AMS North East

AMS exhibiting at IOSH 2012 – 6th and 7th of March, Manchester Central

admin — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 22:13:29 +0000

AMS – Asbestos Management Services will be exibiting at this years IOSH 2012 expo, set to be the biggest conference and exibition yet! Held on the 6th and 7th of March 2012 at Manchester Central

We will be showcasing our award winning asbestos management web portal ASK, come along and see how it can work for you.

AMS will be located on stand E3

The annual IOSH exhibition is the premier choice for leading companies who want to showcase theirlatest products and services, as well as provide advice and guidance on best practice and compliance.

The IOSH exhibition features over 100 exhibitors and more than 35 hours of free educational content. With around 2,000 visitors expected to attend, IOSH 2012 is set to feature our biggest and best exhibition yet.

Managing Director Stewart McNicholl “I always look forward to these events, particularly now with the release of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 looming it will be great get a chance to discuss the affects this will have on many of our clients”

What the analyst saw at Christmas

stewart — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:49:26 +0000

Our lab boffins have been getting in the Christmas spirit over the break they have collected a few festive pics from the lab.

All these pics are of asbestos fibres as viewed under polarised light microscopy. A belated merry Christmas from all the staff and management at AMS.

Three wise men and a Chrysotile shooting star

Chrysotile snow covered tree and ginger bread house

HSE to launch month long intensive inspection in Feb 2012…..are you ready?

stewart — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:30:52 +0000

The HSE will be launching their month long intensive inspection initiatve in February 2012 and aim to inspect refurbishment sites across Great Britain to tackle poor safety standards.

The inspections will take into account general health and safety of refurbishment on sites across the country, as part of this they will be looking at the asbestos information that has been prepared for the site in particular has the asbestos pre refurbishment survey been completed?, if so is it suitable for purpose?, are the company that carried out the pre-refurbishment survey adequately trained?, insured and have in place a quality system? At AMS we are all of these prerequisite, we are UKAS accredited for inspection, testing and surveying and we have insurance cover over and above normal requirements.

If you control any sites where refurbishment works are required that were built before 2000, you are required by law to ensure that none of the workers involved with the refurbishment are at danger of been exposed to asbestos. In order to do that you must coordinate a pre-refurbishment or demolition asbestos survey prior to any works commecing on site in accordance with Regulation 4 and 5 of the control of asbestos regulations 2012.

AMS can work closely with you and your team and ensure that you are provided with an asbestos survey that is fit for purpose and fits you scope of works for the planned refurbishment works.

Also be aware that they will be checking if your site operatives hold asbestos awareness training certificate, again AMS can provide you with UKATA approved Asbestos Awareness Training either at one of our training centres in the North East or North West of England or nationally for less than you might think.

MAKE SURE YOUR ARE PREPARED FOR YOUR HSE VISIT!

New features on our award winning asbestos management software

stewart — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:31:31 +0000

Our current clients will be aware of our asbestos management software ASK, the application makes life a good deal easier for the asbestos duty holder. In 2011 we won the northumberland business technology award for ASK….well its got even better now. We have now added a complete visual representation of the risk from the asbestos containing materials on each of your sites in an easy to navigate drill down mechanism.

Ask Asbestos Management Web Portal New Features

Now when you access asbestos survey or asbestos sample analysis from the site tab in the secure portal you will be presented with a pie chart visually representing the actions required, also from the survey summary on the left you can access the areas where those actions are required very quickly and easily.

ASK is currently being used by all our clients from large local authorities with multiple and complex properties to manage to one off private customers with only one sample or building to asbestos check.

AMS have worked together with TEAMS (The Electronic Asbestos Management System) to help produce this excellent asbestos management software tool.

The system ensures that the vital information required by the asbestos duty holder is easy to understand easy to access and easy to update.

If you are interested in what ASK can do for you or any of our other services get in touch….contact

AMS awarded ISOS Housing 4 year framework asbestos management

stewart — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 12:29:56 +0000

AMS have been awarded the ISOS housing 4 year framework asbestos management contract. AMS will be supplying Asbestos Surveys both Management and Refurbishment and Demolition, Asbestos Air Monitoring, Asbestos Awareness Training and Consultancy to ISOS housing. ISOS housing has 12000 properties located in Northern England. AMS Managing Director Stewart McNicholl ” We are really pleased to have been awarded this contract, ISOS have a great reputation for providing a quality service and I’m looking forward to working along side their team. AMS have invested a great deal in technology systems and support infra structure over the past 5 years to ensure we can cater for the high demands in the repairs, maintenance and void requirements of housing associations. Securing this contract further re-enforces AMS’s position as a leading service provider in an already crowded and competitive market.” ISOS housing will be using ASK our award winning asbestos management web application to ensure the long term compliance of their portfolio to the Control of the Asbestos Regulations 2012. If you are interested in hearing how AMS can assist with managing the asbestos in your property portfolio just contact us for a chat.

AMS Pledge 480hrs to HSE Asbestos Awareness Training Campaign

stewart — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:21:24 +0000

AMS is proud to announce its involvement in the current HSE asbestos awareness training campaign to pledge 4000hrs training across the month of October.

Every year 4000 people in the UK die from Asbestos related diseases, the HSE working in partnership with the IATP and UKATA have so far pledged over 4000hours for this campaign to increase people awareness of asbestos.

At AMS we have pledged 480 hours in October to the campaign and will be conducting the sessions in our North East and North West Training Centres.

