Abbey National PLC
The Company
Abbey is the 6th largest bank in the UK, in addition to one of the biggest mortgage and savings providers. Since 2004, Abbey has been part of the Santander Group. Abbey has 700 branches, 40 regional sites and five main offices across the UK making the maintenance of the properties a significant concern.
The Challenge
With a large portfolio of property, of a wide range of age and condition, maintenance and the avoidance of risk is an ongoing exercise for Abbey.
To reassure staff and to manage any risk to customers, Abbey commissioned a series of surveys to check for Asbestos Containing Materials.
In addition to the rolling programme of asbestos surveys, Abbey's consultants, E C Harris, required the survey of a number of properties prior to alternations and refurbishments.
Our Solution
Life Environmental were instructed to conduct ongoing and specific asbestos surveys.
The large-scale roll out of co-ordinated surveys and the resulting reports were charged to our capable skills and facilities to process the results and present them in the required standard. In addition, make them accessible to key personnel across the organisation. Exceptional project management has been essential in delivering this project successfully. For two branches, Chester-le-Street and Derby, we allocated dedicated Project Managers to carry out the recommendations of the reports.
Reports have been presented using ENVACS database systems. These reports became the basis for future asbestos management procedures and formed part of Abbey's register in compliance with The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. All details of asbestos activities are held on the database in the Life Environmental offices. Any information required by Abbey or their authorised contractors is available and accessible.
To date, we are very proud that over 775 Abbey locations have been surveyed for the presence of Asbestos Containing Materials by Life Environmental. Since the initial rolling programme of asbestos surveys and the change of ownership, we have been very involved with further branch and property surveys, survey re-visits and project management.
The Results
- Risk mitigation; high quality assessment of asbestos enables proactive risk management
- Efficiency; surveys completed in a controlled and co-ordinated roll-out
- Cost effective; resources controlled by skilled project management
- Added-value; best practice framework of asbestos register successful implemented
