that has been updated. For lower risk properties this could be every 2 to 3 years.
Who can complete a fire risk assessment?
You can undertake the Fire Risk Assessment yourself with the help of standard fire safety risk assessment guides if you have the correct training and experience.
If you do not have the expertise or time to do the fire risk assessment yourself you need to appoint a ‘competent person’ to help, or to appoint a professional risk assessor.
Your local fire and rescue authority might be able to give you advice if you are not sure your risk assessment’s been carried out properly. However, they cannot carry out risk assessments for you.
However, the risks for getting it wrong can be severe, so why not call in the experts?
How much does a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) cost?
How much does a FRA cost?
The cost of a Fire Risk Assessment will depend on several factors, which will include do I get a Fire Risk Assessor to do the job for me, to complete the survey and to update and maintain the records, or do I do the job myself, or nominate a competent person? The other factors that need to be considered is the size of the area to be assessed or any problems that someone who is not trained may miss, or not fully understand the significance.
What is included in a Fire Risk Assessment?
The content of the Fire Risk Assessment will be influenced by several factors, depending upon the nature and use of the building, where it is located if it is a shared premises and if is a building undergoing alterations or extensions.
Areas that need to be considered in almost all fire risk assessments are fire detection systems, emergency exits and routes (including evacuation plans), firefighting equipment and the availability of information and advice to the building’s occupants.
Issues such as the specific needs of vulnerable people and the safe storage of any dangerous substances must also be considered. However, these may not always be a relevant factor for the fire risk assessment depending on the use of the building.
You must carry out regular checks to make sure that:
No smoking sign as part of a fire safety policy
all fire alarm systems are working.
the emergency lighting is working.
you record any faults in systems and equipment.
all escape routes are open for use and the floor is in good condition.
all fire escapes can be opened easily.
automatic fire doors close correctly.
fire exit signs are in the right place.
emergency routes and exits.
fire detection and warning systems.
fire -fighting equipment.
the removal or safe storage of dangerous substances.
an emergency fire evacuation plan.
the needs of vulnerable people, for example the elderly, young children or people with disabilities.
providing information to employees and other people on the premises.
staff fire safety training.
Fire risk assessments in shared premises and HMO’s :
In shared premises it is likely there will be more than one responsible person. You will need to co-ordinate your fire safety plans to make sure people on or around the premises are safe.
For common or shared areas, the responsible person is the landlord, freeholder or managing agent.
What about alterations, premises extensions and new buildings?
When building new premises or doing building work on existing premises, you must comply with building regulations. This includes designing fire safety into the proposed building or extension.
Having completed a FRA, what do I need to do next?
You need to start converting your risk assessment to an Emergency Evacuation Action Plan (EEAP), which is always well supported by a plan of the premises which will show all relevant details of fire doors, escape routes, fire fighting equipment, emergency lighting, staff training and fire assembly points.
Fire Safety and Evacuation Plans
Your plan must show how you have:
Fire safety training is an essential part of a fire strategy
a clear passageway to all escape routes
clearly marked escape routes that are as short and direct as possible
enough exits and routes for all people to escape
emergency doors that open easily
emergency lighting where needed
training for all employees to know and use the escape routes
a safe meeting point for staff
Penalties and enforcement for not having an FRA in place?
You could be fined or go to prison if you do not follow fire safety regulations.
Local fire and rescue authorities do and will inspect premises and can issue fire safety notices, telling you about changes you need to make.
How can Summit Environmental help you?
We keep you safe, compliant, and up to date with current legislation. We can assist you with our assessments, consultancy and emergency fire action plans. Need more information, we can help, we provide solutions that solve our clients’ problems.
https://summitenvironmental.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ricardo-gomez-angel-eHAQRwMrWDE-unsplash-scaled.jpg25602019markhttp://summitenvironmental.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Summit-Environmental-Logo-1-300x96.pngmark2022-05-15 07:14:332022-05-15 07:14:33Fire Risk Assessments. What you need to know and how we can help you.
We are a consultancy specialising in surveys for hazardous materials such as asbestos, anthrax and lead, Energy Performance Certificates (EPC’’s) including retrofit assessments, fire risk assessments, water testing and water risk assessments.
How did we come up with our company name?
Our managing director Mark Elwell has a background of environmental studies and ecology with hobbies of rock climbing and the name that combined the two, just stuck. To summit implies the topmost level attainable, which is what we aim for all our customers.
When was the company started and why?
August 2018. A company I was working for was bought out, therefore the future of the company I was working at looked to be at risk. Having worked for several companies previously and working all over the country at the drop of a hat, with the birth of my daughter, I wanted more autonomy and flexibility in my working life. We wanted to decide on what we did and how we did it and clients we wanted to work with.
What makes us different?
Anyone manging or buying and selling commercial or residential premises will need an asbestos survey, fire risk assessment, energy performance certificate and legionella testing. We are a one stop shop for our clients giving time and cost savings sending one consultant rather than using four different companies.
What has been your best or favourite job/project to date?
So many to mention from a one bed flat that needs asbestos testing and EPC, all the way to an oil rig and marine vessel, where we complete inventories of hazardous materials, we love them all. No two jobs are the same, we love to assist clients with compliance and managing hazardous materials when buying and selling properties or when planning refurbishment works. Several clients have us on speed dial…..
The Summit Mantra!
What – Reduce risks to life, improve the built environment and protect the natural world.
Why – We do it right… because it matters.
How – We provide solutions that solve our clients’ problems.
If you have discovered that your home is insulated with vermiculite, you are probably concerned about the potential dangers of vermiculite insulation in the UK.
If you are worried about the dangers with vermiculite insulation in the UK, it is important to know what vermiculite actually is and whether or not your property is at risk and what the best next steps are.
What is vermiculite?
Vermiculite is a mica-like mineral mined around the world and used in a variety of commercial and consumer products because it is fire-
Vermiculite, what is it?
resistant and has good insulation qualities. Similar to mica, vermiculite is a flaky natural material which expands when it is heated. It is used for many purposes including fire retardants such as steel boxings and coatings, as a fertiliser, in potting soil, and in home insulation.
What is vermiculite insulation?
Vermiculite is just one of many insulation products used in attic or loft insulation. Vermiculite insulation is a granule/pebble like pour-in, loose-fill product. Vermiculite loose fill insulation is exactly that, a loose fill insulation.
Where does vermiculite insulation come from?
There was a large vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana that at one point, made up for approximately 80% of the world’s vermiculite supply. What most didn’t know, however, was that all impure vermiculite from this mine held asbestos crystals. In fact, miners harvested impure vermiculite since 1881.
One chemical processing plant, W.R. Grace, knew about the vermiculite toxicity but reinforced their products and put their factory workers at risk for dangerous exposure to the mineral anyway.
A rebrand changed vermiculite from this mine to “Zonolite” on the market. Moreover, this new zonolite was sold for a long time until the Libby mine was finally shut down in 1990.During the 1920s and 1930s, when asbestos knowledge was practically non-existent, the Libby Mine in Montana, Canada, produced Zonolite® Attic Insulation – and possibly other brands which may have contained amphibole asbestos – to supply the majority of the world market in vermiculite-based insulation.
Hundreds of the Libby mine’s employees and residents of the town were diagnosed with mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer that is known only to be caused by asbestos exposure and many of these residents were able to secure financial compensation for their families through litigation.
How common is vermiculite in the UK?
Within the UK and Europe, virtually all of what you read about vermiculite is focused on issues in the United States.
Is this something you need to worry about? Very little Libby vermiculite was exported to Europe. So the issues related to Libby vermiculite are much less relevant outside of the USA. Modern European vermiculite suppliers ensure that the products sold are properly tested, meet international standards and are safe to use.
Within the UK, we see many properties on a weekly basis with vermiculite insulation. This is often in both residential and commercial premises.
Is vermiculite toxic?
Vermiculite itself is safe to use; there is no evidence that any acute or chronic toxicity or carcinogenicity exists from long-term exposure to
Is vermiculite toxic?
vermiculite. However long-term exposure to vermiculite can
What are the health effects of vermiculite exposure?
Although many of the problems that have been reported with vermiculite insulation originate in America, there have been some similar dangers reported in the UK in line with silicosis a lung fibrosis caused by the inhalation of dust containing silica.
Mesothelioma incidence in America is also known to be high in commercial gardeners and other occupations which deal with large amounts of loose vermiculite. Note the appearance of the vermiculite.
Based on current information, there is no evidence that vermiculite currently being sold since the late 1990’s available for horticultural purposes (e.g. potting plants) is a health risk when used as directed.
Does vermiculite insulation contain asbestos?
Pure vermiculite should not contain asbestos. Today, most vermiculite is safe. However, that is not to say it cannot contain asbestos.
Not all vermiculite produced before 1990 contains amphibole asbestos fibres. However, to be safe and in the absence of evidence to the contrary, it is reasonable to assume that if your building has older vermiculite-based insulation, it may contain some asbestos.
In recent years, many steps have been taken to remove asbestos from buildings and commercial products, in an effort to reduce human exposure of asbestos and exposure of vermiculite, which can lead to asbestos related disease, notably asbestosis. Asbestos, however, is still a relevant hazard today, found in many different forms.
Asbestos still exists in hundreds of older products as well as in trace amounts in newly manufactured products such as vermiculite.
Vermiculite and asbestos……
These products can cause health risks if disturbed during maintenance, renovation or demolition. However, there is very low risk to your health if the insulation is sealed behind wallboards and floorboards, isolated in an attic, or otherwise kept from exposure to the interior environment.
Not all vermiculite produced before 1990 contains asbestos fibres. However, to be safe and in the absence of evidence to the contrary, it is reasonable to assume that if your building has older vermiculite-based insulation, it may contain some asbestos content.
Nevertheless, as with any dust, workers should take precautions and avoid long, high-level exposures to vermiculite and other materials that release dust.
Does my vermiculite insulation contain asbestos?
Vermiculite insulation beneath man made mineral insulation
Is there an easy way to visually tell? Unfortunately not, asbestos fibres in vermiculite are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Only a trained technician using a microscope can see asbestos fibres.
However, it is very simple to analyse vermiculite for asbestos contamination. Sample collection of vermiculite should be done by a professional. If you decide to remove vermiculite insulation from your attic, have it done by a professional who has the required equipment necessary to capture asbestos and vermiculite dust and debris fibres.
Do you need asbestos testing for vermiculite insulation within the UK, Sussex and London? Summit Environmental can help.
Vermiculite insulation removal.
First identify if asbestos content is present as this will define the removal method.
If asbestos isn’t present and you are keen to remove yourself, dust control measures should be used in preference to Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) where ever possible ensure you use correct Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) gloves and suits and appropriate tools to protect yourself from the dust generated by disturbing the insulation. We would always advise using a company with appropriate tools, training and experienced methods and equipment for asbestos removal even if asbestos isn’t present.
Had a survey and identified the vermiculite insulation contains asbestos, what should you do?
If asbestos content is present, the materials will need removal in line with the requirements for asbestos remediation. Depending on the fibre types contained within the vermiculite, the materials, friability and location will define the removal method. You should never attempt to remove it yourself, so calling in a professional company to help you is essential.
Final Thoughts
It should be stressed that not all vermiculite contains asbestos. Nevertheless, as with any dust, workers should take precautions and avoid long, high-level exposures.
Some products that were made with vermiculite contained asbestos up until the early 1990s. Vermiculite mines and products within the UK and throughout the world are now regularly tested for asbestos and are not supposed to sell products that contain no asbestos at all.
As well as the dangers Vermiculite insulation can potentially pose, it is also a less effective and efficient method of insulating a home than standard fibreglass; and as a vast majority of heat is lost through the ceilings and roof, with vermiculite insulation removal and replacement insulation, huge amounts could be saved on energy bills in the long run. As well as being a less effective means of insulation, due to its undesirable reputation, having vermiculite insulation may affect the value of the home. Removing this insulation for other types of modern insulation is advised.
Summit Environmental can undertake sampling to certify if vermiculite insulation and vermiculite products have asbestos contained. Testing of vermiculite for asbestos, should contain an appropriate assessment of materials and fibres contained. Testing of products should identify if asbestos is present to reduce the possibility of inadvertent uncontrolled exposure to the asbestos fibres and certify the materials as asbestos free.
For more information on vermiculite insulation or other asbestos containing materials contact us at [email protected]
Do you need vermiculite insulation testing in the UK? Summit Environmental can undertake sampling to certify the vermiculate insulation materials are asbestos free. Contact us on 0203 874 9530 or 01444 812 388.
https://summitenvironmental.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/ab8da9f1-bd27-4a59-9a48-b6cf63c3c947.jpg7681024markhttp://summitenvironmental.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Summit-Environmental-Logo-1-300x96.pngmark2022-04-04 21:56:152022-04-04 21:56:15What is vermiculate insulation, is it hazardous, and does it contain asbestos?
The Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (Domestic RHI) is a government financial incentive to promote the use of renewable heat. People who join the scheme and stick to its rules receive quarterly payments for seven years for the amount of clean, green renewable heat it’s estimated their system produces.
However, the Domestic RHI scheme closes at midnight on 31 March 2022. You need to apply by this date if you want to get Domestic RHI payments.
Types of heating you can claim for?
Biomass boilers
Solar water heating
Heat pumps
The Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (DRHI) is a government financial incentive to promote the use of renewable heat, which can help reduce carbon emissions and meet the UK’s renewable energy targets.
