Since 2005, we have extended our portfolio of services into the complementary field of land remediation - backed as always by single-point responsibility and turnkey project contracting. This means that, in addition to our construction services and the asbestos removal and disposal services for which we have a national reputation, we can now offer a complete cycle of services centred on the clean up of contaminated areas and its transformation into land suitable for re-use.
Asbestos Decontamination and Removal.
Managing hazardous material is a serious responsibility – and in the light of the Control of Asbestos at Work 2006 regulations, the legal implications of ignoring the problem do not bear considering. Because asbestos is likely to be present in any building constructed or refurbished between 1950 and 1980. All employers and owners or tenants of commercial property need to be aware of their obligations and of what to do if and when the issue of asbestos decontamination and asbestos removal affects them.
Drawing on over 20 years of experience of asbestos decontamination and management in many different contexts and environments, Caswell Environmental Services Ltd can guide you through the current legal requirements and take care of any abatement work from investigative work to encapsulation, removal, decontamination and disposal.
We handle complex fast-track projects – often in security-sensitive environments - with speed, flexibility and acute attention to quality control and health and safety requirements. We work with clients to minimise disruption and achieve speedy completion through appropriately timed and scheduled work patterns. It is also company policy to establish offices at key sites for the duration of major projects.
With bases across England and Wales and over 200 staff, we offer full national coverage. We manage all aspects of the asbestos decontamination process using only our own exceptionally qualified and highly trained personnel, all of whom are directly employed rather than sub-contractors.
We are constantly updating the equipment we use to make the most of the latest technology and operate our own licensed Waste Transfer facility.
By trusting your requirements to us you will draw on a highly trained, knowledgeable and multi-disciplined team who are dedicated to achieving the best possible standards of safety and quality within a realistic budget.
Asbestos Decontamination | Asbestos Removal
Our experience covers all aspects of the brownfield remediation process, from initial site investigation through to the controlled transfer of contaminated waste at our own facilities, together with the demolition and clearing of land in which our construction and remdiation arms have long since specialised. From engineering solutions devised to tackle the challenges of specific sites to the physical groundwork necessary to transform a designated area, we provide a complete in-the-round service.
Using Caswell as your service provider will assure you of continuity between each stage of the remediation process, so avoiding costly delays as new contractors come on board. It will enable all the various phases to be planned and timetabled in an integrated rather than piecemeal way - and make your own management and budgeting of those phases simpler to handle and easier to control. We will also guide you through your legal obligations regarding decontamination and conversion of brownfield sites and ensure that they are met at all times - including dealing directly with the relevant regulatory bodies (including local councils) on your behalf.
All remediation programmes differ in size, scope and content. Because no single set of solutions will fit every scheme, we will work with you to tailor our services to the needs of your project and the demands of the site(s).
Our specific services include:
February 2010 saw the replacement of MDHS 100 Surveying, sampling and assessment of asbestos-containing materials with HSG 264.
There are now two types of asbestos surveys and our staff will advise on the type you need to meet your legal requirements and to establish a safe environment.
Management Surveys:
A management survey is the standard survey. Its purpose is to locate, as far as reasonably practicable, the presence and extent of any suspect ACMs in the building which could be damaged or disturbed during normal occupancy, including foreseeable maintenance and installation, and to assess their condition.
Management surveys will often involve minor intrusive work and some disturbance. The extent of intrusion will vary between premises and depend on what is reasonably practicable for individual properties, i.e. it will depend on factors such as the type of building, the nature of construction, accessibility etc. A management survey should include an assessment of the condition of the various ACMs and their ability to release fibres into the air if they are disturbed in some way. This material assessment will give a good initial guide to the priority for managing ACMs, as it will identify the materials, which will most readily release airborne fibres if they are disturbed.
The survey will usually involve sampling and analysis to confirm the presence or absence of ACMs. However a management survey can also involve presuming the presence or absence of asbestos. A management survey can be completed using a combination of sampling ACMs and presuming ACMs or, indeed, just presuming.Any materials presumed to contain asbestos must also have their condition
assessed (i.e. a material assessment).
Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys:
A refurbishment and demolition survey is needed before any refurbishment or demolition work is carried out. This type of survey is used to locate and describe, as far as reasonably practicable, all ACMs in the area where the refurbishment work will take place or in the whole building if demolition is planned. The survey will be fully intrusive and involve destructive inspection, as necessary, to gain access to all areas, including those that may be difficult to reach. A refurbishment and demolition survey may also be required in other circumstances, e.g. when more intrusive maintenance and repair work will be carried out or for plant removal or dismantling.
There is a specific requirement in CAR 2006 (regulation 7) for all ACMs to be removed as far as reasonably practicable before major refurbishment or final demolition. Removing ACMs is also appropriate in other smaller refurbishment situations, which involve structural or layout changes to buildings (e.g. removal of partitions, walls, units etc). Under CDM, the survey information should be used to help in the tendering process for removal of ACMs from the building before work starts. The survey report should be supplied by the client to designers and contractors who may be bidding for the work, so that the asbestos risks can be addressed. In this type of survey, where the asbestos is identified so that it can be removed (rather than to ‘manage’ it), the survey does not normally assess the condition of the asbestos, other than to indicate areas of damage or where additional asbestos debris may be present. However, where the asbestos removal may not take place for some time, the ACMs’ condition will need to be assessed and the materials managed.
Re-inspection Survey
As part of the on going management of asbestos containing materials (ACMs), continual monitoring post asbestos survey is required at regular intervals. Any ACM identified or suspected ACM will need to be inspected periodically to check that it has not deteriorated or sustained damaged. As a minimum, ACMs should be checked every six to twelve months.
Caswell has been short listed for two awards at one of the construction industry’s most prestigious awards nights – the Construction News Specialists Awards, to be held at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London on 7th May 2008.
The awards in question are for Specialist Contractor of the Year 2008 in both the Business Growth and Asbestos Removal Categories.
Now in their fourth year, the Specialists Awards are organised by top industry publication Construction News to acknowledge the critical role played by specialist contractors of all sizes and types in construction projects of all kinds. Making the short list is an achievement in itself and a recognition of both the commercial progress that Caswell has made and its burgeoning reputation and status within the industry during the past year.
As Lee Caswell, Marketing Director of The Caswell Group, comments, ‘the competition is serious and the judging criteria are always rigorous. However, we have now proved ourselves to be real innovators within the construction industry and we will have all our fingers crossed for May’.
Caswell Environmental Services Ltd has played an important part in facilitating the expansion of a major retailer, which has been acquiring and refurbishing premises in many of Britain’s key retail localities since the late 1990s. They have now consolidated its status as one of the UK’s major high street retailers with the purchase of 120 stores, 40 of which are currently undergoing conversion.
Caswell’s association with the retailer began with projects at premises in Newport, Sunderland, Hemel Hempstead and Boscombe. Caswell have been contracted to provide asbestos abatement and strip out services as part of the refurbishment stores at locations including Croydon, Maidstone, Swindon, Swansea, Doncaster and Hanley. The total value of the contracts is in excess of £4m, ranging from £350,000 to £600,000 in value at any one time.
Caswell’s involvement with scheme resulted from the company’s past experience with the client and from a successful competitive tender, consequent to which the company was able to negotiate participation in further store refurbishment schemes.
Although the work has varied from premises to premises – enabling Caswell teams to demonstrate their adaptability, flexibility and problem-solving ability – common features of each of the projects have included excavation of contaminants and removal of asbestos from ceilings, pipe work, ductwork, diesel tanks and boilers; soft stripping the original premises back to shell (sometimes requiring the opening up floors and removing waste via boxed chutes) and the removal of lifts, escalators and partitions as necessary.
The Caswell Group’s portfolio includes the conversion of former church buildings at 45 Kenton Road, London E9, into five discrete dwellings – a house and four flats – at a contract value of £500,000. The client was the Hackney-based St. John, Hackney, Joint Estates Charity, whose presence in the local area dates back to 1898.
Acting on behalf of the same client, the company has also completed a £860,000 refurbishment of six flats, including the installation of a new floor.
