What is an asbestos survey?

Asbestos surveys are the inspection of a property or building with the aim of locating and identifying asbestos containing materials. There are three types of asbestos survey. An asbestos management survey, an asbestos refurbishment survey and an asbestos demolition survey. Any type of asbestos survey should detail the exact location of the asbestos containing materials. The survey should detail the extent and amount of asbestos. The surveyor must also include the condition of the asbestos they identify, detailing any potential risk associated with its condition. Once this information has been gathered (location, extent, condition, material, and asbestos type), the asbestos surveyor must carry out a risk assessment of any asbestos that has been identified. The asbestos survey material risk assessment will detail any risk of potential asbestos fibre release which could lead to asbestos exposure. This assessment will take into consideration the purpose of the asbestos survey. Management, refurbishment, or demolition. Asbestos surveys are undertaken for several reasons which are discussed in the ‘asbestos survey type’ section. Whatever the reason for the asbestos survey, the risk assessment should highlight the dangers, and should be relevant to your needs. Having identified the risks, the survey should give you recommendations on how to proceed. These recommendations should be tailored to you and in line with why you had the survey conducted.

What types of asbestos survey are currently available?

Oracle provide asbestos surveying services in accordance with HSE guidance HSG264 Asbestos: The Survey Guide and HSG248 Asbestos: The analysts’ guide for sampling, analysis and clearance procedures. These guidance notes which ensure compliance with asbestos regulations detail the currently available asbestos survey types which are: Asbestos Management Survey An asbestos management survey will provide you with everything you need to safely monitor and manage asbestos-containing materials. This includes the preparing an asbestos register and formulating of an effective asbestos management plan. If the asbestos containing-materials identified during this survey remain undisturbed and are in a good condition, then any asbestos risk can be effectively managed. To effectively manage asbestos which has been identified during a management survey you will need an asbestos management plan. (link to management plan) The asbestos management plan is a legally required document which will enable the risk from asbestos to be controlled. Oracle are UKAS accredited for this type of asbestos survey. For more information on this type of asbestos survey read our useful guide: What you need to know about asbestos surveys and asbestos management. Asbestos Refurbishment Survey An asbestos refurbishment survey will be needed prior to any refurbishment work being undertaken on or in any building which may contain asbestos. Asbestos refurbishment surveys are fully intrusive, and the building or areas being surveyed will usually need to be evacuated during the asbestos survey process. The asbestos refurbishment survey will contain the exact details and location of any work which is liable to disturb the fabric of a building. The asbestos survey will ensure that any materials likely to be disturbed during such work are tested for confirmation of the presence of asbestos. The survey report will include recommendations on the steps to take to reduce the risk of asbestos disturbance during the work. Oracle are UKAS accredited for this type of asbestos survey. For more information on this type of asbestos survey read our useful guide: Things you need to know about asbestos R&D surveys. Asbestos Demolition Survey An asbestos demolition survey will be needed prior to any demolition work being undertaken on or in any building which may contain asbestos. Asbestos demolition surveys are fully intrusive, and the building or areas being surveyed will usually need to be evacuated during the asbestos survey process. The asbestos demolition survey will contain the exact details and location of any work which is liable to disturb the fabric of a building. The asbestos survey will ensure that any materials likely to be disturbed during such work are tested for confirmation of the presence of asbestos. The survey report will include recommendations on the steps to take to reduce the risk of asbestos disturbance during the work. Oracle are UKAS accredited for this type of asbestos survey. For more information on this type of asbestos survey read our useful guide: Things you need to know about asbestos R&D surveys.

Why would I need an asbestos survey?

There are several reasons why you might need an asbestos survey. If you are working on or in a building constructed prior to the year 2000, or even just in control of such a building you have a legal duty under the asbestos regulations to control the risk from asbestos. The only way to control the risk of asbestos is to know where it is, its extent, its type and its condition. The only reasonable way of knowing this information is to have an asbestos survey carried out. People can be at risk of asbestos exposure for a variety of different reasons. You may think that the only people likely to be at risk of asbestos exposure are workers, contractors working within the building or in the construction industry, but this is not true. If asbestos is not managed correctly, everyone is potentially at risk. This includes visitors, and anyone entering buildings or any other places where asbestos is not managed correctly. There are laws in place to ensure that asbestos is managed correctly. So, if you manage a building or property or you’re involved in construction work, refurbishment or demolition in any shape or form you may have a legal obligation to manage the potential risks from asbestos materials. This is why you would need an asbestos survey.

Is there a legal standard for an asbestos survey?

Yes. There is a Health & Safety Executive guidance document about this. It details the required quality and provides detail on what is expected when carrying out an asbestos survey. The survey guide also details the exact information that an asbestos report should contain. This HSE guidance document is Asbestos: The survey guide HSG264. Oracle are UKAS accredited to undertake all asbestos survey types as detailed within the HSE asbestos survey guidance document. (UKAS Accredited Inspection Body No.4600)

What happens during an asbestos survey?