The DRHI is open to all households, on and off the gas grid, who have installed a renewable heating system and meet the eligibility criteria. People who join and follow the scheme rules receive quarterly payments over seven years for clean, green, renewable heat their systems are estimated to produce.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), is responsible for developing the underpinning RHI policy including setting tariffs, establishing the legislative framework, and introducing amendments to the scheme. Under the regulations, we are the administrator of the RHI. Any queries about aspects of policy should be addressed directly to BEIS. Under the regulations, Ofgem was appointed as the administrator of the DRHI scheme.
BEIS periodically reviews DRHI scheme policy which means the rules can change for both new and existing participants. To achieve successful accreditations and to keep receiving payments, it is important to keep up to date with the scheme rules.
Ofgem will publish information on how they administer policy changes. Please note that the content and timing of any changes they outline will be subject to parliamentary process. Their updates are based on information provided by BEIS.
There is still time, How to Apply, click on the link below…
Need help with EPC’s or advice on how to improve your energy performance rating? For further advice on The Domestic Renewable Heat Initiative, contact us on https://summitenvironmental.co.uk/contact/
URGENT – The Domestic Renewable Heat Initiative is Ending 31 March 2022
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An EPC is valid for ten years and in that time the assessment, results and recommendations can change. It is now well known that a valid
EPC Rating band D
EPC is needed for the letting of a property.
However, with any legislation there is always uncertainty and further explanation is needed. One of the questions that has cropped up regularly from both landlords and tenants is “do I need to renew an EPC during a tenancy?”
What is an energy performance certificate?
An EPC assesses the energy performance of a property, from “A” representing the most energy efficient property to “G” representing the least energy efficient property.
The Energy Performance Certificate has been with us since 2007 and is gathering power as time moves on towards the targets that the Government has set, which is to be carbon neutral by 2050.
Do I need to renew an EPC during a tenancy?
EPC Regulations
Owners will only need to obtain a new energy performance certificate for their rental property every ten years. However, it is likely that over this decade new innovations in efficiency and the expected wear and deterioration of the rental could mean that a property that reached the MEES on its last inspection, could fall short of the mark ten years on.
With this being said, providing that the rental property achieved an EPC rating of an E or above, the certification is valid over the usual period, regardless of if this is during a tenancy. However, do landlords need to renew their EPC if it expired during a tenancy. Simply put no, the limitations are placed on advertising the property to new tenants, therefore landlords can obtain a new certificate once their existing fixed term has come to an end.
EPC Regulations 2007
The 2007 Regulations require an EPC on the grant of a lease. The guidance further states that the purpose of providing an EPC is for a prospective tenant to consider the energy performance of the property.
It is therefore reasonable to conclude that a “prospective tenant” does not include a person who is already a tenant. This makes sense in the context of the EPC regime, as the renewing tenant should already know about the building’s energy performance of the property. An EPC would serve no real purpose in those circumstances and having to provide one would be a waste of time and money.
However, the MEES Regulations provide information only when there is a valid EPC currently in place as a result of the EPC regulations applying.
MEES Regulations on non-domestic dwellings
The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 established a minimum level of energy efficiency (MEES Regulations) for privately rented property in England and Wales. The Mees Regulations came into force on 1 April 2018.
It states that the landlord will only be required to obtain a new EPC if they intend tore-let the property (to the current tenant, or to a new tenant) once the current lease expires, or if they (or their tenant) modify the property in a manner which would require a new EPC. So for non-domestic properties the guidance is clear and an EPC is required on the renewal of a lease, if there was a valid EPC previously. However, oddly the MEES Regulations for domestic dwellings differ.
MEES Regulations on domestic dwellings (March 2019 version)
The regulations state that; the landlord will only be required to obtain a new EPC (which will trigger a need to comply with the minimum energy efficiency provisions) if they intend to remarket the property for let once the current tenancy expires, or if they (or their tenant) modify the property in a manner which would require a new EPC to be obtained. It is not exactly clear on how we are to interpret this, although it seems likely that a landlord would not remarket the property for let if a new lease were being granted to the current tenant.
Therefore you need to distinguish between domestic and non-domestic property on the question of whether an EPC is needed on a lease renewal.
Is It illegal to let a property without an EPC?
Any property that has been rented to tenants since 2008 has been required to produce an Energy Performance Certificate. As mentioned briefly mentioned above, a landlord is unable to advertise their rental property to tenants unless their property has an EPC rating of “E” or above, preventing them from begging a new tenancy unless their rental meets Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, but more on that later.
If a landlord is found to be renting out their buy to let property whilst it has an invalid EPC or the property didn’t satisfy the minimum
Is It illegal to let a property without an EPC?
criteria of the efficiency assessment, the local authority can take action. If notified by a tenant, or if found through internal investigations, officers from trading standards can demand that a landlord produce a valid EPC for the rental. If the property owner is unable to provide the requested documentation within 7 days, they are liable to pay a penalty charge.
Additionally, landlords are legally required to issue each new tenant with a range of new documentation before they move into the rental property, with one of these being an EPC. If upon signing a new tenancy agreement and commencing a tenancy period the tenants have not been issued with a valid EPC for the appropriate property, a fixed penalty of 12.5% of the building’s rateable value will be charged, with a fee of £750 being issued to the landlord if this cannot be applied. Whilst the penalties that can be issued to landlords for breaching these regulations is capped at £5,000, if the landlord continually fails to provide an EPC to a enforcement officer from the local authority, another fine of £200 will be issued.
Problems with lending with a low EPC banding?
Problems with lending with a low EPC banding?
Many of us are aware that the EPC is needed for the sale or the rental of a property, although there are occasions when one party can overlook having a valid certificate and an EPC is needed in a hurry.
A valid EPC is also needed when further borrowing is being considered by a property owner, which is a situation that I have seen crop up on numerous occasions. What I have not encountered is the effect upon the additional advance, has it been declined or maybe at a less favourable APR?
If you are considering a buy to let option, consider this also, your mortgage broker may not advance you the loan that you are seeking if the EPC of the property is a low grade. You may also find that if you are granted the loan that you need for your buy to let, your offer may be at a less favourable rate for a property that is less energy efficient.
In our experience?
There may be some tenants who are not too concerned about the property that they are renting and could be seen as easy targets by some unscrupulous landlords who may provide a poorly performing property where heat emission, heat retention and cost of providing energy efficiency in the height of winter becomes critically expensive and the property can become unbearably hot during the summer months.
Good insulation is good for you, your property and your wallet throughout the year and all seasons.
One of the goals of the EPC is to reduce, hopefully eliminate fuel poverty, we know that there are countless families in the country who are struggling with their fuel bills, time and time again we hear the phrase “do I eat, or do I heat”. This surely cannot be right?
Recommendations
If you are going into a tenancy, your landlord needs to provide you with a valid Energy Performance Certificate, if you are not sure about some of the content, you can contact Summit Environmental, we will explain the EPC in as much detail as possible.
With any legislation there are always grey areas which can create uncertainty and need further exploration. One of the questions that has cropped up several times and both from landlords and tenants is this, “I am renewing the tenancy, the same occupants, do I need to have an EPC completed?”
We can see some very good reasons for doing so and therefore the answer must be yes, if a tenant is extending their lease there should be an EPC in place which is current.
The current proposal is that in 2025 all new tenancies must have a certification no lower than band C and from 2028 all existing rental property must also reach that band C target, which may become a huge headache for landlords and potentially a very expensive one.
In addition to this information existing EPC’ s ratings and recommendations, as stated previously begin to become less valid. For example, fibre insulation compresses over time and becomes less efficient. For example, fibre loft insulation which was to a depth of 150mm. Ten years ago may now measure 125mm due to compression. In the same way double glazing ages, on many assessments the rating for pre 2002 double glazing the assessment is seen as average, due to materials used, glazing gap and them still being sealed units.
The benefits of a good EPC?
The benefit to the landlord is this, that if you are offering an energy efficient property, you are seen not only in a good light and one who looks after his residents but also one who can attract a good price for his property, which would also be a more desirable property for rental.
The benefit to the tenant or resident, may be that this property may be slightly more expensive initially but over the course of time that you are likely to be there, the home will be warmer and more comfortable for you and your family, avoiding damp through condensation, avoiding potential health issues and obviously fuel bills should be lower.
Need assistance with EPC’s in Sussex, Kent or Surrey, advice on the EPC Regulations, how to improve your EPC rating contact us on [email protected]
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On 24 November 1999, the use of asbestos was banned in the UK. While the ban was the first step to safeguarding communities from the
Asbestos rock
effects of asbestos and getting justice for asbestos victims, unfortunately, the battle is still ongoing.
The following are updates on recent prosecutions relating to the state of the asbestos industry in 2022.
18th February 2022
Asbestos removal company fined for failing to protect workers
An asbestos management company director has been jailed after failures to protect workers from asbestos exposure during a major refurbishment project in Plymouth.
Asbestos the hidden killer
In February 2017, concerns were raised by workers at Ensure Asbestos Management Limited who believed they were being put in danger whilst carrying out refurbishment work at a department store.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found irregularities in the asbestos surveys and clearance certificates, with some found to be fraudulent. Ensure Asbestos Management Limited had been contracted to carry out an asbestos survey, remove all identified asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) from the building and then carry out the initial strip-out of the building before it was refurbished. However, the company was found to have deliberately cut corners in managing the danger of asbestos exposure putting workers at risk.
Ensure Asbestos Management Limited of Station Road, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £100,000 . Because the company is in liquidation, there is no prospect of a payment being made and so no order for costs was made.
Director of Ensure Asbestos Management Billy Hopwood of Swanstead, Basildon, Essex pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. He has been sentenced to 10 months imprisonment, immediate concurrent on each charge. He has also been disqualified as a director for five years
Contracts Manager at Ensure Asbestos Management Phillip Hopwood of Churchgate Street, Harlow, Essex pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1), 3(1) and 33(1)(m) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. His sentencing was adjourned until a later date.
“Ensure Asbestos Management Limited – a previously licensed asbestos removal contractor – failed to work within the law despite having a wealth of knowledge on the risks associated with exposure to asbestos and the necessary training to have done so safely. They deliberately falsified documents and cut corners.
25th January 2022
Builder prosecuted for exposing employees to asbestos during unsafe removal
Kieran Lynch has been prosecuted after his employees were exposed to asbestos while refurbishing domestic premises in Barnsdale Road, Reading.
Reading Magistrates’ Court heard how Mr Lynch, trading as Lynch and Co, was contracted to carry out a largescale refurbishment for his client who had recently purchased the property from their local council. Prior to the project commencing, the owner of the property informed Mr Lynch that the ceiling boards in the garage contained asbestos.
Mr Lynch instructed two employees, who had no experience in asbestos removal, to take down the boards with no protective measures in place. Once they had taken down the boards, they stored them inside the house for a further three months before they were moved into the front garden to be disposed of. Subsequent examination of these boards identified them as Asbestos Insulating Board (AIB) – a high risk product which requires an asbestos removal licence to remove.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Mr Lynch was made aware that asbestos was present in the property, and yet he failed to make adequate enquiries as to where the asbestos was, its type and the condition it was in, prior to carrying out the removal. He also instructed his employees, who lacked the necessary competence, to carry out the removal with no control measures in place.
Mr Kieran Lynch of 9 Old Barn Close, Emmer Green, Reading pleaded guilty to breaching the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 Regulations 5 (1)(a), 8(1), 11 (1) and received a Community Order for a period of 12 months with a Rehabilitation Requirement of 25 days and Unpaid Work of 100 hours. Mr Lynch was also ordered to pay £5,000 in costs and a £95 victim surcharge.
“Refurbishment work, even in domestic premises, is liable to expose people to asbestos and adequate steps must be taken to find out if asbestos is present. If so, appropriate measures must be taken to ensure people are not exposed to asbestos fibres.”
24th January 2022
Company sentenced after fatal fall through fragile asbestos roof
A company has been sentenced after an employee of a Powys construction company was fatally injured in Liverpool when he fell six metres through a roof whilst working on a replacement roof project.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that on 22 May 2017, roofer Marius Andrus was completing snagging work on a replacement roof. The worker had accessed a part of the old roof made of fragile asbestos cement sheets, which gave way. He fell through the sheets to the ground below sustaining fatal injuries.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the area accessed did not have safety nets fitted and that the employer failed to take reasonably practicable measures to reduce the risk to those working on the roof.
AJM Services (Midlands) Ltd of Llanfihangel, Llanfyllin, Powys pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The company was fined £51,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,000.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Andy McGrory said: “This was a tragic incident, which resulted in a needless loss of life and could have easily been avoided by properly planning the work and ensuring appropriate safeguards were in place.
“Those in control of work at height have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working, which should include providing clear and comprehensive information for their workers and ensuring that they are adequately supervised.”
Owners of the building Pearsons Glass of Maddrell Street, Liverpool pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, section 3, at an earlier hearing and were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court in February 2021. The company was fined £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,656.
18th January 2022
Directors fined for unlicensed asbestos removal
The managing director and the director of a printing company, have been fined for safety breaches after organising the removal of asbestos insulation board by untrained personnel.
Asbestos the hidden killer
Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard how, between August 2016 and December 2016, Charles Dunn and Jeremy Mills, respectively the managing director and director of D&M Heritage Limited, consented to work taking place at the company’s premises which failed to use adequate measures to prevent the spread of asbestos.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company rented space in a warehouse at Red Doles Lane in Huddersfield and had been given notice to leave by the new owners. Prior to leaving, the company agreed to remove some free-standing cupboards. A licensed removal company, who had carried out work previously at the site, had told the directors of D&M Heritage Ltd that the rear of a cupboard was broken and was likely to be asbestos.