Consultation and discussion documents are issued by the Health and Safety Executive and other government agencies to gain the opinion of stakeholders on proposals for new policy or legislation, or for amendments to current legislation and Approved Codes of Practice. For all current and closed HSE/HSC consultative documents, see the HSE's web page at www.hse.gov.uk/consult/index.htm.
Leading asbestos removal contractor, Caswell Group today they announced their support for the Daily Mirror's ‘asbestos timebomb' campaign and warned UK schools not to leave it too late to plan this summer's asbestos removal works.
The Caswell Group are reminding local authorities and schools that now is the time to plan out all asbestos removal works for the summer break. It comes at a time when campaigners and experts are estimating that 90% of UK schools contain asbestos. According to the Daily Mirror, between 1980 and 2005, 178 teachers died from mesothelioma, the lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos dust - and worryingly the number is rising.
Lee Caswell, Marketing Director explains:
"We know this a daunting subject for Headteachers and we are here to help. We have a proven track record and considerable experience in removing asbestos from UK schools. We work closely with our clients and tailor each solution precisely to their needs".
He went on to say:
"We provide a high quality, cost effective and efficient service. Any school who would like us to undertake a free (no-obligation) Audit/Review of their existing Asbestos Register should call our hotline on 01438 312 504".
The Caswell group specialise in Local Authority work and particular experience in asbestos removal projects in UK Schools. They have recently worked on the following schools projects: Penrhys Infant & Community Centre in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Charter School, Dulwich, Hertfordshire County Council (County -wide schools emergency response), Caswell Group are also involved in a number of Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme's with Bouygues UK, which involve the demolition and refurbishment of schools across UK local authorities including St Paul's Way Community School, London Borough of Tower Hamlets and Bethnal Green Technology College.
The Caswell client-base boasts a number of high profile establishments from government bodies to private sector SME's. Recent contracts include: £5,000,000 asbestos removal project at Lots Road Power Station, Chelsea; £1,100,000 asbestos removal project at West Burton Power Station for National Grid;£3,600,000 remediation project at Former Gas Works; £3,200,000 asbestos removal project at Savoy Hotel for Fairmont Hotels.
Leading asbestos removal contractor, Caswell Group are proud to announce they have been shortlisted for the SME Contractor category at the CJ Awards (Hard Hat Awards).
The SME Contractor of the year category it is open to general contractors that have fewer than 250 staff and a turnover of less than £50m in 2008. Evidence of successful business performance and particular examples of management skills during 2008 will be judged at this year's awards. The Awards Ceremony will take place at The Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on 24th September.
Lee Caswell, Marketing Director said: "To have the Caswell Group shortlisted for such a prestigious award is testament to the stringent quality procedures and high calibre team working that underpins the entire company."
Caswell Group provides asbestos removal services, asbestos disposal, soft strip demolition and asbestos surveys and has a dynamic management structure and a highly trained workforce, many of whom have been with the company since its launch in the early 1980s. They are full members of ARCA, ACAD, Safe Contractor, Verify, Link-Up, UVDB, SAAS, CHAS and Sinclair. The Caswell Group is ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 140001 accredited and is a Department of the Environment's ConstructionLine-listed contractor approved for single projects up to the value of £2.5M. The Caswell Group also supply in-situ asbestos encapsulation treatments, complementary reinstatement works, specialist laboratory decontamination and chemical disposal, land remediation, refurbishment and new build services.
Full information can be found at http://www.caswell-group.co.uk/ and at Construction Industry Awards 09.
