HSE ASB5 Notification Statistics in the UK during Covid-19

The Coronavirus global pandemic has had, and continues to have, a huge impact on us all. With lockdown easing, hopefully permanently, ACAD shares some insights into the ASB5 numbers during this time.

Locking Down…

During early March, the news regularly reported on coronavirus and its relentless spread across the globe. We pick up the stats during the third week of March when the Licensed Asbestos Industry had submitted 885 notifications, which is around 10% higher compared with the same time period in 2019. Towards the end of this week Prime Minister Johnson delivered his address to the nation announcing lockdown which triggered a rapid decline in notifications. The final week of March saw a huge 30% reduction from the preceding week with numbers reduced to 82% of the corresponding 2019 figure.

The decline continued through the first week of April to 508, 72% of the 2019 figure of 702. This represented a further contraction for notification numbers from the preceding week by 18%.

Again, this continued during the second week of April with just 405 notifications compared with 775 in 2019. That is a huge 48% reduction in notifications, virtually halving the industry and a further 20% reduction in notifications from the preceding week

Bottoming out of the Curve

Numbers continued to reduce until they hit the bottom of the curve between the first and second weeks of May. In terms of number of notifications, the second week of May saw just 226 ASB5 notifications, 53% lower than 2019 and 74% down from the heights of the week before lockdown. But as a contrast with the corresponding numbers from 2019, the first week of May showed the greatest reduction at 64% reducing from 668 to 241 ASB5’s.

From there it looks like we have started to climb back up…

Restarting the Asbestos Industry

The third week of May saw an increase. Not huge in terms of numbers but huge in terms of significance with numbers increasing by over 24% from the preceding week. The 4th week of May has seen numbers continue to increase to 332 which is an improvement from the previous week of a further 18%.

We are still a long way below the 2019 comparisons, but these consecutive increases hopefully indicate we’re climbing back out and getting on the road to recovery.

The Future of the Asbestos Industry

ACAD is eager to understand the current status of the Asbestos Industry and will be publishing a brief survey for completion during the first week of June that will feed in to the wider UK construction survey produced by Build UK and hopefully confirm the positive figures we’re seeing from the HSE are continuing.

TICA ACAD is also hosting a webinar Contracts Webinar from 10am until 1130am on Wednesday 24th June. Topics include what to avoid, what to question and how to approach your clients on the thorny topic of modification… This event is for members and by registration only. To receive your link please register your interest via [email protected]

It’s abundantly clear every industry will need to increase efficiency and utilise the new technologies that have been thrust into our everyday usage.

TICA ACAD will continue to provide leadership to support our membership and wider industries throughout these difficult times.