The cupboards comprised of doors made with asbestos insulation board (AIB) and the rear of the cupboards also contained AIB. The cupboards were broken up during removal, releasing asbestos fibres. Some pieces were placed in bags, others placed in a nearby skip.
Charles Dunn of Mill Lane, Mixenden, Halifax pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health & Safety at Work Act (due to Reg 11 of Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012) and a second charge of breaching Section 37 of the Health & Safety at Work Act (due to Reg 16 of Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012). He was fined £916 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs.
Jeremy Mills of Occupation Road, Linley, Huddersfield pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health & Safety at Work Act (due to Reg 11 of Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012) and a second charge of breaching Section 37 of the Health & Safety at Work Act (due to Reg 16 of Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012). He was fined £1,600 and ordered to pay £10,000 in costs.
“Asbestos is a killer. Companies need to recognise the dangers of removing asbestos by themselves both to their employees and others. Asbestos removal should only be carried out by trained personnel who understand the risks and know how to control them.”
Summit Environmental
The four recent cases show satisfactory asbestos refurbishment and asbestos demolition surveys are not being undertaken, licenced asbestos
Need an asbestos survey or asbestos removal
removal works are not being undertaken by licenced asbestos removal companies, works are being undertake without due care, attention, and planning. The outcome of this is people are being exposed to asbestos needlessly.
Asbestos refurbishment and demolition surveys provide accurate information on the location, amount, and condition of asbestos-containing materials within a property and are a legal requirement prior to starting refurbishment or demolition works.
Licensed asbestos removal contractors with appropriate training, knowledge and insurance are required to undertake asbestos removal works.
If you breech the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, prosecutions can lead to exposure to asbestos, death, and imprisonment. Need advice relating to the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, asbestos surveys, asbestos removal and asbestos management. Contact us at
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Asbestos is a heat-resistant, chemical resistant, strength binding naturally fibrous mineral that was commonly added to manufacture building materials. It was found to be a durable material with fire and heat resistant properties. That is why it works so well as a fire proofing & insulating material.
Any building constructed between the 1800’s and 1999 will likely have asbestos-containing materials within the property. However, during the 1970’s & 1980s, health experts determined that asbestos was responsible for negatively impact the health of anyone who is exposed to it.
The greatest exposure to asbestos occurs when asbestos-containing materials are damaged because this action releases fibres into the air which can be readily inhaled and cause severe health consequences. Some of the most significant health consequences include lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis.
What is an Asbestos Survey?
Any man-made structure, commercial building, residential building, or house constructed prior to 1999 can pose a risk of asbestos to the occupants or workers that reside within them. UK Regulations require you to conduct asbestos surveys on buildings constructed prior to 1999. Asbestos surveys are required if you are occupying, buying, selling, or demolishing such a building. If there are tenants or people living inside the building, then asbestos surveys are also performed as a health and safety check.
The job of an asbestos surveyor is to inspect your building and identify potential asbestos-containing materials. The asbestos fibres themselves cannot always be identified directly because they are microscopic, however an asbestos surveyor is familiar with the types of building materials that might have asbestos in them, such as roofing materials, Wall panels, insulating materials and flooring materials.
Once the surveyor has located an asbestos containing material a small sample will be taken of each suspect material which will then be analysed at the laboratory for further in-depth analysis. The laboratory will identify the type or types of asbestos present with sample(s) a bulk certificate of analysis is produced detailing the laboratory results.
Asbestos survey types
We undertake four different types of asbestos survey in Kent, Sussex, Surrey London and nationally.
Asbestos Management Surveys (Previously known as a Type 2 survey) A Management Survey aims to ensure that: Nobody is harmed by the continuing presence of ACM in the premises or equipment; That the ACM remain in good condition; and That nobody disturbs it accidentally. More details below.
Asbestos Refurbishment Surveys (Previously known as a Type 3 survey) The asbestos refurbishment survey is required where the premises, or part of it, need upgrading, refurbishment or there are planned intrusive works. More details below.
Asbestos Demolition Surveys (Previously known as a Type 3 survey) The refurbishment / demolition survey is required where the premises, or part of it is due to be demolished. These surveys are fully intrusive to the fabric of the building. More details below.
Asbestos Re-inspection Surveys also known as an annual asbestos inspection. The re-inspection allows the duty holder to monitor and record the condition of any previously identified asbestos products within a building. Asbestos-containing materials are subject to potential damage and degradation, hence why annual inspections are recommended to ensure they remain in a safe state. More details below.
Asbestos Management Surveys
What are asbestos management surveys?
Is an asbestos survey required and if so, what type of survey?
Management asbestos surveys are standard inspection surveys to comply with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 for all commercial and industrial property and for those buying or selling property. This type of inspection is non-intrusive but does include sampling of suspect materials which are then sent to the laboratory to report on whether asbestos is present and if so, what types of asbestos.
If you are a business whether leaseholder or freeholder this survey will identify what asbestos containing materials are in place within your demise, their condition and what your legal obligations are to comply with the regulations. If you have been asked to carry out an asbestos survey for management purposes and provide an asbestos register for insurance or compliance purposes, including visits from either HSE or Environmental Health this is the survey type which includes the information set out in Regulation 4 “Duty to Manage” All commercial & industrial property ( some residential properties are also covered) built prior to the year 2000 are included in the regulation, regardless of size.
Asbestos Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys
Floor investigation in asbestos refurbishment survey
What is an R and D Survey?
The aim of this survey type is to survey the property in question for asbestos containing materials so as these can be managed safely or as is usually the case removed safely in line with the regulations before the strip-out and re-fit. All property types are covered regardless of size or class of use – residential, commercial, industrial, or mixed.
Asbestos refurbishment surveys and asbestos demotion surveys must be undertaken on properties which are due to be refurbished or demolished.
Professionals, occupiers, and management agents involved in minor and major fit-outs and strip-out will need to commission such a survey prior to beginning the works. As well as the requirements for this type of survey covered under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and HSG264, further stipulations and requirements are contained in the CDM Regulations 2015.
Refurbishment and Demolition (R and D Survey) asbestos surveys are highly intrusive, and damage will occur to elements of the property to inspect the fabric of the building, as such this type of survey can only usually be undertaken in a vacant property and one which is owned by the person or company commissioning the survey.
Asbestos Re-inspection Surveys
What is an asbestos re-inspection survey?
An asbestos re-inspection survey (also referred to as an annual asbestos re-inspection survey) is designed to allow the duty holder to monitor and record the condition of any previously identified asbestos products within a building.
Like any building material, asbestos-containing materials are also subject to potential damage and degradation. As an asbestos product degrades it can be more likely to become a hazard to health, therefore should be inspected at regular intervals to ensure its condition has not deteriorated.
Asbestos in Commercial Premises?
Asbestos management in commercial premises.
If you are the owner of a commercial property, or you are in the process of buying a commercial property, you may be the person legally responsible for managing any asbestos present at the property. Therefore, should you be considering selling a commercial property at some point in the future, you should have an asbestos survey conducted.
The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 clearly sets out these responsibilities for any property that is non-domestic. Exposure to asbestos can be fatal, causing serious illnesses that can take decades to manifest and produce symptoms. Since asbestos was banned in construction in the UK in 1999 there is no need for concern in any commercial building constructed after this date.
It is important that you understand the location and potential danger of ACMs (Asbestos Containing Materials) if you own a commercial property, you are a tenant or manager of a building with responsibilities that include managing asbestos.
If you are planning to sell a commercial property, a recent asbestos survey and/or asbestos removal project completion pack, is more likely to highlight previous good asbestos management processes and strategy.
So why would you got get an asbestos survey prior to buying a commercial premises? Those in control of buildings and
Asbestos insulation encapsulated and labelled and inspected annually.
planned works have a responsibility to manage the risks from asbestos in non-domestic premises. To achieve this the duty holder must ensure that a suitable and sufficient assessment is carried out as to whether asbestos is or is liable to be present in the premises. You can and will get prosecuted if you do not undertake a sufficient assessment to assess for asbestos or do not protect employees and visitors to a building from the risks of asbestos.
Your duty under the law is laid out in Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. You must protect anyone from exposure to the asbestos in your property. This would include completing all the following:
Find out if there is asbestos in the building, where it is, how much there is and its condition (undertake a survey)
Make a presumption that there may be asbestos in some materials if you are not sure (presume present until proved by a survey)
Keep up to date records on the state of the materials that contain asbestos or those that you presume contain asbestos (keep and maintain an asbestos register)
Complete a risk assessment on how likely it is that anyone could be exposed to asbestos fibres and prepare a plan about how you will manage the identified risks (implement an asbestos management plan, include how you are going to manage the risks)
Put the plan into action (this may include training, implementing who is responsible and working on a plan for remediation if required)
Review the plan and amend it if necessary (annual re-inspections, review the asbestos management plan and ensure the plan is working.
Talk to anyone who may need to work on the materials or agitate them and provide them with all the details they need to be safe (this includes communications with staff, contractors and building users)
If you need an asbestos management survey or asbestos refurbishment survey in Sussex, Surrey, Kent, and London, please contact us, we will be happy to discuss your requirements. Our asbestos survey reports contain material assessments, risk ratings for materials with recommendations on materials found including photographs and highlighted floor plans. This information can then be used by those involved in the refurbishment and or demolition works.
Do you need more information on an annual re-inspection or an need an asbestos management plan to comply with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012?? Contact us on [email protected] and
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Guano is accumulated excrement and remains of birds, bats, and seals. Guano goes by many different names and regardless of what you call them, moniker of droppings, mess or maybe poo, what really does matter is that guano is highly toxic and even in small amounts can be harmful to human health. In the UK derelict buildings provide the ideal roosting ground for birds, especially pigeons and sea gulls.
Bird droppings pose a particular health hazard when it comes to demolition and refurbishment of buildings. When these microscopic spores from the dried bat guano are inhaled by humans, they can cause a serious respiratory disease called histoplasmosis.
The ideal approach to bird mess is to remove the source of the problem by utilising many of the bird deterrent solutions that are available, which will include the likes of bird spikes and acoustic deterrents, however bird guano can still cause a tremendous problem.
Diseases associated with guano?
Guano, how bad does it need to be?
Histoplasmosis
Histoplasmosis is an infection caused by a fungus called Histoplasma. The fungus lives in the environment, particularly in soil that contains large amounts of bird or bat droppings.
In most cases, histoplasmosis causes mild flu-like symptoms that appear between 3 and 17 days after exposure to the fungus. These symptoms include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, cough and chest discomfort.
Psittacosis
Psittacosis is an infection of birds caused by the bacterium Chlamydia psittaci.
The disease has been described in many species of birds, particularly in parrots, parakeets, budgerigars and cockatiels. Other commonly affected birds include pigeons and doves. Ducks and turkeys may also be affected, but chickens less frequently. Psittacosis is an acute respiratory disease with an incubation period of between 1 and 4 weeks.
It typically causes flu-like symptoms (fever, headache, muscle aches) but can lead to severe pneumonia and non-respiratory health problems.
Salmonella
Salmonella is also present in some bird droppings, more commonly referred to as food poisoning, salmonellosis can be traced back to bird guano. It is a bacterial infection that can cause significant diarrhoea. The disease bacteria are found in bird droppings; dust from droppings can be sucked through ventilators and air conditioners, contaminating food and cooking surfaces in restaurants, homes and food processing plants.
While it’s not usually fatal, typical symptoms of the disease include diarrhoea, fever, and abdominal pain. These usually occur within 8 to 72 hours of being exposed to the pathogen and could last for several days.
Guano in the built environment…
Guano. Externally of a recent survey.
Certain job roles will leave you more likely to be exposed to harmful bird guano than in others, if your work is outside for example then the risk may be greater, than if you are cleaning guano at home. If you work in buildings undertaking refurbishments you are more likely to come across and disturb guano, you need to assess the risks and implement controls to minimise the disturbance.
Working safely with guano?
It is important to take a few steps before you begin any cleaning process. Ensure that you make, update and ensure a risk assessment is appropriate of the dangers posed. If you provide refurbishment, building maintenance or demolition work of old buildings these can be higher risk sites of airborne particles. In the same way in your own home, there may be a lower density of particles, but this is an area where you
Guano. Internally of a recent survey.
also sleep and eat.
It is vital to ensure that if significant levels of bird droppings are present, that those who have weakened immune symptoms including individuals with autoimmune diseases are protected from the risks posed by bird guano, as they may have a higher risk of contracting the afore mentioned diseases. It might sound obvious but try to limit contact with bird droppings and time spent in areas where bird droppings are prevalent.
Plastic sheeting can provide a moderately effective interim measure against the risk of contamination by limiting the chances of the guano particles becoming airborne. In the same way gloves and even the most basic of masks, and goggles will offer you some personal protection.
Equipment needed for working with guano?
When cleaning guano, as with any other health contaminant it is essential to use the correct tools to both ensure that your work is effective and to also protect yourself.
Disposable overalls that save you from the risk damaging your own clothes and spreading particles after a particularly messy guano cleaning session.
To protect your eyes there are safety goggles.
Latex or protective gloves to reduce the risk of transferring guano to other areas of your body.
A P3 Mask or a disposable dusk mask provide you with a reasonable level of protection, A full face respirator will provide you with an additional level of protection and is highly recommended to those who come into frequent contact with guano, or for those who have a larger job to tackle. Please be aware that some of the respirators are only truly effective when a
Guano cleaning
tight seal can be made against your skin, therefore it is advisable to be clean shaven when wearing a respirator.