LIFESAVERS in Port Talbot are making waves again after being hit by the devastating fire at the Afan Lido. Aberavon Surf Lifesaving Club used the leisure complex as its base and stored all its kit and equipment there. But during December's blaze, which caused so much damage the Lido will have to be demolished and rebuilt, the equipment became contaminated by asbestos and heavy smoke. Now the club has had everything returned in full working order thanks to Neath Port Talbot Council and the Caswell Group, which specialises in asbestos removal and was employed by the authority to seal the building. Company area manager Steve Hughes said: "It would have been awful to see the club lose everything. "We are decontamination specialists and we have an excellent working relationship with Neath Port Talbot Council, so when we heard about the fire, it made sense for us to step in and help." With support from group owner Carl Caswell, the 26 canoes, lifesaving dummies and swimming certificates were cleaned and decontaminated. They were tested and certified by another local firm, REC Ltd, before being returned. Club chairman Harry Worth said: "On behalf of all the club members I would like to thank both the council and Caswell Group for recovering the equipment. All the young people are delighted to have the canoes returned. "They can now continue to perform their lifesaving and water safety activities on Aberavon Beach." Neath Port Talbot Council leader Ali Thomas said: "This equipment is vital for the club to be able to carry out their important lifesaving duties at the beach and that it needed to be recovered at the earliest opportunity. "I'm delighted I was able to facilitate a successful solution and special thanks must go to the Caswell Group who stepped in to help voluntarily.
"Because of them the club can now carry on their valuable contribution to the community."
http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/news/Crew-gets-gear-blaze/article-2466261-detail/article.html<@>South Wales Evening Post <@>
A time capsule dating back to the 19th century has been unearthed at the site of Bingley Hospital.
It was discovered by a specialist company employed to get rid of asbestos from the premises so that the disused building, in Fernbank Drive, Bingley, can be demolished safely.
The capsule from 1889 contains some coins, a copy of the Bingley Herald, a sister title of the Telegraph & Argus, and a document containing the names of people who invested money in the building of the hospital.
It was found buried in the cavity walls of the hospital by the project manager for the Caswell Group.
The company specialises in asbestos decontamination and removal of asbestos and has just started work on the site. It is the second time capsule to be unearthed at the site. The first also contained coins, accounts and a the Keighley News from Saturday, July 22, 1911.
The second capsule will be given to the St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Crow Nest Road, so pupils can use of it in their studies.
John Exton, sales manager at the Caswell Group, said: “It’s very rare for us to come across time capsules. The contents are really interesting and even more so for people who live in the area and remember when the hospital was in use.”
Mike Dyson, estates manager for NHS Bradford and Airedale, said: “We were really surprised to hear about the discovery of a time capsule, especially as this is the second to be found at the site. The first was discovered while moving a memorial stone to the new Canalside Health Centre in December, 2009.”
Bingley Hospital is owned by NHS Bradford and Airedale. The plan is to demolish the hospital and sell the site, once the asbestos has been dealt with and some bats that have been found at the premises have been moved.
www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/8899626.Bingley_Hospital___s_time_capsule_secrets_of_1889_revealed/<@>A time capsule dating back to the 19th century has been unearthed by Caswell Group <@>
The Aberavon Surf Lifesaving Club has had their canoes returned thanks to Neath Port Talbot Council and the Caswell Group.
The club used the Afan Lido as their base and stored all their club kit and life saving equipment in the leisure complex.
Following the fire in December, the equipment became contaminated by asbestos and heavy smoke.
The Caswell Group, who are specialists in the field of asbestos removal, were employed by the Council to seal the building.
Area Manager, Steve Hughes, said, “It would have been awful to see the club lose everything. We are decontamination specialists and we have an excellent working relationship with Neath Port Talbot Council, so when we heard about the fire, it made sense for us to step in and help.
“With support from group owner Carl Caswell, we then cleaned and decontaminated the items. They were tested and certified by another local company REC Ltd before returning the 26 canoes, life saving dummies and swimming certificates to the club.”
Leader of Council, Ali Thomas, added, “This equipment is vital for the club to be able to carry out their important lifesaving duties at the beach and that it needed to be recovered at the earliest opportunity.
“I’m delighted that I was able to facilitate a successful solution and special thanks must go to the Caswell Group who stepped in to help voluntarily.
“Because of them the club can now carry on their valuable contribution to the community.”
Chairman of the Aberavon Surf Lifesaving Club, Harry Worth, added, “On behalf of all the club members I would like to thank both the Council and Caswell Group for recovering the equipment. All the young people are delighted to have the canoes returned.
“They can now continue to perform their lifesaving and water safety activities on Aberavon Beach.”
