Key facts:  asbestos surveys and asbestos management plans  

(Adapted from A comprehensive guide to managing asbestos in premises, HSG227, 2002)

 

• Regulation 4 of The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 is a duty to manage asbestos, not a duty to survey to have an asbestos survey.

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• If you don't manage asbestos-containing materials in your premises, you could be risking the health of your employees, contractors and other visitors.​​

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• An asbestos survey is not always necessary, but asbestos-containing materials must be managed.

 

• An inaccurate or incomplete asbestos survey is worse than not carrying out an asbestos survey.

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• Managing asbestos-containing materials means maintaining them in good condition to protect those who may be exposed:

  • during normal occupancy of the building from damaged and deteriorated asbestos-containing materials, and

  • during maintenance and building activity (eg electricians, plumbers, etc).

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• Exposure to asbestos occurs when materials that contain asbestos are disturbed, releasing asbestos fibres that become airborne and are breathed in.

 

• An Asbestos Management Plan:

  • is a way of ensuring that employees and others do not disturb any asbestos-containing materials;

  • can take many forms and need not be complex, but it does need to be effective.

 

• Asbestos-containing materials in good condition should be left in place and managed.

 

• Damaged or deteriorated asbestos-containing materials should be repaired or removed, or isolated until remedial action can be taken.

 

• Some work with asbestos requires a licence, but some minor works may be carried out if the correct precautions are taken.

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