Regulation

Regulation 4 of the CAR 2012 puts a duty on the ‘duty holder’ to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises. It requires he ‘duty holder’ to identify the location and condition of the asbestos in non-domestic premises and to manage the risk to prevent harm to any one who works on the building or to building occupants. It also requires people to co-operate with the main ‘duty holder’ to enable them to comply with the regulation. It should be noted that non-domestic premises incudes the common parts of domestic premises.

Condition / Re-inspection

A condition survey is carried out annually after a management survey has identified asbestos material to ensure no deuteriation has occurred and recommend any necessary repair/removal.

Sampling

Where a client has identified suspected asbestos material, we can collect a sample and take for testing.

Management

Its purpose is to locate, as far as is reasonability practicable, the presence and extent of any suspect Asbestos Containing materials (ACMs) in the building which could be damaged or disturbed during normal occupancy, including foreseeable maintenance and installation, and to assess their condition. The survey will usually involve sampling and analysis to confirm the presence or absence of ACMs. However, a management survey can also involve presuming the presence of asbestos. A management survey can be completed using a combination of sampling and presuming ACMs or, indeed, just presuming. Any materials presumed to contain asbestos must also have the condition assessed (i.e. a material assessment).

Pre-refurbishment Survey

There is a specific requirement in Control of Asbestos Regulations (CAR) for all ACMs to be removed as far as reasonably practicable before refurbishment, if the refurbishment work is likely to disturb materials that may lead to an uncontrolled exposure to occupants. It is used to locate and describe, as far as reasonably practicable, all ACMs in the area where refurbishment, maintenance, plant removal, dismantling or repair will be undertaken.

Where asbestos is identified so that it can be removed rather than ‘managed’ a priority assessment will be needed and the materials managed. Based on the pre-agreed survey scope where necessary, inspection techniques will be adopted to lift carpets and tiles, break through walls, ceilings, cladding and partitions and open up floors and may involve destructive sampling, as necessary, to gain access to areas that may be difficult to reach. In these situations, controls should be put in place to prevent the spread of debris, which may include asbestos.

This type of survey should only be conducted in unoccupied areas to minimise risks to the public or employees on the premises. Under no circumstances should staff remain in rooms or areas of building when intrusive sampling is performed. Refurbishment surveys will not normally include destructive inspection into floor or ceiling slabs where these are integral to the structure of the building unless pre-agreed with the client. An additional demolition survey will be required to these areas if they are to be removed or major alterations are planned.

Refurbishment and Demolition

There is specific requirement of Control of Asbestos Regulations (CAR) for all ACM s to be removed as far as reasonably practicable before demolition. This type of survey is used to locate and describe, as far as is reasonably practicable, all ACMs in the whole building/ area if demolition is planned or for plant removal or dismantling. This survey will be fully in intrusive and may involve destructive sampling, as necessary, to gain access to all area, including those that may be difficult to reach. Where asbestos is identified so that it can be removed rather than ‘managed’ a priority assessment will not normally be required, However, where the asbestos removal will not take place for some time a priority assessment will be needed and the materials managed.

Based on the pre-agreed survey scope, where necessary, inspection techniques will be adopted to lift carpets and tiles, beak through walls, ceilings, cladding and partitions and to open up floors and may involve destructive sampling, as necessary, to gain access to areas to that may be difficult to reach, this may also include breaking into solid floor and ceiling slabs and could require a secondary visit to the site following part demolition of the building. In these situations, controls should be put into place to prevent the spread of debris, which may include asbestos. This type of survey should only be conducted in unoccupied in area to minimise risks to the public or employee on the premises. Under no circumstances should staff remain in rooms or areas of buildings when intrusive sampling is performed.