Asbestos is often present in any structures built before 2000, so owners and managers of commercial and domestic buildings have responsibility for ensuring any Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) in the building are controlled or removed. There are two main kinds of survey that ensure this.
Asbestos Management Surveys
If you are responsible for a non-domestic property such as an office, shop or industrial property that, then you are required to have an asbestos management survey in place at all times.
The survey will locate any ACMs in the building, assess their condition, and recommend what steps need to be taken to ensure the safety of everyone in the building.
If asbestos is found, it doesn’t necessarily have to be removed, but it does need to be monitored and it’s location recorded so nobody will accidently disturb it.
An asbestos management survey usually has to be renewed annually, but it may be more often in cases where the asbestos is deteriorating.
Demolition and Refurbishment Surveys
Any non-domestic property built before 2000 that is having demolition or refurbishment work performed requires a demolition and refurbishment survey to ensure that any asbestos found is dealt with according to the Health & Safety Executive procedures.
Asbestos is commonly disturbed during refurbishment and demolition works, so a survey ensures any asbestos in the building can be located and marked.
Before any work can begin, the survey has to be completed, and the area must be vacated and then declared “fit for reoccupation”.
The survey will locate any ACMs in the building, to ensure the right contractor can carry out the work, and the people carrying out the demolition or refurbishment won’t be harmed.
At ICE Asbestos we are licensed to perform both Management surveys as well as Demolition & Refurbishment Surveys. We work all over the UK, and have offices in Birmingham, Darlington, London, Leeds, Nottingham and Norwich.