Our North East Training Centre covers Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Peterlee, Gateshead, Northumberland, Darlington as well as North Yorkshire.

Our North West Training Centre in Wigan covers Bolton, Liverpool, Manchester, Salford, Warrington, Runcorn, St Helens, Skelmersdale, Birkenhead, Chester,Rochdale, Burnley, Blackburn, Preston,Blackpool, Oldham, Stockport as well as Cumbria, North Wales and West Yorkshire.

AMS training is audited by UKATA and we are approved to complete Asbestos Awareness Training by UKATA (The training certification you receive will be UKATA certification) , we are also members of IATP.

For more information on the campaign follow this link

To check for places contact us…

New article warns Asians about striking increase in asbestos-related deaths

stewart — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:47:39 +0000

Asia now accounts for 64 percent of asbestos use worldwide

An alarming new article in Respirology issues a serious warning of massive rises in deaths from asbestos-related lung diseases in Asia. Dr Ken Takahashi, Acting Director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Occupational Health, and his team put together important data on asbestos use in 47 Asian countries in this landmark article. Cyprus, Israel and Japan had the highest age-adjusted mortality rates in Asia. This study published in Respirology, a journal of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology, will serve as an important reference document for health authorities in Asian-Pacific.

Asian countries accounted for 64% of the global consumption of asbestos in the period of 2001-2007, a striking increase from 14% between 1920 and 1970. This is a result of unregulated asbestos import and use in many Asian countries.

“Despite concerns of the global ARD epidemic and Asia’s growing importance in the world, data on current asbestos use and asbestos related diseases in Asia remain limited,” said Dr. Ken Takahashi. This article extracted data from the WHO Mortality Database and published literature and will inform public health planning and regional health policies in Asian countries.

The WHO identifies asbestos as one of the most dangerous occupational carcinogens, declaring the need to eliminate asbestos use and associated health damages. An estimated 107,000 people worldwide die from asbestos related diseases. Asbestos is a mineral fiber commonly used for insulation in constructions. It is relatively affordable and makes it attractive in developing countries.

Asbestos related lung diseases, particularly mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis (asbestos induced lung fibrosis), typically develop after decades of lag time from first exposure. Up to 2007, Asian patients accounted for 13% of the cumulative global mortality from asbestos-related pleura-pulmonary diseases. Dr. Takahashi is concerned that “the sharp increase in asbestos use in Asia will see a surge of mortality and morbidity from asbestos related diseases in this region in the decades ahead.”

This article will serve as a stern warning for Asian governments who have yet to ban the use of asbestos. Healthcare providers in Asia must also begin to equip themselves the expertise and resources to manage this ‘Asian asbestos tsunami.’

Source: Wiley-Blackwell

Asbestos in Plaster

stewart — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:05:41 +0000

AMS are UKAS accredited to carry out analysis for asbestos in materials. We have a team of highly experienced 6 bulk analysts who ensure your analysis is delivered to you as soon as possible. from time to time our lab analysts come across unlikely samples, interesting materials and pequlier asbestos types. We would like to share those with you from time to time.

We were recently presented with a sample or some plaster from a stud wall in a domestic social housing property. Malcolm our senior lab analyst has kindly investigated and documented the following findings;

Grey micaceous plaster contained a large bundle of Chrysotile asbestos. This bundle was in the plaster and not derived from a covering of textured coating, which was negative for asbestos. From Literature, it is possible for mica to have asbestos as a contaminant, so the plaster has been made using this inclusion. The amount of asbestos contained in the plaster cannot be determined, it maybe a total one-off as no other fibres were found in any other samples from this site.

If you have any materials you are suspicious about please get in contact with us and we will be happy to come and investigate for you, contact us….

AMS team get some new threads!

stewart — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:12:11 +0000

The North East Team in their new threads

At AMS Asbestos Management Services we like to look good, we also like folk to see us when we are in the neighbourhood, so we have recently updated our uniform and have thrown out our old fusty fleeces and got some brand new ultra modern soft shell gear.

At AMS we feel it is important to make a good impression at all levels from the main clients to the tennants or site managers we work with on a daily basis.

If you would like to see one of our very well dressed surveyors or analysts in our shiny well equipped mobile asbestos testing laboratories on your sites don’t hesitate to give us a call.

Book a well dressed Surveyor……

Asbestos surveyors and analysts required North East

stewart — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:22:27 +0000

North East

Great time to join!

Due to expansion of AMS we are currently looking for Asbestos Surveyor/Analysts for our North East region. Candidates must have a proven history in the asbestos consultancy industry.

Qualifications & Experience for asbestos surveyors:
1. Minimum BOHS P402
2. Minimum2 years relevant experience
3. Full clean driving licence
4. Good IT skills required

Qualifications & Experience for asbestos analysts:
1. Minimum BOHS P403 and P404
2. Minimum2 years relevant experience
3. Full clean driving licence
4. Good IT skills required

The successful applicants will be expected to undertake:
1. Asbestos surveys and/or
2. Asbestos air monitoring
3. Client liaison and development

Please send your CV via recruitment@askams.co.uk

The Company:
AMS North East Ltd is an expanding team ofasbestos consultants and analysts based in North East and North West. We are now well established within the North of England and Scotland and, due to client demands for more services, we are looking to bring on board more like minded team members.

We have grown to our current sizemainly due to our culture of client focussed, highly professional and consultative service provision. Our team is just that and we work together to expand our business whether you are a technician, administration team member or a commercially focused person.