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A guide to managing asbestos

Your duty to manage

Under Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 the duty-holder, building owner or employer is responsible for protecting others who work in such premises, or use them in other ways, from the risks to ill health that exposure to asbestos causes.

If your property was built before 2000, your building could contain asbestos but to be sure you need to carry out a survey.

1. Management survey

This survey aims to identify the location and asbestos type within your building(s) that could be disturbed during normal occupancy or routine maintenance tasks. The report produced from the survey will outline which materials contain asbestos. This list then forms your asbestos register.

2. Management Plan

The items on your asbestos register need to be managed.  A management plan document must be created to outline responsibilities. 

It should include:

• who is responsible for managing asbestos;
• the asbestos register you have just made;
• plans for work on asbestos materials;
• the schedule for monitoring the materials' condition
• emergency procedures in case of accidental disturbance
• Procedures for providing information to staff/contractors (as part of risk assessments); and
• telling people about your decisions.

The plan must say who is responsible for what. It can be written or held as a computer-based record. Make it easy to read and easy to find when you, or anyone else, needs it. It must be easy to update. 

Your management plan should be kept up to date and must be reviewed at least once a year.

3. Re-inspections surveys

As part of your management plan, your asbestos should be re-inspected and the condition monitored yearly. These surveys will be used to update your asbestos register and plan.  As part of the effective management you are required to action any recommendations within the survey/re-inspection reports in a timely manner.

 

4. Communication is key!

With your asbestos management plan in place, you need to tell people about your findings and decisions.

• Tell your employees.
• Train your maintenance workers to ask about asbestos for every job.
• Make sure everyone knows how to report problems so you can remedy defects.

You could stick labels on anything that contains or might contain asbestos if it is located where people are likely to disturb or damage it. Get these from safety sign companies.

Warn anyone who is going to work on the fabric of your building, e.g.

• construction: builders, roofers, painters and decorators, joiners, plasterers
• installation: plumbers, gas fitters, electricians, alarm and data-wire installers
• maintenance: engineers, and demolition contractors, surveyors
  
  

5. Building or refurbishment works 

If you intend to carry out future building renovations then a refurbishment and demolition survey must be carried out before works takes place.  

This more intrusive and destructive survey aims to locate and identify all asbestos containing materials so they can be removed, before any structural work begins.

If the survey finds asbestos containing materials in your building(s) it is recommended:

• Risk of exposure to the asbestos must be minimised, and where this is not possible the asbestos needs to be removed. 
• The type of asbestos containing material found will dictate whether the material will be referred to as ‘licensable’, and requires a Licensed Removal Contractor.
• Non-licensed materials can be removed by competent trained staff for example.
  
  

6. Appointing contractors

When choosing a company to carry out your surveys, inspections or sample analysis, it’s important to choose a UKAS accredited business. This accreditation provides assurance they are competent and certified to international agreed standards.

If you need advice about your asbestos management talk to our consultants today
Manchester 0161 827 7111
London 0203 384 6175
email aec@aec.uk.net