Asbestos management and surveying FAQs

A buildings surveyor has done a survey of a property I am going to purchase and it mentions that I need to seek specialist advice. Why and what is this?

Most general buildings surveyors are not qualified or insured to make comment on asbestos in properties. However they may have seen some suspect material. Lucion can perform an asbestos survey of the property for you so you know precisely what asbestos it contains, where it is and what risk it may pose.

Am I right in thinking that the white asbestos is not so bad?

No, all of the regulated forms of asbestos fibre are dangerous. White asbestos is however present in a great number of products where the fibres are well bound within the matrix of the material, so if left undisturbed are less likely to present a hazard. Whenever you work with any form of asbestos material you should take appropriate precautions to protect your self.

Does artex / textured coating contain asbestos?

It can do. If you plan to do any work on a ceiling / wall skimmed with artex you should get the material tested first. If the material does contain asbestos, it is unlikely that the material presents a high risk. If the material is to be removed you will need to take adequate precautions and dispose of the waste as asbestos waste.

I am the duty holder of a large estate of buildings. Is there a clean way of presenting all the data?

For such large property portfolios, there are numerous software packages available on the market. Some are designed purely to house asbestos related data whilst others are multifunctional allowing you record all manor of facilities data in one place. These products are design to be easily edited by the user and often allow for additional data to be stored, including management information and material removal records. Some of these products are now web based allowing you to access your data from any location, even hand held units.

I have a few asbestos boards in my garage, can I take them to the tip?

This work is governed by the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006. Whatever you do, you will need to comply with the law. Firstly you need to find out if the boards are asbestos as they may not be. A test will also tell you if you are dealing with a cement product or an insulation board product. If you have insulation board you should leave it and engage a licensed removal contractor to remove the material. If it is a cement product, you can having taken the necessary precautions to protect yourself and others, remove the material yourself and take it to a local tip that has the facility to receive asbestos materials.

I have been made aware of the 3 types of asbestos. White, Brown and Blue. Presumably, only the dangerous blue asbestos needs removing?

There are 3 main types of asbestos. White (Chrysotile), Brown (Amosite) and Blue (Crocidolite). Whilst it is commonly understood that White asbestos doesn't present any danger, this statement needs to be treated with caution. As an industry common place, but by no means definitive, white asbestos fibres are usually contained within the matrix of the parent material. Therefore, this material type poses less immediate risk but should not in its raw form be treated any less of a risk.

I supply labour to building companies who offer any trade skill service to the construction industry. Most of these operatives are plumbers, electricians or joiners. Should they be made aware of the presence of asbestos before working on a site?

It is recommended that all trades personnel are to under go basic asbestos awareness training as part of their records. This training is designed to cover the basics of asbestos materials, common uses and their most frequently found locations. All trades people should ask to view the asbestos register on any site before commencing work to prevent exposure to themselves and those around them.

I was in a building and noticed an asbestos "a" warning sticker on the ceiling. Should I be concerned?

No the warning sticker has been put there to warn work men from disturbing the material. If you are in the room for normal occupation and not touching the ceiling you should not be concerned.

If a survey identifies asbestos containing materials within my property portfolio, I am concerned that it will cause considerable further costs in removals. Do I have to remove all asbestos materials?

Asbestos needs to be managed, this doesn’t necessarily mean that all materials need to be removed. A detailed management plan will prioritise by risk level.

My factory runs 24 hours a day and a recent survey has identified the presence of asbestos within the factory. I am concerned that factory production output will cease during removal works. What can I do to minimise my losses?

Many modern methods of removal can cater for such issues and the method statement can be designed specifically around your requirements in order to allow for manufacturing to continue with minimal disruption. Asbestos removal and remediation can take place safely whilst your employees carry on their duties.

My licensed asbestos removal contractor usually commissions his analyst to issue the certificate of reoccupation following removal, is this legal?

The HSE recommend the analyst be appointed independently to ensure that there is no perceived or real conflict of interest. On a more practical level it is the analyst who ensures the completed quality of the job and wouldn't you rather appoint that person yourself directly rather than rely on the decision of the removal contractor who may well be guided by price.

I already have an existing asbestos survey for my buildings from several years ago. Will this be sufficient to base my asbestos management plan on?

It may well be. However, HSG264 Asbestos: The survey guide, the recognised and approved method for carrying out surveys, has evolved and now includes many materials not historically normally sampled and tested for asbestos. Correspondingly there may be additional costs associated with managing materials as in the manner you would for asbestos containing materials, as they may not have been proved not to contain asbestos by sampling and subsequent testing. Lucion will be happy to advise you further after looking at your survey information. Call or email to arrange a consultation. If work has been carried out upon asbestos containing materials within your building, your original asbestos survey report will require amendment.

I am a builder working on a client's site and want to remove an asbestos cement roof. Can I do this myself or should I call in a licensed removal contractor?

Firstly, are you sure the roof contains asbestos? Many fibrous cement products are now in use, many of which resemble asbestos cement. If there is some doubt as to whether the material contains asbestos, Lucion are able to test it for you and prove whether the material contains asbestos or not.

Secondly, provided the total work does take more than two hours to carry out and certain control or exposure levels are not exceeded you can do this work yourself. It is best to consult with the HSE and seek their approval for the works. Their infoline number is 08701 545500 or e-mail hseinformationservices@natbrit.com.

I am a tenant in a commercial property and understand that it may be my responsibility as the tenant to have an asbestos management plan. Is this indeed the case?

Yes. You have a duty under regulation 4 of The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 to manage asbestos containing materials within the workplace. This may require you and your landlord reaching an agreement as to who prepares the various parts of the plan. Lucion can provide you with an asbestos survey of the building and assist in the formation of a subsequent management plan. With our assistance the process towards compliance with this legislative can be simple, and cost effective.

I am buying a private house and my homebuyers survey gives mention of possible asbestos in the property and suggests I engage the services of a professional to have it examined. What should I do next?

Lucion are those professionals. We can either sample and test the material in question for the presence of asbestos or carry out a definite asbestos survey on the property depending on its type and age. Although there may be asbestos present it may be perfectly safe to leave it in place provided you are aware of it and take simple steps to manage it. We can make an assessment of the action required (if any) and our high level of service will ensure that the process of purchasing the property is not delayed.

I have worked on asbestos containing materials for most of my younger working life - my view is that the damage is done. Why would I need to go to the hassle and expense of having a suspect material tested, as it will only be myself who is exposed?

Four points answer this question. Firstly, you have a legal duty under both the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and the Control of Asbestos Regulations (2006) to determine and minimise any potential exposure to asbestos and as such have any suspect materials tested. Secondly, you may not be concerned for you own health but think of that of those around you - asbestos fibres are only hazardous when released into the atmosphere. Thirdly, the risk presented from exposure to asbestos is cumulative - the more you expose yourself (and those around you), the greater the risk of those exposed suffering the consequences of asbestos related disease. Fourthly, Lucion's asbestos testing service is rapid, cost effective and we can even take and collect the sample from you on site.