A range of removal tools such as scrapers for removal of hardened bird droppings or shovels for excessive quantities of guano, wire and soft brushes for different stages of the guano cleaning process.
Cleaning solutions. Solutions to aid in the cleaning process, such as concentrated disinfectants that kill the harmful bacteria that can be found in guano are always worth considering as are powerful alkaline degreaser which aids in the removal of bird guano.
It is vital that you protect your face from infection, due to airborne particles or from touching your face which is something that we all do quite frequently and subconsciously. The contact of guano around your mouth, nose and eyes can be disastrous. With the right equipment to protect yourself, you want to ensure that you have the right tools to clean the guano safely and effectively.
For small amounts of guano, you may be able to deal with this by yourself. However, at some point you will need to call in the experts.
Why use Summit Environmental?
At Summit Environmental we are committed to providing advice relating to all elements of safe working with products that can be hazardous
to your health. If you would like further information about the harmful nature of bird guano, how to protect yourself or if you need professional removal, Please contact us at [email protected] for guano removal, guano risk assessments and more advice on guano.
https://summitenvironmental.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/didssph-J2aTNPqvrNY-unsplash-scaled.jpg17072560markhttp://summitenvironmental.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Summit-Environmental-Logo-1-300x96.pngmark2022-02-19 19:29:402022-02-19 19:29:40Bird guano, is it hazardous? Absolutely all you need to know!
Wholesale gas prices have soared throughout 2021 leading to more than 20 domestic suppliers biting the dust. Increased costs have filtered through to consumers with a significant rise to the energy price cap in October 2021.
Why are energy bills going up?
A dramatic increase in the cost of wholesale gas has put pressure on the energy industry and exposed the cracks. Factors for the prices going up include supply and demand following a particularly cold winter across Europe in 2020. Unseasonably warm weather in Asia saw more households use gas for air conditioning units, while there has been reduced supply from Russia amid reported political moves.
The UK store less gas than any other country in Europe. Regarding the insulating of our homes, you may say, if the environment is that much warmer, what is the need to insulate in a country like the United Kingdom where severe weather is less common and the likelihood of snow during the winter less likely and frosty mornings something that may become memories from our past?
How to offset the energy price increase?
Insulating your home doesn’t just make it more energy efficient, it is also one of the best things you can do to reduce your energy bills remember to look for cheaper energy deals that may be available and that you may be able to switch to. Insulating your home will make your house warmer and more comfortable, while also reducing its impact on the environment in the process.
Insulation – and draught proofing – protects your home against cold in winter and excess heat in the summer and can even reduce noise pollution (like the sound from a road or passing aircraft). What’s more, some key insulation measures are ‘low cost’, in that they pay for themselves in less than five years.
Low energy lighting – these measures have the best returns of all energy efficiency investments. Furthermore, if you decide to sell or rent your home, the rating that your home receives on an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) will be improved.
How does the heat escape from my house and the cold get in?
There are five ways that heat can escape:
Conduction
That’s heat moving through solids like metal or brick.
Radiation
This is the heat you directly feel when you stand near a heat source. It is in fact infra-red radiation, and just another form of ‘electromagnetic radiation’ like radio waves, visible light, ultra-violet and x-rays – which all travel at the speed of light. If you take infra-red photos of your house on a cold, still night you can help see where heat is being lost.
Convection
This is the natural tendency of warm air or water or other gases and liquids to rise, while cold air and water falls downwards. This often results in circulation of air and is the main principle behind central heating radiators.
Air movement
Draughts are a common form of heat loss, taking warm air from within the home and letting it out into the outside (and typically replacing it with cold air coming in). Another example is a wind blowing past a house, which will generally have a cooling effect on it. Water movement has the same effect upon your property.
Evaporation
Not a process that we naturally associate with heat loss, but if it rains on a hot summer day, after the rain stops, some of it may evaporate from the roof and walls, and this will cool the home considerably.
Where do I need to insulate in my home to protect from heat loss?
On a cold day, heat can escape from your home in all directions, – up, down and sideways. So, you should think about insulating the whole property and not just concentrating on one element.
The roof
The walls
The floor
The windows and doors
Many people make the mistake of assuming that heat only goes up – but only one form of heat transfer (convection) primarily moves up. Heat will travel in all directions. It is also known that heat will always travel towards cold.
If you adjoin another home, either through shared walls or through a floor that is in effect another household’s ceiling, or vice versa, you are fortunate as you will not suffer from heat loss, assuming the other side is heated as well. However, you will still need to heat your home, as you will not have heat gain either. The general rule is that the bigger the temperature difference, the greater the flow of heat. So, the colder it is outside, the greater the heat loss from your home.
How much heat is being lost from different parts of my home?
This depends on the type of house that you live in, whether it’s detached or semi-detached, or if it’s a terrace property, and if so, if it is mid or end terrace. When an EPC is being completed on a property, the heat loss perimeter is a significant calculation and will hugely affect the outcome. The larger, or longer the heat loss perimeter is, the more heat you will lose from it. If you live in a flat, the losses will be different again, and will depend on whether your flat is in the middle, at the top or at ground floor level.
For a typical house the walls will lose most heat, around 30% and up to 40%. The roof will be next at around 25%, probably followed by windows and doors at around 20%, and the floor (of your lowest storey) at around 10%. Quite a large loss will occur because of draughts and a lack of airtightness. Of course, draughts can also be attributed to floors, doors and windows, the walls or roof. It should also be known that some controlled ventilation is essential for reducing the risk of stale or damp air.
Do I need planning permission for insulation work?
In most cases, insulation work does not require planning permission from your local council. The exceptions may include external wall insulation and, in areas where there are conservation schemes, glazing.
Even if you don’t need planning permission, building regulations could apply, so check with your local council’s building control department.
What types of insulation are there?
Good insulation types
Good insulators include many products that typically have a structure similar to wool. In effect a good insulator will trap tiny pockets of air within a material which itself is also a good insulator. These include the very common mineral and glass wools, which come on rolls in blanket form, or in a somewhat denser form as batts or slabs.
Sheep’s wool is of course a great insulator, as are other natural fabrics like hemp and cotton – so curtains are good insulation products. Some mineral and glass wool style products are ‘higher density’ and therefore have greater insulation effect, typically about 25% greater.
Most wood and wood- based products, for example, MDF, plywood, and hardboard, are also generally quite good insulators – so wooden doors and wooden loft boards help keep warmth in the home.
Not surprisingly, paper is another a good insulator, including recycled paper, and cellulose from other sources such as crop wastes. Although flammable in its untreated form, it is treated to make it fire resistant for use as insulation. This is supplied in sealed sacks, but once opened is in loose form, which makes it suitable for installing in circumstances where blankets or batts won’t fit.
Polystyrene and similar products are generally good insulators. Polystyrene is sometimes referred to as EPS (expanded or extruded polystyrene slab) form. These products are also usually fire resistant, and much denser and heavier than the sort of polystyrene that is used for packaging. EPS is typically 50% more effective, for the same depth, as a standard mineral or glass wool product.
Closely related are spray foam solutions, which are typically polyurethane based. The foam forms on the mixing of two chemicals and it hardens, trapping tiny pockets of air. Because the foam fills crevices and gaps, it can also eliminate draughts and provide strengthening to existing building structures, for example roof tiles. Other foam solutions include adhesive strips for insulating around windows, doors, or loft hatches.
Some ‘insulators’ work by stopping the flow of air (draughts) through cracks and gaps, such as sealants (mastics). One of the cheapest sealants is papier-Mache, which you can make yourself from torn-up paper and wallpaper glue.
Another method of insulation is reflection. There are now multi-foil products, which are generally a sandwich of metal foils and plastic style insulators. These can be used to reflect radiated heat and are designed to insulate where there is not the space for wool, batt and EPS type products. Some polystyrene and other products are also coated with foils.
Good insulation material doesn’t just slow the process of heat loss, depending on its specific use, there are other properties that are important too, such as physical strength, fire resistance, resistance to mould, and non-toxicity; cost is another important consideration too.
Poor insulation types
Unfortunately, many materials with physical strength and which are therefore used in building construction, including metals (such as copper, steel, and aluminium), stone, brick, tiles, and concrete, are good conductors and have limited ability to insulate. However, some more modern versions of these materials have been designed to have construction strength but lower heat transmission than in the past, for example, modern breeze blocks.
Water is also a bad insulator, which means that anything that soaks up moisture will usually conduct heat away quite quickly. Moving air also takes heat away quickly even though air that is prevented from moving, generally when trapped in tiny pockets, makes a good insulator.
Most effective ways to reduce energy bills?
1. A digital thermometer
Digital thermometers that record the maximum and minimum temperature since last being reset can show you just how warm or cold different parts of your home are. This is basic tool that will help you to identify specific rooms in your home that need attention. Working on the basis ‘if you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it’, thermometers are a good investment.
2. A plug-in thermostat
If you use an electric heater without thermostatic controls, your heater will continue to generate heat and use electricity even after a room is warm enough, which is a waste of energy and money. A plug-in thermostat can solve this. You plug the heater into the plug-in thermostat, which is in turn plugged into a power socket, rather like plugging an electrical device into a time switch. You can then set the temperature you want on the plug-in thermostat and once it hits that temperature, it cuts off power to the heater.
3. An electric blanket
Electric blankets can be a way of compensating for a chilly bedroom. Most electric blankets are designed to fit below the bottom sheet, they are typically used to pre-warm a bed. During this pre-warming phase they have a relatively high -power consumption, around 100 watts for a double sized bed. Once you are in bed, an electric blanket must be turned down to the sleep setting. This setting uses about a quarter of the electricity, typically around 25 watts, which is equivalent to a couple of mid-power low energy light bulbs. However, many people turn the blanket off altogether once they get into bed.
One alternative to an electric blanket is a hot water bottle, although this is not necessarily more energy efficient, especially if you do turn the blanket off once you get into bed – which is a good habit to get into. Neither option should be a substitute for sufficient bedding, or an appropriately warmed bedroom. It’s important to ensure that any bedroom is not too cold, especially if the sleeper is elderly, unwell or a young child.
4. A brass radiator key
A brass radiator key is a useful investment for bleeding your radiators, which releases the gases caught in a radiator causing it to be cold towards the top and reducing its efficiency. It is worth paying extra to invest in a brass key, rather than buying a pressed steel one, as the latter tend to be easily broken. Many modern radiators don’t have the standard square valve head — if that’s the case you’ll need a screwdriver as well.
5. A radiator shelf
A radiator shelf just above a radiator helps to throw heat forward from the radiator into the room, rather than letting it raise up to the ceiling. You can buy purpose-made radiator shelves, which clip easily onto most radiators.
6. Radiator reflector panels
Radiator reflector panels can stop heat being wasted from the back of a radiator into an external wall. They are especially useful in older homes where the walls are solid, which rules out the option of cavity wall insulation. You can buy radiator reflector panels or radiator foil, or you can make your own by cutting a piece of cardboard to size and covering it in the type of kitchen tin foil you use for cooking. You’ll need a long stick and double-sided tape to attach them to the wall behind the radiator.
8. A carbon monoxide alarm
Getting rid of draughts and unnecessary ventilation is a major way of reducing wasted heat, saving money on your energy bills in the process.
A carbon monoxide alarm is not energy-saving but you need to invest in one before you make any changes to reduce draughts or alter the ventilation in your home. This is in case you block a source of essential ventilation by mistake, such as for a fuel burning device that doesn’t have a balanced flue, for example, an old boiler. It’s a good idea to have an alarm anyway; carbon monoxide (CO) is highly toxic, but impossible to detect without an alarm because it is colourless, odourless and tasteless.
9. Expanding foam
There are some simple solutions to draughts. Expanding foam, which comes in an aerosol can, is useful for filling holes in brickwork. If you upgrade your boiler, for example, any new boiler will have a balanced flue, meaning you no longer need an air ventilation in an external wall in the area where the boiler is sited. So, the obsolete airbrick could be filled with expanding foam. One word of caution though: many gas fires still don’t have balanced flues, so don’t assume you can block up a room vent just because you are upgrading a gas fire. It’s also important to keep clear any ventilation in roof spaces or under the level of floorboards.
10. Papier-Mache
Another heat saving measure is to fill medium-sized gaps in floorboards with papier-Mache – this is easy to make, you just mix wet wallpaper paste with torn newspaper – which is easy to press into the gaps. It’s a very effective and inexpensive solution, assuming you’re not intending to expose the floorboards as a feature.
11. Sealant
Smaller gaps that allow draughts can be filled using a tube of sealant. You may need a simple steel caulking gun, or the sealant may be packaged so you can use it without one. It works well to fill gaps around doors and window frames.
12. A letterbox flap
A letterbox flap to keep out draughts at your front door is another inexpensive investment, especially useful if the outer flap doesn’t fit or return to its position very well.
13. Draught seals
Ill-fitting doors and windows can be a source of draughts. There are a variety of draught seals or sealing strips that can be used around doors and windows to reduce draughts and stop the unnecessary loss of warm air.
14. Curtains
Windows and doors will also benefit from heavy or lined curtains, especially if they are only single glazed.
15. A chimney balloon
A chimney balloon blocks the cold air that falls down a chimney, as well as preventing internal warm air from being drawn up the chimney when it is not in use. The balloon can be deflated and taken out of the fireplace as and when you need to use it. If you are looking for a more permanent solution, and don’t have plans to use your fireplace at all, it is best to get a qualified tradesman to cap the chimney at the top and shut it off at the bottom, as this will be more energy-efficient.
