COMPREHENSIVE ASBESTOS SURVEYS

THE PURPOSE OF AN ASBESTOS SURVEY:

• To help manage asbestos at your premises
• To provide accurate information on the location, amount and condition of asbestos containing materials (ACMs)
• To assess the level of damage or deterioration in the ACMs and whether remedial action is required
• To use the survey information to prepare a record of the location of any asbestos, commonly called an asbestos register,* and an asbestos plan of the building(s)
• To help identify all the ACMs to be removed before refurbishment work or demolition

The Health and Safety Executive strongly recommends the use of UKAS accredited surveyors.

An accurate and comprehensive survey undertaken by an experienced and qualified surveyor is the foundation on which a safe and sound asbestos management infrastructure is built. Our UKAS accreditation and compliance with HSE Guidance HSG264 ensures that our team conducts all surveys in a highly professional and competent manner. The BOHS P402 qualification or equivalent is the minimum qualification requirement for each surveyor.

Asbestos surveys fall into the following categories:

MANAGEMENT SURVEYS

This is the standard survey that should be carried out for the continued management of asbestos in premises.

The purpose of the survey is to locate, as far as reasonably practicable, the presence and extent of any suspect ACMs in the building and assess their condition. The survey will primarily involve sampling and analysis to confirm the presence or absence of ACMs.

Management surveys often involve minor intrusive work and some disturbance which will vary between premises and what is reasonably practicable. The survey includes an assessment of the condition of the ACMs located and their ability to release fibres into the air if they are disturbed.

REFURBISHMENT/DEMOLITION SURVEYS

While management surveys cover routine and simple maintenance work, where more extensive maintenance, refurbishment or repair work is planned, a refurbishment survey will be required. Demoltion surveys are required for any demolition works taking place. These are intrusive surveys.

A refurbishment or demolition survey is used to locate, as far as is reasonably practicable, all ACMs in the areas where refurbishment works are planned or to the whole building in the case of demolition work. The survey is fully intrusive and involves destructive inspection if necessary to access all areas.

It is a requirement in CAR 2012 (Regulation 7) for all ACMs to be removed in accordance with asbestos legislation as far as reasonably practicable from any areas where they may be affected by the proposed works.

Once surveys are completed in accordance with HSG264 and samples analysed, a detailed register is produced which comprises of a full description of those areas inspected, recommendations on the findings, photographic data and site plans. The Asbestos Register can then be dispatched to the client in a variety of formats to suit their particular requirements.

Following receipt of the report, our technical team are always on hand to further advise and support the client.

Priority Risk Assessments

Regulation 4 Duty of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 requires the appointed Duty Holder to ensure that “the risk of anyone being exposed to asbestos containing materials is assessed”.
An asbestos survey report will identify the material risk score. This risk will identify the likelihood of the material releasing fibres should it be disturbed. Priority Risk Assessments relate to the material within its environmental surroundings. It takes into account further factors such as occupancy levels and maintenance activity in order to produce a risk figure.
These two scores combined produce a risk score that can be used by the Duty Holder to produce an effective management plan and to identify materials that require immediate action.
CWE can help facilitate the creation of the risk score in conjunction with the Duty Holder by producing a priority risk assessment alongside the material risk assessment within the survey report.

Asbestos Re-inspection Surveys

The purpose of an asbestos re-inspection survey is to make an assessment of any deterioration of previously identified asbestos and associated recommendations, to ensure that all asbestos containing materials comply with the Duty Holder’s responsibilities under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
The report forms a periodic asbestos review covering previously identified locations of asbestos containing materials. This is typically carried out on an annual basis to help the duty holder form an effective asbestos management plan and to ensure that the asbestos containing materials remain in a good condition and are not likely to be disturbed.