Asbestos Surveys
Domestic and Commercial Properties
Management Surveys
What is an asbestos management survey ?
An asbestos management survey is generally referred to as a standard survey. The purpose of this survey is locate, as far as reasonably practicable, the presence and extent of any suspect asbestos containing materials (ACMs) in a building. This survey will identify asbestos containing materials which could become damaged or disturbed during normal everyday occupancy and will include any foreseeable maintenance activities. An assessment on the condition of the materials will also be made.
What’s involved with an asbestos management survey ?
Asbestos management surveys can entail some intrusive work and some disturbance. The level of this intrusion will differ between sites. Various factors will apply such as building type, building construction and general accessibility. Our surveyors will inspect all areas of the building, or area required, to locate all asbestos containing materials. This survey will not cause major damage to the building or areas.
A management survey would generally include an inspection of all floors, walls, ceilings, surface levels, within suspended ceiling voids, loft voids, accessible risers etc. The management survey, where required, will involve the collection of suspect samples, followed by the analysis of the samples, to confirm the presence or absence of asbestos. Our surveyors will make every effort to positively identify suspect materials through sampling. All types of suspect materials will be sampled during the survey for confirmation purposes.
As part of a management survey material risk assessments will be undertaken on all suspect materials. The material risk assessment assesses the likelyhood of the material releasing asbestos fibre should it be damaged or disturbed. This assessment provides initial information for the dutyholder to help evaluate and produce a plan for managing asbestos. Asbestos management surveys can cover everyday and simple maintenance work.
However the dutyholder should be aware that where ‘more extensive’ maintenance or repair work is required, a management survey may not provide adequate information to enable the works. More intrusive / destructive investigations may be required in the form of a localised asbestos refurbishment survey. An asbestos refurbishment survey should be undertaken prior to any works which disturbs the fabric of the building.
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Refurbishment Surveys
What is an asbestos refurbishment survey ?
An asbestos refurbishment survey is needed before undertaking any intrusive refurbishment work. The current asbestos survey guidance makes clear reference to the difference in the level of survey required for refurbishment works and for complete demolition of a building. An asbestos demolition survey is required when a building is proposed to be entirely demolished.
Asbestos refurbishment surveys are used to locate and describe, as far as reasonably practicable, all asbestos containing materials (ACMs) within an area or building where refurbishment works will take place. An asbestos refurbishment survey may also be required in other circumstances, e.g. when more intrusive maintenance and repair work will be carried out or for plant removal or dismantling.
What’s involved with an asbestos refurbishment survey ? Asbestos refurbishment surveys are fully intrusive and involve destructive inspection methods, as necessary, to gain access to all areas, including those that may be difficult to reach. Aggressive inspection techniques maybe required to lift up carpets and floor tiles, break through walls, ceilings, cladding and partitions, and open up floors.
Asbestos refurbishment surveys should generally only be completed in unoccupied areas. The purpose of this is to minimise risks to the personnel on the premises. Where practicable to do the building or area should not be operational and all furnishings vacated.
In these types of surveys, where the asbestos is identified so that it can be removed (rather than to ‘manage’ it), the survey does not normally assess the condition of the asbestos, other than to indicate areas of damage or where additional asbestos debris may be present. However as the asbestos removal may not take place for some time, the ACMs condition is usually assessed so that materials can be managed.
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Pre - Demolition Surveys
What is an asbestos pre-demolition survey ?
An asbestos demolition survey is needed before undertaking demolition works. The current asbestos survey guidance makes clear reference to the difference in the level of survey required for refurbishment works and for complete demolition of a building.
In line with asbestos guidance, demolition is only utilised as a descriptive when the entire building is to be demolished and removed in its entirety. As such when an asbestos demolition survey is requested the scope of works is self explanatory.
An asbestos demolition survey must achieve full identification of all asbestos containing materials (ACMs) within all areas of the building, as far as is reasonably practicable.
What’s involved with an asbestos pre-demolition survey ?
Asbestos demolition surveys are fully intrusive and involve extensively destructive inspection methods to gain access to all areas, including those that may be difficult to reach. Aggressive inspection techniques will be required to lift up carpets and floor tiles, break through walls, ceilings, cladding and partitions, and open up floors. Asbestos demolition surveys will be completed in unoccupied buildings.
The purpose of this is to minimise risks to personnel within the premises as excessive damage to the building is likely to occur. Where practicable to do the building or area should not be operational and all furnishings should be vacated.
In these types of surveys, where the asbestos is identified so that it can be removed (rather than to ‘manage’ it), the survey does not normally assess the condition of the asbestos, other than to indicate areas of damage or where additional asbestos debris may be present. However as the asbestos removal may not take place for some time, the ACMs condition is usually assessed so that materials can be managed.
OK, I’m interested what do I do next? For more information on the services we provide, please email here