You only pay for the electricity and gas that you actually use, so a good way for us to cope with rising prices is to try to use energy efficiently. Remember that properties that are well insulated do get a double bonus of good insulation, the first being warmer in the winter and the second cooler in the summer, which when you consider the cost and effect of air conditioning is a tremendous plus point.
How can Summit Environmental help?
EPC
Need an EPC in Kent from Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone and Rye or an EPC in Sussex from Brighton to Crawley, Haywards Heath and Eastbourne. EPC’s in Surrey from Sutton, Reigate and Caterham. After the EPC we can help understanding your EPC, guide you with how to make your home more energy efficient or advice on if you are spending money on the right investment Contact us on [email protected] or contact us through the website Contact
https://summitenvironmental.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Power-station.jpg13652048markhttp://summitenvironmental.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Summit-Environmental-Logo-1-300x96.pngmark2022-02-13 17:41:322022-02-13 17:41:32Need help with Increasing energy bills? How to offset the energy price increase.
Fire Risk Assessments. What you need to know and how we can help you.
/0 Comments/in Fire /by markWhat are Fire Risk Assessments (FRA’s)?
A fire risk assessment is a review undertaken of a building to assess its fire risk and to provide recommendations to make the building safer if needed. If there are less than five occupants regularly in the building, then it is not required for the assessment to be written down, even if that would be a wise step to confirm awareness.
Are fire risk assessments a legal requirement?
A Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) is a legal requirement. It is your duty to identify fire risks and hazards in your premises and take appropriate action.
What is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005?
It replaced most fire safety legislation with one simple order. It means that any person who has some level of control in premises must take reasonable steps to reduce the risk from fire and make sure people can safely escape if there is a fire.
Where does the order apply?
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to virtually all premises and covers nearly every type of building, structure and open space.
For example, it applies to:
Planning a fire strategy
It does not apply to:
Who is responsible for the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005?
You are responsible for fire safety in a business or other non-domestic premises if you are:
Under the order, anyone who has control of premises or anyone who has a degree of control over certain areas or systems may be a ‘responsible person’. For example, it could be:
What are the main rules under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order?
You must:
More about Fire Risk Assessments.
A fire risk assessment is a review undertaken of a building to assess its fire risk and to offer recommendations to make the building safer if needed. If there are less than five occupants regularly in the building, then it is not required for the assessment to be written down, even if that would be a wise step to confirm awareness.
If you are completing a fire risk assessment here are the elements that you will need to consider:
Fire log books are essential to manage your risk
In addition to these, consideration will also have to be given to the following, when carrying out the assessment,
Fire Risk Assessment – Process
How often are fire risk assessments required?
The recommendation is that the responsible person completes a Fire Risk Assessment at least once per year, but it can be sooner, if for example where there has been a significant change in the environment that is being assessed, any changes to either the property, or to legislation that has been updated. For lower risk properties this could be every 2 to 3 years.
Who can complete a fire risk assessment?
You can undertake the Fire Risk Assessment yourself with the help of standard fire safety risk assessment guides if you have the correct training and experience.
If you do not have the expertise or time to do the fire risk assessment yourself you need to appoint a ‘competent person’ to help, or to appoint a professional risk assessor.
Your local fire and rescue authority might be able to give you advice if you are not sure your risk assessment’s been carried out properly. However, they cannot carry out risk assessments for you.
However, the risks for getting it wrong can be severe, so why not call in the experts?
How much does a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) cost?
How much does a FRA cost?
The cost of a Fire Risk Assessment will depend on several factors, which will include do I get a Fire Risk Assessor to do the job for me, to complete the survey and to update and maintain the records, or do I do the job myself, or nominate a competent person? The other factors that need to be considered is the size of the area to be assessed or any problems that someone who is not trained may miss, or not fully understand the significance.
What is included in a Fire Risk Assessment?
The content of the Fire Risk Assessment will be influenced by several factors, depending upon the nature and use of the building, where it is located if it is a shared premises and if is a building undergoing alterations or extensions.
Areas that need to be considered in almost all fire risk assessments are fire detection systems, emergency exits and routes (including evacuation plans), firefighting equipment and the availability of information and advice to the building’s occupants.
Issues such as the specific needs of vulnerable people and the safe storage of any dangerous substances must also be considered. However, these may not always be a relevant factor for the fire risk assessment depending on the use of the building.
You must carry out regular checks to make sure that:
No smoking sign as part of a fire safety policy
Fire risk assessments in shared premises and HMO’s :
In shared premises it is likely there will be more than one responsible person. You will need to co-ordinate your fire safety plans to make sure people on or around the premises are safe.
For common or shared areas, the responsible person is the landlord, freeholder or managing agent.
What about alterations, premises extensions and new buildings?
When building new premises or doing building work on existing premises, you must comply with building regulations. This includes designing fire safety into the proposed building or extension.
Having completed a FRA, what do I need to do next?
You need to start converting your risk assessment to an Emergency Evacuation Action Plan (EEAP), which is always well supported by a plan of the premises which will show all relevant details of fire doors, escape routes, fire fighting equipment, emergency lighting, staff training and fire assembly points.
Fire Safety and Evacuation Plans
Your plan must show how you have:
Fire safety training is an essential part of a fire strategy
Penalties and enforcement for not having an FRA in place?
You could be fined or go to prison if you do not follow fire safety regulations.
Local fire and rescue authorities do and will inspect premises and can issue fire safety notices, telling you about changes you need to make.
How can Summit Environmental help you?
We keep you safe, compliant, and up to date with current legislation. We can assist you with our assessments, consultancy and emergency fire action plans. Need more information, we can help, we provide solutions that solve our clients’ problems.
Meet the company: Summit Environmental
/0 Comments/in Asbestos Compliance /by markWhat do we do?
We are a consultancy specialising in surveys for hazardous materials such as asbestos, anthrax and lead, Energy Performance Certificates (EPC’’s) including retrofit assessments, fire risk assessments, water testing and water risk assessments.
How did we come up with our company name?
Our managing director Mark Elwell has a background of environmental studies and ecology with hobbies of rock climbing and the name that combined the two, just stuck. To summit implies the topmost level attainable, which is what we aim for all our customers.
When was the company started and why?
August 2018. A company I was working for was bought out, therefore the future of the company I was working at looked to be at risk. Having worked for several companies previously and working all over the country at the drop of a hat, with the birth of my daughter, I wanted more autonomy and flexibility in my working life. We wanted to decide on what we did and how we did it and clients we wanted to work with.
What makes us different?
Anyone manging or buying and selling commercial or residential premises will need an asbestos survey, fire risk assessment, energy performance certificate and legionella testing. We are a one stop shop for our clients giving time and cost savings sending one consultant rather than using four different companies.
What has been your best or favourite job/project to date?
So many to mention from a one bed flat that needs asbestos testing and EPC, all the way to an oil rig and marine vessel, where we complete inventories of hazardous materials, we love them all. No two jobs are the same, we love to assist clients with compliance and managing hazardous materials when buying and selling properties or when planning refurbishment works. Several clients have us on speed dial…..
The Summit Mantra!
What – Reduce risks to life, improve the built environment and protect the natural world.
Why – We do it right… because it matters.
How – We provide solutions that solve our clients’ problems.
Contact Details:
☎️ Phone – T. 0203 874 9530, 01342 835 140, 01424 612288, 01444 812 388
📧 Email – [email protected]
🌐 Website – www.Summitenvironmental.co.uk
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/summitenv2018
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/summit_environmental/
Linked-in – https://www.linkedin.com/company/summit-environmental-ltd
Summit Environmental
What is vermiculate insulation, is it hazardous, and does it contain asbestos?
/0 Comments/in Asbestos /by markIf you have discovered that your home is insulated with vermiculite, you are probably concerned about the potential dangers of vermiculite insulation in the UK.
If you are worried about the dangers with vermiculite insulation in the UK, it is important to know what vermiculite actually is and whether or not your property is at risk and what the best next steps are.
What is vermiculite?
Vermiculite is a mica-like mineral mined around the world and used in a variety of commercial and consumer products because it is fire-
Vermiculite, what is it?
resistant and has good insulation qualities. Similar to mica, vermiculite is a flaky natural material which expands when it is heated. It is used for many purposes including fire retardants such as steel boxings and coatings, as a fertiliser, in potting soil, and in home insulation.
What is vermiculite insulation?
Vermiculite is just one of many insulation products used in attic or loft insulation. Vermiculite insulation is a granule/pebble like pour-in, loose-fill product. Vermiculite loose fill insulation is exactly that, a loose fill insulation.
Where does vermiculite insulation come from?
There was a large vermiculite mine in Libby, Montana that at one point, made up for approximately 80% of the world’s vermiculite supply. What most didn’t know, however, was that all impure vermiculite from this mine held asbestos crystals. In fact, miners harvested impure vermiculite since 1881.
One chemical processing plant, W.R. Grace, knew about the vermiculite toxicity but reinforced their products and put their factory workers at risk for dangerous exposure to the mineral anyway.
A rebrand changed vermiculite from this mine to “Zonolite” on the market. Moreover, this new zonolite was sold for a long time until the Libby mine was finally shut down in 1990.During the 1920s and 1930s, when asbestos knowledge was practically non-existent, the Libby Mine in Montana, Canada, produced Zonolite® Attic Insulation – and possibly other brands which may have contained amphibole asbestos – to supply the majority of the world market in vermiculite-based insulation.
Hundreds of the Libby mine’s employees and residents of the town were diagnosed with mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer that is known only to be caused by asbestos exposure and many of these residents were able to secure financial compensation for their families through litigation.
How common is vermiculite in the UK?
Within the UK and Europe, virtually all of what you read about vermiculite is focused on issues in the United States.
Is this something you need to worry about? Very little Libby vermiculite was exported to Europe. So the issues related to Libby vermiculite are much less relevant outside of the USA. Modern European vermiculite suppliers ensure that the products sold are properly tested, meet international standards and are safe to use.
Within the UK, we see many properties on a weekly basis with vermiculite insulation. This is often in both residential and commercial premises.
Is vermiculite toxic?
Vermiculite itself is safe to use; there is no evidence that any acute or chronic toxicity or carcinogenicity exists from long-term exposure to
Is vermiculite toxic?
vermiculite. However long-term exposure to vermiculite can
What are the health effects of vermiculite exposure?
Although many of the problems that have been reported with vermiculite insulation originate in America, there have been some similar dangers reported in the UK in line with silicosis a lung fibrosis caused by the inhalation of dust containing silica.
Mesothelioma incidence in America is also known to be high in commercial gardeners and other occupations which deal with large amounts of loose vermiculite. Note the appearance of the vermiculite.
Based on current information, there is no evidence that vermiculite currently being sold since the late 1990’s available for horticultural purposes (e.g. potting plants) is a health risk when used as directed.
Does vermiculite insulation contain asbestos?
Pure vermiculite should not contain asbestos. Today, most vermiculite is safe. However, that is not to say it cannot contain asbestos.
Not all vermiculite produced before 1990 contains amphibole asbestos fibres. However, to be safe and in the absence of evidence to the contrary, it is reasonable to assume that if your building has older vermiculite-based insulation, it may contain some asbestos.
In recent years, many steps have been taken to remove asbestos from buildings and commercial products, in an effort to reduce human exposure of asbestos and exposure of vermiculite, which can lead to asbestos related disease, notably asbestosis. Asbestos, however, is still a relevant hazard today, found in many different forms.
Asbestos still exists in hundreds of older products as well as in trace amounts in newly manufactured products such as vermiculite.
Vermiculite and asbestos……
These products can cause health risks if disturbed during maintenance, renovation or demolition. However, there is very low risk to your health if the insulation is sealed behind wallboards and floorboards, isolated in an attic, or otherwise kept from exposure to the interior environment.
Not all vermiculite produced before 1990 contains asbestos fibres. However, to be safe and in the absence of evidence to the contrary, it is reasonable to assume that if your building has older vermiculite-based insulation, it may contain some asbestos content.
Nevertheless, as with any dust, workers should take precautions and avoid long, high-level exposures to vermiculite and other materials that release dust.
Does my vermiculite insulation contain asbestos?
Vermiculite insulation beneath man made mineral insulation
Is there an easy way to visually tell? Unfortunately not, asbestos fibres in vermiculite are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Only a trained technician using a microscope can see asbestos fibres.
However, it is very simple to analyse vermiculite for asbestos contamination. Sample collection of vermiculite should be done by a professional. If you decide to remove vermiculite insulation from your attic, have it done by a professional who has the required equipment necessary to capture asbestos and vermiculite dust and debris fibres.
Do you need asbestos testing for vermiculite insulation within the UK, Sussex and London? Summit Environmental can help.
Vermiculite insulation removal.
First identify if asbestos content is present as this will define the removal method.
If asbestos isn’t present and you are keen to remove yourself, dust control measures should be used in preference to Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) where ever possible ensure you use correct Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) gloves and suits and appropriate tools to protect yourself from the dust generated by disturbing the insulation. We would always advise using a company with appropriate tools, training and experienced methods and equipment for asbestos removal even if asbestos isn’t present.
Had a survey and identified the vermiculite insulation contains asbestos, what should you do?
If asbestos content is present, the materials will need removal in line with the requirements for asbestos remediation. Depending on the fibre types contained within the vermiculite, the materials, friability and location will define the removal method. You should never attempt to remove it yourself, so calling in a professional company to help you is essential.
Final Thoughts
It should be stressed that not all vermiculite contains asbestos. Nevertheless, as with any dust, workers should take precautions and avoid long, high-level exposures.