There are four main steps that are needed for every asbestos survey type: Step 1 The asbestos surveyor will gather as much information from you as possible. This is to make sure the type of survey you have carried out will give you what you need. This includes details about why you need the asbestos survey, details of the property (including who will be there) and any access problems which may be encountered, such as locked doors. Step 2 The asbestos surveyor will visit the site to undertake the asbestos survey. The nature of the inspection will depend largely on the type of asbestos survey being carried out. However, in general, asbestos surveyors will check every area of the property. This is carried out methodically, one area at a time, inspecting the floors, walls and ceilings. Step 3 If the asbestos surveyor locates anything which they believe to be asbestos, they will take a small sample which can be sent to a laboratory for asbestos testing and analysis. When taking asbestos samples, an asbestos surveyor will try to take them from inconspicuous areas. Samples are usually about the size of a 50p coin. Asbestos samples are then double sealed in small bags ready to go to the laboratory. During the asbestos survey, the surveyor will take relevant notes and photographs – and if not already provided, they will draw a floor plan which can be marked with any sample or asbestos locations. Step 4 The final step is to produce the asbestos survey report. Asbestos survey reports are usually electronic, and include photographs, plans and sample results. For more information on asbestos survey reports take a look at our helpful guide: Asbestos Survey Reports. Once the asbestos survey report has been quality checked, it will be sent to you. We will then contact you to discuss the asbestos survey reports recommendations. We will then walk you through the next steps and discuss your available options.

Are asbestos surveys required by law?

If you’re managing a property – or you’re involved in a process, i.e. refurbishment, demolition or maintenance, where asbestos could potentially be disturbed and pose a risk to you, the public or others and you don’t have the required information to reduce or eliminate that risk, the answer is simply ‘yes’. The current asbestos regulations are ‘The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012’ (CAR). Although survey work and requirements are not restricted to any single regulation, there is a principal section about asbestos surveys. This is Regulation 4: The management of asbestos in nondomestic premises. Details of this regulation can be found in L143 Managing and working with asbestos Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. In brief, Regulation 4 says that anyone in control of premises or property has a legal duty to manage any risk from asbestos. To do this they must identify the risks. The only sure way of identifying these risks is by having an asbestos survey.

Asbestos Compliance Health Check

Name: Asbestos Compliance Health Check
Uploaded: 2020-12-03
Duration: 2 min 57 s
Description: Over the years, we have made every effort to protect people from the dangers of asbestos. That protection starts with you understanding your legal

The tool for checking your legal obligations have been met.

Over the years, we have made every effort to protect people from the dangers of asbestos. That protection starts with you understanding your legal obligations. You will then be able to ensure that you are fully compliant. Your full compliance with the asbestos regulations helps protect people from asbestos’s dangers.

Are you an asbestos expert? The answer is probably no. We have many clients, and each has different levels of understanding and expertise in the field of asbestos.

You may be one of those people who believe an asbestos survey gives you compliance. You may be someone who has more knowledge and knows that there must be an asbestos management plan in addition to the survey.

You may even be one of those people who understand the need for an asbestos survey, an asbestos management plan, an asbestos action plan and training.

Whatever your knowledge, there is always something to learn.

Let me ask you a question.

Did you know that over 70 specific items are required for full compliance with current asbestos regulations?

That’s 70 items under the duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises – regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.

Yes, you read that correctly 70 specific items.

Unless you are an asbestos industry expert, it is unlikely that you will know what these are or if what you have is suitable and sufficient. That’s why we have put together the asbestos compliance health check tool.

This tool is for you. It has been specifically designed to make asbestos compliance easy to understand and implement. It will give you the knowledge you need to comply with your duty to manage responsibilities.

How does the asbestos compliance health check work?

The asbestos compliance health check will ask you a series of questions. Your answers to these questions are entered, which then calculates a score against each of your answers.

On completion, a certificate of compliance is produced. The certificate of compliance provides an easy-to-understand, visual representation of what you are doing well and, in some cases, where you need to improve.

The asbestos compliance health check generates recommendations to ensure compliance and legal obligations under the duty to manage legislation.

How long does the asbestos compliance health check take?

Prior to a member of the Oracle team working through the asbestos compliance health check tool with you, we will send you a short email detailing what information you should have to hand.

Following this, there will be either a face-to-face or video conference meeting, where we will walk you through the process of answering the simple questions generated by the health check.

The whole process usually takes 15 to 30 minutes. You will agree that this is a very short period of time for checking your compliance status and giving you a detailed overview of where you are doing well and where you need to improve.

What happens at the end of the asbestos compliance health check?

Once the asbestos health check is complete, the tool produces the certificate of compliance. This is sent to you electronically for you to review. If you have any areas that need improvement, the certificate will detail recommendations and advice on what to do next.

The certificate will clearly show this if you are strong in all areas. It is a useful certificate to display on your premises for other people if they have any questions or concerns about how you are managing your asbestos.

It is also useful to show a visiting HSE inspector. It will clearly show that you have thought through all of the relevant areas of compliance and that you clearly understand your obligations under the duty to manage.

What does the asbestos compliance health check cost?

If you are an existing customer, the good news is that you are eligible for the asbestos compliance health check at no cost.

If you have asked us to undertake an asbestos management survey of your premises, then in an effort to protect people, we will include the asbestos compliance health check as an added value item within your survey cost.

If you are not an existing customer and are not purchasing an asbestos management survey. In that case, the asbestos compliance health check cost is £250 + VAT.

How do I get an asbestos compliance health check?

If you’re ready to increase your knowledge and check your compliance status, then call a member of the team now on 0844 800 0801

Alternatively, you can contact Mark Carter (Managing Director of Asbestos Management), who is heading up the asbestos compliance health check initiative, directly by email at mcarter@oracleasbestios.com

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