What are the Two Types of Asbestos Survey?
Identifying asbestos in your property can be difficult to the untrained eye, which is why you may require an asbestos survey. In this guide, we will explain what the two types of asbestos surveys are, when they are needed, and what the process entails.
Asbestos Management Survey
A management survey is often the most straightforward and least intrusive asbestos survey. As you may have guessed, a management survey helps you to effectively identify and manage potential asbestos in your building.
Asbestos is not harmful unless it is disturbed or in poor condition, so this survey aims to detect whether asbestos is present, and the condition it is in, in order to mitigate any risk of illness for occupants. It is a requirement for any buildings built or renovated before 2000 that are used as commercial or shared residential premises (excluding private domestic areas), such as an office building or the corridors and entrance to blocks of flats.
Though it is not legally required to have domestic premises surveyed for potential asbestos, it is still strongly recommended that you do so, especially if you suspect that it could be present anywhere in the building.
Trained surveyors will inspect the building visually, identifying potential locations of asbestos. These areas may then be tested for asbestos by taking small samples, which ensures that, if it does turn out to be asbestos, the fibres are minimally disturbed. It is worth noting, though, that testing is not always required to presume asbestos to be present.
In doing so, this will identify risks within the building, allowing you to take the necessary precautions or actions to keep the occupants of the building safe. If this sounds like the right asbestos survey for you, please get in touch for more information or call us on 01923 911 013.
Asbestos Refurbishment and Demolition Survey
Though an asbestos management survey is a necessary precaution for managing the presence of asbestos in pre-2000 non-domestic properties, it is not suitable for assessing risk when undertaking any construction or renovations. In these circumstances, you will instead need to carry out an asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey.
As mentioned before, asbestos is only dangerous when it is disturbed or in poor condition – and during any refurbishments, maintenance, demolition, and construction projects, disturbance can be very likely. With this in mind, it is necessary to undertake a more thorough examination of the location, extent, and condition of asbestos in the building before any work can begin.
A refurbishment and demolition survey is therefore much more intrusive than a management survey, and thus must only ever be carried out by a fully qualified professional. The surveyor will take considerable samples of the room or building where work will take place, which also ensures that even hidden construction materials are tested for asbestos.
Due to this, you will have a comprehensive idea as to the asbestos present in your building. The materials in question can then be properly removed and disposed of according to the relevant legislation and guidelines.
At Asbestos 365, in addition to asbestos management surveys, we undertake asbestos refurbishment and demolition surveys in and around the London area, including Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, as well as an array of additional and complementary survey services.
If you are unsure about which survey is the most appropriate for your property, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We can recommend the best survey for you, and be onsite within hours to carry it out.
Asbestos Surveys FAQs
Basically, an asbestos survey is an assessment conducted by a qualified professional to identify and assess the presence, condition, and potential risk of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in a building or property.
A survey is necessary to comply with UK regulations and protect the health and safety of those persons who live or work in the building.
For more information, please get in touch on 01923 911 013 or check out our Asbestos Surveys page. We are happy to carry out a survey for you in the Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire or London area.
The duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic properties falls on the duty holder. This could be the building owner, occupier, or anyone else with legal responsibility for the maintenance or repair of the building. In domestic properties, the responsibility falls on the homeowner.
For more information, please get in touch on 01923 911 013
The two main types of asbestos surveys are Management Surveys and Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys. A Management Survey is a non-intrusive survey to locate the presence and condition of any ACMs. A Refurbishment and Demolition Survey is a more intrusive survey, necessary before any refurbishment or demolition work takes place.
For more information, please get in touch on 01923 911 013
The duration of an asbestos survey will depend on the size and complexity of the building. A Management Survey could take several hours, while a Refurbishment and Demolition Survey may take several days. The survey involves a visual inspection of the property, taking samples of suspected ACMs, and analyzing these samples in a laboratory.
For more information, please get in touch on 01923 911 013
After the survey, the asbestos surveyor will produce a report detailing the findings and recommendations for managing any ACMs identified. The report will include a risk assessment and management plan, outlining any necessary remedial work and ongoing monitoring requirements. The duty holder must act on the recommendations in the report and ensure that any ACMs are managed in compliance with UK asbestos regulations.
For more information, please get in touch on 01923 911 013