Some products that were made with vermiculite contained asbestos up until the early 1990s. Vermiculite mines and products within the UK and throughout the world are now regularly tested for asbestos and are not supposed to sell products that contain no asbestos at all.
As well as the dangers Vermiculite insulation can potentially pose, it is also a less effective and efficient method of insulating a home than standard fibreglass; and as a vast majority of heat is lost through the ceilings and roof, with vermiculite insulation removal and replacement insulation, huge amounts could be saved on energy bills in the long run. As well as being a less effective means of insulation, due to its undesirable reputation, having vermiculite insulation may affect the value of the home. Removing this insulation for other types of modern insulation is advised.
Summit Environmental can undertake sampling to certify if vermiculite insulation and vermiculite products have asbestos contained. Testing of vermiculite for asbestos, should contain an appropriate assessment of materials and fibres contained. Testing of products should identify if asbestos is present to reduce the possibility of inadvertent uncontrolled exposure to the asbestos fibres and certify the materials as asbestos free.
For more information on vermiculite insulation or other asbestos containing materials contact us at [email protected]
Do you need vermiculite insulation testing in the UK? Summit Environmental can undertake sampling to certify the vermiculate insulation materials are asbestos free. Contact us on 0203 874 9530 or 01444 812 388.
URGENT – The Domestic Renewable Heat Initiative is Ending 31 March 2022
/0 Comments/in EPC /by markThe Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (Domestic RHI) is a government financial incentive to promote the use of renewable heat. People who join the scheme and stick to its rules receive quarterly payments for seven years for the amount of clean, green renewable heat it’s estimated their system produces.
However, the Domestic RHI scheme closes at midnight on 31 March 2022. You need to apply by this date if you want to get Domestic RHI payments.
Types of heating you can claim for?
The Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (DRHI) is a government financial incentive to promote the use of renewable heat, which can help reduce carbon emissions and meet the UK’s renewable energy targets.
The DRHI is open to all households, on and off the gas grid, who have installed a renewable heating system and meet the eligibility criteria. People who join and follow the scheme rules receive quarterly payments over seven years for clean, green, renewable heat their systems are estimated to produce.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), is responsible for developing the underpinning RHI policy including setting tariffs, establishing the legislative framework, and introducing amendments to the scheme. Under the regulations, we are the administrator of the RHI. Any queries about aspects of policy should be addressed directly to BEIS. Under the regulations, Ofgem was appointed as the administrator of the DRHI scheme.
BEIS periodically reviews DRHI scheme policy which means the rules can change for both new and existing participants. To achieve successful accreditations and to keep receiving payments, it is important to keep up to date with the scheme rules.
Ofgem will publish information on how they administer policy changes. Please note that the content and timing of any changes they outline will be subject to parliamentary process. Their updates are based on information provided by BEIS.
There is still time, How to Apply, click on the link below…
https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-and-social-schemes/domestic-renewable-heat-incentive-domestic-rhi/applicants/apply-domestic-rhi
Need help with EPC’s or advice on how to improve your energy performance rating? For further advice on The Domestic Renewable Heat Initiative, contact us on https://summitenvironmental.co.uk/contact/
URGENT – The Domestic Renewable Heat Initiative is Ending 31 March 2022
Do landlords need an EPC for a commercial or residential lease renewal?
/0 Comments/in EPC /by markAn EPC is valid for ten years and in that time the assessment, results and recommendations can change. It is now well known that a valid
EPC Rating band D
EPC is needed for the letting of a property.
However, with any legislation there is always uncertainty and further explanation is needed. One of the questions that has cropped up regularly from both landlords and tenants is “do I need to renew an EPC during a tenancy?”
What is an energy performance certificate?
An EPC assesses the energy performance of a property, from “A” representing the most energy efficient property to “G” representing the least energy efficient property.
The Energy Performance Certificate has been with us since 2007 and is gathering power as time moves on towards the targets that the Government has set, which is to be carbon neutral by 2050.
Do I need to renew an EPC during a tenancy?
EPC Regulations
Owners will only need to obtain a new energy performance certificate for their rental property every ten years. However, it is likely that over this decade new innovations in efficiency and the expected wear and deterioration of the rental could mean that a property that reached the MEES on its last inspection, could fall short of the mark ten years on.
With this being said, providing that the rental property achieved an EPC rating of an E or above, the certification is valid over the usual period, regardless of if this is during a tenancy. However, do landlords need to renew their EPC if it expired during a tenancy. Simply put no, the limitations are placed on advertising the property to new tenants, therefore landlords can obtain a new certificate once their existing fixed term has come to an end.
EPC Regulations 2007
The 2007 Regulations require an EPC on the grant of a lease. The guidance further states that the purpose of providing an EPC is for a prospective tenant to consider the energy performance of the property.
It is therefore reasonable to conclude that a “prospective tenant” does not include a person who is already a tenant. This makes sense in the context of the EPC regime, as the renewing tenant should already know about the building’s energy performance of the property. An EPC would serve no real purpose in those circumstances and having to provide one would be a waste of time and money.
However, the MEES Regulations provide information only when there is a valid EPC currently in place as a result of the EPC regulations applying.
MEES Regulations on non-domestic dwellings
The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 established a minimum level of energy efficiency (MEES Regulations) for privately rented property in England and Wales. The Mees Regulations came into force on 1 April 2018.
It states that the landlord will only be required to obtain a new EPC if they intend to re-let the property (to the current tenant, or to a new tenant) once the current lease expires, or if they (or their tenant) modify the property in a manner which would require a new EPC. So for non-domestic properties the guidance is clear and an EPC is required on the renewal of a lease, if there was a valid EPC previously. However, oddly the MEES Regulations for domestic dwellings differ.
MEES Regulations on domestic dwellings (March 2019 version)
The regulations state that; the landlord will only be required to obtain a new EPC (which will trigger a need to comply with the minimum energy efficiency provisions) if they intend to remarket the property for let once the current tenancy expires, or if they (or their tenant) modify the property in a manner which would require a new EPC to be obtained. It is not exactly clear on how we are to interpret this, although it seems likely that a landlord would not remarket the property for let if a new lease were being granted to the current tenant.
Therefore you need to distinguish between domestic and non-domestic property on the question of whether an EPC is needed on a lease renewal.
Is It illegal to let a property without an EPC?
Any property that has been rented to tenants since 2008 has been required to produce an Energy Performance Certificate. As mentioned briefly mentioned above, a landlord is unable to advertise their rental property to tenants unless their property has an EPC rating of “E” or above, preventing them from begging a new tenancy unless their rental meets Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, but more on that later.
If a landlord is found to be renting out their buy to let property whilst it has an invalid EPC or the property didn’t satisfy the minimum
Is It illegal to let a property without an EPC?
criteria of the efficiency assessment, the local authority can take action. If notified by a tenant, or if found through internal investigations, officers from trading standards can demand that a landlord produce a valid EPC for the rental. If the property owner is unable to provide the requested documentation within 7 days, they are liable to pay a penalty charge.
Additionally, landlords are legally required to issue each new tenant with a range of new documentation before they move into the rental property, with one of these being an EPC. If upon signing a new tenancy agreement and commencing a tenancy period the tenants have not been issued with a valid EPC for the appropriate property, a fixed penalty of 12.5% of the building’s rateable value will be charged, with a fee of £750 being issued to the landlord if this cannot be applied. Whilst the penalties that can be issued to landlords for breaching these regulations is capped at £5,000, if the landlord continually fails to provide an EPC to a enforcement officer from the local authority, another fine of £200 will be issued.
Problems with lending with a low EPC banding?
Problems with lending with a low EPC banding?
Many of us are aware that the EPC is needed for the sale or the rental of a property, although there are occasions when one party can overlook having a valid certificate and an EPC is needed in a hurry.
A valid EPC is also needed when further borrowing is being considered by a property owner, which is a situation that I have seen crop up on numerous occasions. What I have not encountered is the effect upon the additional advance, has it been declined or maybe at a less favourable APR?
If you are considering a buy to let option, consider this also, your mortgage broker may not advance you the loan that you are seeking if the EPC of the property is a low grade. You may also find that if you are granted the loan that you need for your buy to let, your offer may be at a less favourable rate for a property that is less energy efficient.
In our experience?
There may be some tenants who are not too concerned about the property that they are renting and could be seen as easy targets by some unscrupulous landlords who may provide a poorly performing property where heat emission, heat retention and cost of providing energy efficiency in the height of winter becomes critically expensive and the property can become unbearably hot during the summer months.
Good insulation is good for you, your property and your wallet throughout the year and all seasons.
One of the goals of the EPC is to reduce, hopefully eliminate fuel poverty, we know that there are countless families in the country who are struggling with their fuel bills, time and time again we hear the phrase “do I eat, or do I heat”. This surely cannot be right?
Recommendations
If you are going into a tenancy, your landlord needs to provide you with a valid Energy Performance Certificate, if you are not sure about some of the content, you can contact Summit Environmental, we will explain the EPC in as much detail as possible.
With any legislation there are always grey areas which can create uncertainty and need further exploration. One of the questions that has cropped up several times and both from landlords and tenants is this, “I am renewing the tenancy, the same occupants, do I need to have an EPC completed?”
We can see some very good reasons for doing so and therefore the answer must be yes, if a tenant is extending their lease there should be an EPC in place which is current.
The current proposal is that in 2025 all new tenancies must have a certification no lower than band C and from 2028 all existing rental property must also reach that band C target, which may become a huge headache for landlords and potentially a very expensive one.
In addition to this information existing EPC’ s ratings and recommendations, as stated previously begin to become less valid. For example, fibre insulation compresses over time and becomes less efficient. For example, fibre loft insulation which was to a depth of 150mm. Ten years ago may now measure 125mm due to compression. In the same way double glazing ages, on many assessments the rating for pre 2002 double glazing the assessment is seen as average, due to materials used, glazing gap and them still being sealed units.
The benefits of a good EPC?
The benefit to the landlord is this, that if you are offering an energy efficient property, you are seen not only in a good light and one who looks after his residents but also one who can attract a good price for his property, which would also be a more desirable property for rental.
The benefit to the tenant or resident, may be that this property may be slightly more expensive initially but over the course of time that you are likely to be there, the home will be warmer and more comfortable for you and your family, avoiding damp through condensation, avoiding potential health issues and obviously fuel bills should be lower.
Need assistance with EPC’s in Sussex, Kent or Surrey, advice on the EPC Regulations, how to improve your EPC rating contact us on [email protected]
2022 current press releases from the HSE (health and Safety Executive) relating to Asbestos
/0 Comments/in Asbestos, Asbestos Compliance /by markOn 24 November 1999, the use of asbestos was banned in the UK. While the ban was the first step to safeguarding communities from the
Asbestos rock
effects of asbestos and getting justice for asbestos victims, unfortunately, the battle is still ongoing.
The following are updates on recent prosecutions relating to the state of the asbestos industry in 2022.
18th February 2022
Asbestos removal company fined for failing to protect workers
An asbestos management company director has been jailed after failures to protect workers from asbestos exposure during a major refurbishment project in Plymouth.
Asbestos the hidden killer
In February 2017, concerns were raised by workers at Ensure Asbestos Management Limited who believed they were being put in danger whilst carrying out refurbishment work at a department store.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found irregularities in the asbestos surveys and clearance certificates, with some found to be fraudulent. Ensure Asbestos Management Limited had been contracted to carry out an asbestos survey, remove all identified asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) from the building and then carry out the initial strip-out of the building before it was refurbished. However, the company was found to have deliberately cut corners in managing the danger of asbestos exposure putting workers at risk.
Director of Ensure Asbestos Management Billy Hopwood of Swanstead, Basildon, Essex pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. He has been sentenced to 10 months imprisonment, immediate concurrent on each charge. He has also been disqualified as a director for five years
Contracts Manager at Ensure Asbestos Management Phillip Hopwood of Churchgate Street, Harlow, Essex pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1), 3(1) and 33(1)(m) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. His sentencing was adjourned until a later date.
“Ensure Asbestos Management Limited – a previously licensed asbestos removal contractor – failed to work within the law despite having a wealth of knowledge on the risks associated with exposure to asbestos and the necessary training to have done so safely. They deliberately falsified documents and cut corners.
25th January 2022
Builder prosecuted for exposing employees to asbestos during unsafe removal
Kieran Lynch has been prosecuted after his employees were exposed to asbestos while refurbishing domestic premises in Barnsdale Road, Reading.
Reading Magistrates’ Court heard how Mr Lynch, trading as Lynch and Co, was contracted to carry out a largescale refurbishment for his client who had recently purchased the property from their local council. Prior to the project commencing, the owner of the property informed Mr Lynch that the ceiling boards in the garage contained asbestos.
Mr Lynch instructed two employees, who had no experience in asbestos removal, to take down the boards with no protective measures in place. Once they had taken down the boards, they stored them inside the house for a further three months before they were moved into the front garden to be disposed of. Subsequent examination of these boards identified them as Asbestos Insulating Board (AIB) – a high risk product which requires an asbestos removal licence to remove.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Mr Lynch was made aware that asbestos was present in the property, and yet he failed to make adequate enquiries as to where the asbestos was, its type and the condition it was in, prior to carrying out the removal. He also instructed his employees, who lacked the necessary competence, to carry out the removal with no control measures in place.