Your Questions Answered…
This information section of our site is designed to answer any general questions you may have about asbestos, its dangers and what is involved in removing it. If you have a question which is not covered here, please e-mail us using the contact form provided.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a mineral which has been mined over the years because of its heat-resistant properties and high tensile strength. There are three principal types of asbestos - chrysotile or white asbestos (the most commonly used type), crocidolite or blue asbestos (often used in sprayed form as insulation), and amosite or brown asbestos (often used in pipe lagging). Crocidolite is generally regarded as the most dangerous of the three. Asbestos is a flexible and durable fibre which can be incorporated into fabrics and different building materials. In some ways, its versatility and cheapness proved its downfall as a material used in construction: it came to be used in applications where its properties were not strictly needed. When its dangers began to be understood, it had already been widely applied.
Why is asbestos so dangerous?
Asbestos was widely used as a heat-resistant building material and an electrical insulator from the 1950s onwards but its dangers were not fully appreciated until the mid-1970s, when asbestosis became recognised as a medical condition. The dust particles in asbestos - which are made up of needle-like crystals - work their way across the lung tissue and may pierce the lung to scrape against the chest wall, causing inflammation of the outer lung lining and inside of the lung. Asbestosis can result from minor exposure, for example stripping of old pipe lagging, going back some years. Additionally, exposure to asbestos dust increases greatly the chances of developing lung cancer. Increasing acknowledgment of the dangers of asbestos led to severe curbing of its use in construction and refurbishment from the 1980s onwards, and latterly to strict controls on its removal and disposal. Currently around 1.5 million commercial buildings in the UK are believed to contain asbestos materials, quite apart from public buildings such as hospitals or schools.
What materials or appliances are likely to contain asbestos?
This is not an exhaustive list, but these are among the most common sprayed insulation; bitumen felts; mastics & sealants; reinforced plastics; ropes, cloth & yarn; : cement products; floor tiles; textured coatings; paper; insulation boards; pipe & boiler lagging. Older domestic appliances such as washing machines, cookers and hair dryers may also contain asbestos, together with fire blankets and ironing boards.
What are the legal obligations on me as a building owner regarding asbestos?
Removing asbestos from all buildings is impractical and unnecessary, and the legislation recognises this. Instead, there is an obligation on the owner or landlord to survey the buildings for which he has responsibility. The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 (CAW 2002) gives specific guidance on who the duty holder is for buildings and how asbestos should be managed. A major priority of the legislation is to prevent the potential accidental contamination of maintenance workers through lack of information. Briefly, the duty holder needs to find out if, where and in what quantities and condition asbestos materials are present within the building. A written plan must then be prepared detailing how the asbestos materials will be managed, which should be implemented, reviewed and updated on a regular basis. All those that need to know - employees, contractors and emergency services - should be informed of the plan. Caswell Environmental Services can help guide you through your obligations and recommend cost-effective action to ensure that you stay within the law and maintain a safe site.
What should we do if we suspect asbestos has been used in premises we wish to modify or demolish?
The first step is to request a full survey from a qualified specialist such as Caswell Environmental Services. We can advise you on all aspects of the process. The regulatory authorities recognise three types of surveys. A Presumptive Survey involves registering and monitoring the location of asbestos materials within a building but no sampling. A Standard Sampling samples and identifies materials through analysis and is the recognised first step in developing an asbestos management plan. A Pre-Demolition or Major Refurbishment Survey is a full access survey of all materials within the building. This must be undertaken prior to destructive work to prevent the uncontrolled spread of asbestos materials. MDHS 100, which is published by the Health & Safety Executive, describes the types of survey that can be undertaken.
What is involved in asbestos removal?
Asbestos removal is necessarily one of the most highly legislated services in the UK and an extremely specialised and skilled occupation. Asbestos removal should be carried out only by companies which are licensed and fully qualified to do so. There are penalties if you, as a building owner or landlord, fail to appoint an organisation with the compulsory credentials.
Click on the icon below to download a pdf detailing The Caswell Group’s approach to partnership working.
subcontractor_questionnaire_cdm_2007.pdf<@>Sub-contractor PQQ<@>
Stevenage - Asbestos Operatives, South East, £Excelllent Package
We are currently recruiting suitably qualified and experienced Asbestos Removal Operatives. We are happy to receive applications and cv's by email.
