Asbestos Management Surveys, Refurbishment/ Demolition Surveys
There are 2 types of Asbestos survey. These are the asbestos Management survey & the asbestos Refurbishment/ Demolition survey. These are detailed below and outlined in the HSE publication “Asbestos: The survey guide”.
Surveys can be carried out in conjunction with one-another i.e. Works to upgrade Kitchen and/or Bathrooms in a tenanted property, could require Refurbishment surveys to the Kitchen and Bathroom areas, Management surveys to all other areas.
Management Survey
This is the standard survey which is used to identify ACM’s in areas where day-to-day work activities take place e.g. where office workers/ shop workers & caretakers/ maintenance personnel work.
The survey will also include an assessment of the risk ACM’s will pose to workers or occupiers. It may involve minor intrusive works during sampling operation.
Areas inspected should include underfloor coverings, above false ceilings, ceiling voids, lofts, inside risers, service ducts and lift shafts, basements, cellars, underground rooms, undercrofts etc. This list is not exhaustive.
The purpose of this survey is to identify any ACM’s currently present in your building(s) and assess whether they require any repairs or remedial works. Furthermore, it is used to plan how to manage the ACM’s that remain.
Managing your asbestos is not just carrying out a Management survey. If Refurbishment or Demolition works are planned, the following types of survey are required in addition to Management surveys.
You need to do all that you reasonably can to identify asbestos materials within your building(s).
Refurbishment/ Demolition Survey
An Refurbishment/ 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 ACM’s in the area where refurbishment works will take place or in the whole building if demolition is planned.
The survey will be fully intrusive and involve controlled, destructive inspection to gain access to all areas, including those that may be difficult to reach. This survey should access all areas that have not been surveyed as part of a Management survey e.g. wall cavities, inside boxings and voids, between floors, ducting etc.
A Refurbishment/ Demolition survey may also be required in other circumstances, e.g. when more intrusive maintenance work and repair work will be carried out or for plant remove or dismantling.
Asbestos Refurbishment/ Demolition surveys must be carried out prior to refurbishment or demolition.
More information
Why do I need an Asbestos Survey?
When is an Asbestos Survey required and who is responsible for it’s request? Click here to learn more