Mr Kieran Lynch of 9 Old Barn Close, Emmer Green, Reading pleaded guilty to breaching the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 Regulations 5 (1)(a), 8(1), 11 (1) and received a Community Order for a period of 12 months with a Rehabilitation Requirement of 25 days and Unpaid Work of 100 hours. Mr Lynch was also ordered to pay £5,000 in costs and a £95 victim surcharge.
“Refurbishment work, even in domestic premises, is liable to expose people to asbestos and adequate steps must be taken to find out if asbestos is present. If so, appropriate measures must be taken to ensure people are not exposed to asbestos fibres.”
24th January 2022
Company sentenced after fatal fall through fragile asbestos roof
A company has been sentenced after an employee of a Powys construction company was fatally injured in Liverpool when he fell six metres through a roof whilst working on a replacement roof project.
Liverpool Crown Court heard that on 22 May 2017, roofer Marius Andrus was completing snagging work on a replacement roof. The worker had accessed a part of the old roof made of fragile asbestos cement sheets, which gave way. He fell through the sheets to the ground below sustaining fatal injuries.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the area accessed did not have safety nets fitted and that the employer failed to take reasonably practicable measures to reduce the risk to those working on the roof.
AJM Services (Midlands) Ltd of Llanfihangel, Llanfyllin, Powys pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The company was fined £51,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,000.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Andy McGrory said: “This was a tragic incident, which resulted in a needless loss of life and could have easily been avoided by properly planning the work and ensuring appropriate safeguards were in place.
“Those in control of work at height have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working, which should include providing clear and comprehensive information for their workers and ensuring that they are adequately supervised.”
Owners of the building Pearsons Glass of Maddrell Street, Liverpool pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, section 3, at an earlier hearing and were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court in February 2021. The company was fined £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,656.
18th January 2022
Directors fined for unlicensed asbestos removal
The managing director and the director of a printing company, have been fined for safety breaches after organising the removal of asbestos insulation board by untrained personnel.
Asbestos the hidden killer
Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard how, between August 2016 and December 2016, Charles Dunn and Jeremy Mills, respectively the managing director and director of D&M Heritage Limited, consented to work taking place at the company’s premises which failed to use adequate measures to prevent the spread of asbestos.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company rented space in a warehouse at Red Doles Lane in Huddersfield and had been given notice to leave by the new owners. Prior to leaving, the company agreed to remove some free-standing cupboards. A licensed removal company, who had carried out work previously at the site, had told the directors of D&M Heritage Ltd that the rear of a cupboard was broken and was likely to be asbestos.
The cupboards comprised of doors made with asbestos insulation board (AIB) and the rear of the cupboards also contained AIB. The cupboards were broken up during removal, releasing asbestos fibres. Some pieces were placed in bags, others placed in a nearby skip.
Charles Dunn of Mill Lane, Mixenden, Halifax pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health & Safety at Work Act (due to Reg 11 of Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012) and a second charge of breaching Section 37 of the Health & Safety at Work Act (due to Reg 16 of Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012). He was fined £916 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs.
Jeremy Mills of Occupation Road, Linley, Huddersfield pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health & Safety at Work Act (due to Reg 11 of Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012) and a second charge of breaching Section 37 of the Health & Safety at Work Act (due to Reg 16 of Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012). He was fined £1,600 and ordered to pay £10,000 in costs.
“Asbestos is a killer. Companies need to recognise the dangers of removing asbestos by themselves both to their employees and others. Asbestos removal should only be carried out by trained personnel who understand the risks and know how to control them.”
Summit Environmental
The four recent cases show satisfactory asbestos refurbishment and asbestos demolition surveys are not being undertaken, licenced asbestos
Need an asbestos survey or asbestos removal
removal works are not being undertaken by licenced asbestos removal companies, works are being undertake without due care, attention, and planning. The outcome of this is people are being exposed to asbestos needlessly.
Asbestos refurbishment and demolition surveys provide accurate information on the location, amount, and condition of asbestos-containing materials within a property and are a legal requirement prior to starting refurbishment or demolition works.
Licensed asbestos removal contractors with appropriate training, knowledge and insurance are required to undertake asbestos removal works.
If you breech the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, prosecutions can lead to exposure to asbestos, death, and imprisonment. Need advice relating to the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, asbestos surveys, asbestos removal and asbestos management. Contact us at
Why do I need an asbestos survey when buying a commercial property?
/0 Comments/in Asbestos, Asbestos Compliance /by markWhat is asbestos?
Asbestos is a heat-resistant, chemical resistant, strength binding naturally fibrous mineral that was commonly added to manufacture building materials. It was found to be a durable material with fire and heat resistant properties. That is why it works so well as a fire proofing & insulating material.
Any building constructed between the 1800’s and 1999 will likely have asbestos-containing materials within the property. However, during the 1970’s & 1980s, health experts determined that asbestos was responsible for negatively impact the health of anyone who is exposed to it.
The greatest exposure to asbestos occurs when asbestos-containing materials are damaged because this action releases fibres into the air which can be readily inhaled and cause severe health consequences. Some of the most significant health consequences include lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis.
What is an Asbestos Survey?
Any man-made structure, commercial building, residential building, or house constructed prior to 1999 can pose a risk of asbestos to the occupants or workers that reside within them. UK Regulations require you to conduct asbestos surveys on buildings constructed prior to 1999. Asbestos surveys are required if you are occupying, buying, selling, or demolishing such a building. If there are tenants or people living inside the building, then asbestos surveys are also performed as a health and safety check.
The job of an asbestos surveyor is to inspect your building and identify potential asbestos-containing materials. The asbestos fibres themselves cannot always be identified directly because they are microscopic, however an asbestos surveyor is familiar with the types of building materials that might have asbestos in them, such as roofing materials, Wall panels, insulating materials and flooring materials.
Once the surveyor has located an asbestos containing material a small sample will be taken of each suspect material which will then be analysed at the laboratory for further in-depth analysis. The laboratory will identify the type or types of asbestos present with sample(s) a bulk certificate of analysis is produced detailing the laboratory results.
Asbestos survey types
We undertake four different types of asbestos survey in Kent, Sussex, Surrey London and nationally.
Asbestos Management Surveys
What are asbestos management surveys?
Is an asbestos survey required and if so, what type of survey?
Management asbestos surveys are standard inspection surveys to comply with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 for all commercial and industrial property and for those buying or selling property. This type of inspection is non-intrusive but does include sampling of suspect materials which are then sent to the laboratory to report on whether asbestos is present and if so, what types of asbestos.
If you are a business whether leaseholder or freeholder this survey will identify what asbestos containing materials are in place within your demise, their condition and what your legal obligations are to comply with the regulations. If you have been asked to carry out an asbestos survey for management purposes and provide an asbestos register for insurance or compliance purposes, including visits from either HSE or Environmental Health this is the survey type which includes the information set out in Regulation 4 “Duty to Manage” All commercial & industrial property ( some residential properties are also covered) built prior to the year 2000 are included in the regulation, regardless of size.
Asbestos Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys
Floor investigation in asbestos refurbishment survey
What is an R and D Survey?
The aim of this survey type is to survey the property in question for asbestos containing materials so as these can be managed safely or as is usually the case removed safely in line with the regulations before the strip-out and re-fit. All property types are covered regardless of size or class of use – residential, commercial, industrial, or mixed.
Asbestos refurbishment surveys and asbestos demotion surveys must be undertaken on properties which are due to be refurbished or demolished.
Professionals, occupiers, and management agents involved in minor and major fit-outs and strip-out will need to commission such a survey prior to beginning the works. As well as the requirements for this type of survey covered under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and HSG264, further stipulations and requirements are contained in the CDM Regulations 2015.
Refurbishment and Demolition (R and D Survey) asbestos surveys are highly intrusive, and damage will occur to elements of the property to inspect the fabric of the building, as such this type of survey can only usually be undertaken in a vacant property and one which is owned by the person or company commissioning the survey.
Asbestos Re-inspection Surveys
What is an asbestos re-inspection survey?
An asbestos re-inspection survey (also referred to as an annual asbestos re-inspection survey) is designed to allow the duty holder to monitor and record the condition of any previously identified asbestos products within a building.
Like any building material, asbestos-containing materials are also subject to potential damage and degradation. As an asbestos product degrades it can be more likely to become a hazard to health, therefore should be inspected at regular intervals to ensure its condition has not deteriorated.
Asbestos in Commercial Premises?
Asbestos management in commercial premises.
If you are the owner of a commercial property, or you are in the process of buying a commercial property, you may be the person legally responsible for managing any asbestos present at the property. Therefore, should you be considering selling a commercial property at some point in the future, you should have an asbestos survey conducted.
The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 clearly sets out these responsibilities for any property that is non-domestic. Exposure to asbestos can be fatal, causing serious illnesses that can take decades to manifest and produce symptoms. Since asbestos was banned in construction in the UK in 1999 there is no need for concern in any commercial building constructed after this date.
It is important that you understand the location and potential danger of ACMs (Asbestos Containing Materials) if you own a commercial property, you are a tenant or manager of a building with responsibilities that include managing asbestos.
If you are planning to sell a commercial property, a recent asbestos survey and/or asbestos removal project completion pack, is more likely to highlight previous good asbestos management processes and strategy.
So why would you got get an asbestos survey prior to buying a commercial premises? Those in control of buildings and
Asbestos insulation encapsulated and labelled and inspected annually.
planned works have a responsibility to manage the risks from asbestos in non-domestic premises. To achieve this the duty holder must ensure that a suitable and sufficient assessment is carried out as to whether asbestos is or is liable to be present in the premises. You can and will get prosecuted if you do not undertake a sufficient assessment to assess for asbestos or do not protect employees and visitors to a building from the risks of asbestos.
Your duty under the law is laid out in Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. You must protect anyone from exposure to the asbestos in your property. This would include completing all the following:
If you need an asbestos management survey or asbestos refurbishment survey in Sussex, Surrey, Kent, and London, please contact us, we will be happy to discuss your requirements. Our asbestos survey reports contain material assessments, risk ratings for materials with recommendations on materials found including photographs and highlighted floor plans. This information can then be used by those involved in the refurbishment and or demolition works.
Do you need more information on an annual re-inspection or an need an asbestos management plan to comply with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012?? Contact us on [email protected] and
Bird guano, is it hazardous? Absolutely all you need to know!
/0 Comments/in Hazardous Materials /by markGuano is accumulated excrement and remains of birds, bats, and seals. Guano goes by many different names and regardless of what you call them, moniker of droppings, mess or maybe poo, what really does matter is that guano is highly toxic and even in small amounts can be harmful to human health. In the UK derelict buildings provide the ideal roosting ground for birds, especially pigeons and sea gulls.
Bird droppings pose a particular health hazard when it comes to demolition and refurbishment of buildings. When these microscopic spores from the dried bat guano are inhaled by humans, they can cause a serious respiratory disease called histoplasmosis.
The ideal approach to bird mess is to remove the source of the problem by utilising many of the bird deterrent solutions that are available, which will include the likes of bird spikes and acoustic deterrents, however bird guano can still cause a tremendous problem.
Diseases associated with guano?
Guano, how bad does it need to be?
Histoplasmosis
Histoplasmosis is an infection caused by a fungus called Histoplasma. The fungus lives in the environment, particularly in soil that contains large amounts of bird or bat droppings.
In most cases, histoplasmosis causes mild flu-like symptoms that appear between 3 and 17 days after exposure to the fungus. These symptoms include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, cough and chest discomfort.
Psittacosis
Psittacosis is an infection of birds caused by the bacterium Chlamydia psittaci.
The disease has been described in many species of birds, particularly in parrots, parakeets, budgerigars and cockatiels. Other commonly affected birds include pigeons and doves. Ducks and turkeys may also be affected, but chickens less frequently. Psittacosis is an acute respiratory disease with an incubation period of between 1 and 4 weeks.
It typically causes flu-like symptoms (fever, headache, muscle aches) but can lead to severe pneumonia and non-respiratory health problems.
Salmonella
Salmonella is also present in some bird droppings, more commonly referred to as food poisoning, salmonellosis can be traced back to bird guano. It is a bacterial infection that can cause significant diarrhoea. The disease bacteria are found in bird droppings; dust from droppings can be sucked through ventilators and air conditioners, contaminating food and cooking surfaces in restaurants, homes and food processing plants.
While it’s not usually fatal, typical symptoms of the disease include diarrhoea, fever, and abdominal pain. These usually occur within 8 to 72 hours of being exposed to the pathogen and could last for several days.
Guano in the built environment…
Guano. Externally of a recent survey.
Certain job roles will leave you more likely to be exposed to harmful bird guano than in others, if your work is outside for example then the risk may be greater, than if you are cleaning guano at home. If you work in buildings undertaking refurbishments you are more likely to come across and disturb guano, you need to assess the risks and implement controls to minimise the disturbance.
Working safely with guano?
It is important to take a few steps before you begin any cleaning process. Ensure that you make, update and ensure a risk assessment is appropriate of the dangers posed. If you provide refurbishment, building maintenance or demolition work of old buildings these can be higher risk sites of airborne particles. In the same way in your own home, there may be a lower density of particles, but this is an area where you
Guano. Internally of a recent survey.
also sleep and eat.
It is vital to ensure that if significant levels of bird droppings are present, that those who have weakened immune symptoms including individuals with autoimmune diseases are protected from the risks posed by bird guano, as they may have a higher risk of contracting the afore mentioned diseases. It might sound obvious but try to limit contact with bird droppings and time spent in areas where bird droppings are prevalent.
Plastic sheeting can provide a moderately effective interim measure against the risk of contamination by limiting the chances of the guano particles becoming airborne. In the same way gloves and even the most basic of masks, and goggles will offer you some personal protection.