Please forward to your C.V to a.hughes@caswell-group.co.uk
Stevenage - Asbestos Supervisors, South East, £Excelllent Package
We are currently recruiting suitably qualified and experienced Asbestos Removal Supervisors. We are happy to receive applications and cv's by email.
Please forward to your C.V to a.hughes@caswell-group.co.uk
Asbestos Surveyors
We are currently recruiting qualified surveyors (P402 minimum) in the Hertfordshire area. Full driving licence essential. We are happy to receive applications and CV's by e-mail.
Please forward your CV to p.caswell@caswell-group.co.uk
contact text
Please complete the form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you.
The Caswell Group is one of the UK's leading providers of asbestos removal, decontamination, remediation and construction services. For over two decades, ours has been a name trusted by local authorities, hospital trusts, major construction companies, Government bodies and high-profile commercial organisations. The company’s knowledge and experience of asbestos abatement and the regulatory framework that governs it is simply second to none.
Providing the core of our services is a highly trained, knowledgeable and multi-disciplined team working from three UK offices. We bring to all projects not only technical excellence and unrivalled experience of our field but real problem-solving ability, strong client liaison and first-class project management skills backed by an emergency call out service available 24 hours a day.
The Caswell Group have executed contracts with many public and private sector clients including the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), National Grid Electricity Transmission plc, BAE Systems, Pfizer, Jarvis Hotels, Queens Moat Hotels, GE Healthcare, British Telecom, Petroplus, the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency (DSDA), British Petroleum and English Partnerships.
The company has extensive experience in providing asbestos decontamination and removal for Local Authorities notably Vale Housing, Paradigm Housing Association, North Hertfordshire Homes, Neath and Port Talbot County Borough Council, Swindon Council and Pembroke County Council, together with traditional asbestos removal projects for many retail organisations including Primark, Arcadia Group, Goldsmiths, MVC, Carphone Warehouse, Oasis, Thresher, Victoria Wine and the Woolworths Group plc.
The regularity with which the company has been awarded such contracts underlines our ability to consistently deliver a specialised service to the highest standard, to time and within budget, and meeting all health and safety requirements.
Click here to download brochures for Remediation Services. To request our latest company profile for both Asbestos Removal and Construction Services please email your request to
c.richardson@caswell-group.co.uk
remediation_brochure_may_11.pdf<@>Remediation Brochure<@>
surveying_brochure.pdf<@>Surveying Brochure<@>
Click here to download our Certification and Insurance details. Requests for current certfication should be requested by email to c.richardson@caswell-group.co.uk
company_profile_feb_10_13.pdf<@>Asbestos License<@>
company_profile_august_11_22.pdf<@>Chas Certificate<@>
company_profile_may_11_16.pdf<@>ARCA Certificate <@>
company_profile_august_11_17.pdf<@>Arca Site Audit Accreditation Certificate<@>
5_acad_12.12.pdf<@>ACAD Certficate <@>
company_profile_august_11_20.pdf<@>ConstructionLine Registration Certificate<@>
company_profile_october_11_11.pdf<@>Insurance Details<@>
company_profile_may_11_27.pdf<@>Exor Certificate<@>
company_profile_may_11_28.pdf<@>Exor H&S Certificate<@>
company_profile_may_11_29.pdf<@>ISO 14001 Certificate<@>
company_profile_may_11_30.pdf<@>ISO 9001 Certificate<@>
company_profile_october_11_20.pdf<@>Link Up Proof Audit<@>
company_profile_april_10_26.pdf<@>Safe Contractor Certificate<@>
company_profile_august_11_18.pdf<@>UVDB Certificate<@>
company_profile_october_10_14.pdf<@>Waste Carriers Certificates<@>
asbestos_bch_certificates_6.pdf<@>Waste Management License<@>
Click here to download a pdf with details of The Caswell Group’s published policies regarding Health & Safety and customer service
health_and_safety_policy_statement_2011_page_1.pdf<@>Health & Safety Policy Statement <@>
environmental_policy_statement___2011.pdf<@>Environmental Policy<@>
quality_policy_2011.pdf<@>Quality Policy<@>