What is an asbestos survey?

What does an asbestos survey involve?

A qualified surveyor inspects the fabric of your building, takes samples of suspect materials, and sends them to a UKAS accredited laboratory for confirmed identification of asbestos-containing materials.

An asbestos survey is a physical inspection of a building to find, record, and assess asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). A qualified surveyor examines the fabric of the property, takes samples of suspect materials, and sends them to a laboratory for confirmed identification.

If your building was constructed before the year 2000, there is a strong chance it contains asbestos. The material was used in everything from ceiling tiles and floor adhesives to pipe insulation, boiler flues, and roofing sheets. It was not fully banned in the UK until 1999.

Under Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, anyone with responsibility for maintaining a non-domestic building has a legal duty to manage asbestos. That duty starts with knowing whether asbestos is present — and the only way to confirm that is through a survey.