Equipment needed for working with guano?
When cleaning guano, as with any other health contaminant it is essential to use the correct tools to both ensure that your work is effective and to also protect yourself.
Guano cleaning
tight seal can be made against your skin, therefore it is advisable to be clean shaven when wearing a respirator.
It is vital that you protect your face from infection, due to airborne particles or from touching your face which is something that we all do quite frequently and subconsciously. The contact of guano around your mouth, nose and eyes can be disastrous. With the right equipment to protect yourself, you want to ensure that you have the right tools to clean the guano safely and effectively.
For small amounts of guano, you may be able to deal with this by yourself. However, at some point you will need to call in the experts.
Why use Summit Environmental?
At Summit Environmental we are committed to providing advice relating to all elements of safe working with products that can be hazardous
to your health. If you would like further information about the harmful nature of bird guano, how to protect yourself or if you need professional removal, Please contact us at [email protected] for guano removal, guano risk assessments and more advice on guano.
Need help with Increasing energy bills? How to offset the energy price increase.
/0 Comments/in EPC /by markWholesale gas prices have soared throughout 2021 leading to more than 20 domestic suppliers biting the dust. Increased costs have filtered through to consumers with a significant rise to the energy price cap in October 2021.
Why are energy bills going up?
A dramatic increase in the cost of wholesale gas has put pressure on the energy industry and exposed the cracks. Factors for the prices going up include supply and demand following a particularly cold winter across Europe in 2020. Unseasonably warm weather in Asia saw more households use gas for air conditioning units, while there has been reduced supply from Russia amid reported political moves.
The UK store less gas than any other country in Europe. Regarding the insulating of our homes, you may say, if the environment is that much warmer, what is the need to insulate in a country like the United Kingdom where severe weather is less common and the likelihood of snow during the winter less likely and frosty mornings something that may become memories from our past?
How to offset the energy price increase?
Insulating your home doesn’t just make it more energy efficient, it is also one of the best things you can do to reduce your energy bills remember to look for cheaper energy deals that may be available and that you may be able to switch to. Insulating your home will make your house warmer and more comfortable, while also reducing its impact on the environment in the process.
Insulation – and draught proofing – protects your home against cold in winter and excess heat in the summer and can even reduce noise pollution (like the sound from a road or passing aircraft). What’s more, some key insulation measures are ‘low cost’, in that they pay for themselves in less than five years.
Low energy lighting – these measures have the best returns of all energy efficiency investments. Furthermore, if you decide to sell or rent your home, the rating that your home receives on an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) will be improved.
How does the heat escape from my house and the cold get in?
There are five ways that heat can escape:
Conduction
That’s heat moving through solids like metal or brick.
Radiation
This is the heat you directly feel when you stand near a heat source. It is in fact infra-red radiation, and just another form of ‘electromagnetic radiation’ like radio waves, visible light, ultra-violet and x-rays – which all travel at the speed of light. If you take infra-red photos of your house on a cold, still night you can help see where heat is being lost.
Convection
This is the natural tendency of warm air or water or other gases and liquids to rise, while cold air and water falls downwards. This often results in circulation of air and is the main principle behind central heating radiators.
Air movement
Draughts are a common form of heat loss, taking warm air from within the home and letting it out into the outside (and typically replacing it with cold air coming in). Another example is a wind blowing past a house, which will generally have a cooling effect on it. Water movement has the same effect upon your property.
Evaporation
Not a process that we naturally associate with heat loss, but if it rains on a hot summer day, after the rain stops, some of it may evaporate from the roof and walls, and this will cool the home considerably.
Where do I need to insulate in my home to protect from heat loss?
On a cold day, heat can escape from your home in all directions, – up, down and sideways. So, you should think about insulating the whole property and not just concentrating on one element.
The roof
The walls
The floor
The windows and doors
Many people make the mistake of assuming that heat only goes up – but only one form of heat transfer (convection) primarily moves up. Heat will travel in all directions. It is also known that heat will always travel towards cold.
If you adjoin another home, either through shared walls or through a floor that is in effect another household’s ceiling, or vice versa, you are fortunate as you will not suffer from heat loss, assuming the other side is heated as well. However, you will still need to heat your home, as you will not have heat gain either. The general rule is that the bigger the temperature difference, the greater the flow of heat. So, the colder it is outside, the greater the heat loss from your home.
How much heat is being lost from different parts of my home?
This depends on the type of house that you live in, whether it’s detached or semi-detached, or if it’s a terrace property, and if so, if it is mid or end terrace. When an EPC is being completed on a property, the heat loss perimeter is a significant calculation and will hugely affect the outcome. The larger, or longer the heat loss perimeter is, the more heat you will lose from it. If you live in a flat, the losses will be different again, and will depend on whether your flat is in the middle, at the top or at ground floor level.
For a typical house the walls will lose most heat, around 30% and up to 40%. The roof will be next at around 25%, probably followed by windows and doors at around 20%, and the floor (of your lowest storey) at around 10%. Quite a large loss will occur because of draughts and a lack of airtightness. Of course, draughts can also be attributed to floors, doors and windows, the walls or roof. It should also be known that some controlled ventilation is essential for reducing the risk of stale or damp air.
Do I need planning permission for insulation work?
In most cases, insulation work does not require planning permission from your local council. The exceptions may include external wall insulation and, in areas where there are conservation schemes, glazing.
Even if you don’t need planning permission, building regulations could apply, so check with your local council’s building control department.
What types of insulation are there?
Good insulation types
Good insulators include many products that typically have a structure similar to wool. In effect a good insulator will trap tiny pockets of air within a material which itself is also a good insulator. These include the very common mineral and glass wools, which come on rolls in blanket form, or in a somewhat denser form as batts or slabs.
Sheep’s wool is of course a great insulator, as are other natural fabrics like hemp and cotton – so curtains are good insulation products. Some mineral and glass wool style products are ‘higher density’ and therefore have greater insulation effect, typically about 25% greater.
Most wood and wood- based products, for example, MDF, plywood, and hardboard, are also generally quite good insulators – so wooden doors and wooden loft boards help keep warmth in the home.
Not surprisingly, paper is another a good insulator, including recycled paper, and cellulose from other sources such as crop wastes. Although flammable in its untreated form, it is treated to make it fire resistant for use as insulation. This is supplied in sealed sacks, but once opened is in loose form, which makes it suitable for installing in circumstances where blankets or batts won’t fit.
Polystyrene and similar products are generally good insulators. Polystyrene is sometimes referred to as EPS (expanded or extruded polystyrene slab) form. These products are also usually fire resistant, and much denser and heavier than the sort of polystyrene that is used for packaging. EPS is typically 50% more effective, for the same depth, as a standard mineral or glass wool product.
Closely related are spray foam solutions, which are typically polyurethane based. The foam forms on the mixing of two chemicals and it hardens, trapping tiny pockets of air. Because the foam fills crevices and gaps, it can also eliminate draughts and provide strengthening to existing building structures, for example roof tiles. Other foam solutions include adhesive strips for insulating around windows, doors, or loft hatches.
Some ‘insulators’ work by stopping the flow of air (draughts) through cracks and gaps, such as sealants (mastics). One of the cheapest sealants is papier-Mache, which you can make yourself from torn-up paper and wallpaper glue.
Another method of insulation is reflection. There are now multi-foil products, which are generally a sandwich of metal foils and plastic style insulators. These can be used to reflect radiated heat and are designed to insulate where there is not the space for wool, batt and EPS type products. Some polystyrene and other products are also coated with foils.
Good insulation material doesn’t just slow the process of heat loss, depending on its specific use, there are other properties that are important too, such as physical strength, fire resistance, resistance to mould, and non-toxicity; cost is another important consideration too.
Poor insulation types
Unfortunately, many materials with physical strength and which are therefore used in building construction, including metals (such as copper, steel, and aluminium), stone, brick, tiles, and concrete, are good conductors and have limited ability to insulate. However, some more modern versions of these materials have been designed to have construction strength but lower heat transmission than in the past, for example, modern breeze blocks.
Water is also a bad insulator, which means that anything that soaks up moisture will usually conduct heat away quite quickly. Moving air also takes heat away quickly even though air that is prevented from moving, generally when trapped in tiny pockets, makes a good insulator.
Most effective ways to reduce energy bills?
1. A digital thermometer
Digital thermometers that record the maximum and minimum temperature since last being reset can show you just how warm or cold different parts of your home are. This is basic tool that will help you to identify specific rooms in your home that need attention. Working on the basis ‘if you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it’, thermometers are a good investment.
2. A plug-in thermostat
If you use an electric heater without thermostatic controls, your heater will continue to generate heat and use electricity even after a room is warm enough, which is a waste of energy and money. A plug-in thermostat can solve this. You plug the heater into the plug-in thermostat, which is in turn plugged into a power socket, rather like plugging an electrical device into a time switch. You can then set the temperature you want on the plug-in thermostat and once it hits that temperature, it cuts off power to the heater.
3. An electric blanket
Electric blankets can be a way of compensating for a chilly bedroom. Most electric blankets are designed to fit below the bottom sheet, they are typically used to pre-warm a bed. During this pre-warming phase they have a relatively high -power consumption, around 100 watts for a double sized bed. Once you are in bed, an electric blanket must be turned down to the sleep setting. This setting uses about a quarter of the electricity, typically around 25 watts, which is equivalent to a couple of mid-power low energy light bulbs. However, many people turn the blanket off altogether once they get into bed.
One alternative to an electric blanket is a hot water bottle, although this is not necessarily more energy efficient, especially if you do turn the blanket off once you get into bed – which is a good habit to get into. Neither option should be a substitute for sufficient bedding, or an appropriately warmed bedroom. It’s important to ensure that any bedroom is not too cold, especially if the sleeper is elderly, unwell or a young child.
4. A brass radiator key
A brass radiator key is a useful investment for bleeding your radiators, which releases the gases caught in a radiator causing it to be cold towards the top and reducing its efficiency. It is worth paying extra to invest in a brass key, rather than buying a pressed steel one, as the latter tend to be easily broken. Many modern radiators don’t have the standard square valve head — if that’s the case you’ll need a screwdriver as well.
5. A radiator shelf
A radiator shelf just above a radiator helps to throw heat forward from the radiator into the room, rather than letting it raise up to the ceiling. You can buy purpose-made radiator shelves, which clip easily onto most radiators.
6. Radiator reflector panels
Radiator reflector panels can stop heat being wasted from the back of a radiator into an external wall. They are especially useful in older homes where the walls are solid, which rules out the option of cavity wall insulation. You can buy radiator reflector panels or radiator foil, or you can make your own by cutting a piece of cardboard to size and covering it in the type of kitchen tin foil you use for cooking. You’ll need a long stick and double-sided tape to attach them to the wall behind the radiator.
8. A carbon monoxide alarm
Getting rid of draughts and unnecessary ventilation is a major way of reducing wasted heat, saving money on your energy bills in the process.
A carbon monoxide alarm is not energy-saving but you need to invest in one before you make any changes to reduce draughts or alter the ventilation in your home. This is in case you block a source of essential ventilation by mistake, such as for a fuel burning device that doesn’t have a balanced flue, for example, an old boiler. It’s a good idea to have an alarm anyway; carbon monoxide (CO) is highly toxic, but impossible to detect without an alarm because it is colourless, odourless and tasteless.
9. Expanding foam
There are some simple solutions to draughts. Expanding foam, which comes in an aerosol can, is useful for filling holes in brickwork. If you upgrade your boiler, for example, any new boiler will have a balanced flue, meaning you no longer need an air ventilation in an external wall in the area where the boiler is sited. So, the obsolete airbrick could be filled with expanding foam. One word of caution though: many gas fires still don’t have balanced flues, so don’t assume you can block up a room vent just because you are upgrading a gas fire. It’s also important to keep clear any ventilation in roof spaces or under the level of floorboards.
10. Papier-Mache
Another heat saving measure is to fill medium-sized gaps in floorboards with papier-Mache – this is easy to make, you just mix wet wallpaper paste with torn newspaper – which is easy to press into the gaps. It’s a very effective and inexpensive solution, assuming you’re not intending to expose the floorboards as a feature.
11. Sealant
Smaller gaps that allow draughts can be filled using a tube of sealant. You may need a simple steel caulking gun, or the sealant may be packaged so you can use it without one. It works well to fill gaps around doors and window frames.
12. A letterbox flap
A letterbox flap to keep out draughts at your front door is another inexpensive investment, especially useful if the outer flap doesn’t fit or return to its position very well.
13. Draught seals
Ill-fitting doors and windows can be a source of draughts. There are a variety of draught seals or sealing strips that can be used around doors and windows to reduce draughts and stop the unnecessary loss of warm air.
14. Curtains
Windows and doors will also benefit from heavy or lined curtains, especially if they are only single glazed.
15. A chimney balloon
A chimney balloon blocks the cold air that falls down a chimney, as well as preventing internal warm air from being drawn up the chimney when it is not in use. The balloon can be deflated and taken out of the fireplace as and when you need to use it. If you are looking for a more permanent solution, and don’t have plans to use your fireplace at all, it is best to get a qualified tradesman to cap the chimney at the top and shut it off at the bottom, as this will be more energy-efficient.
You only pay for the electricity and gas that you actually use, so a good way for us to cope with rising prices is to try to use energy efficiently. Remember that properties that are well insulated do get a double bonus of good insulation, the first being warmer in the winter and the second cooler in the summer, which when you consider the cost and effect of air conditioning is a tremendous plus point.
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EPC
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