It is worth noting that after asbestos was banned, they were still allowed to use their remaining stock. This is why the buildings, built before 2000s and during 1900 still contain asbestos materials in them. When renovating or demolishing a building, these asbestos containing materials need to be removed, because if they are disturbed, their fibers are exposed in the environment, which is unhealthy for the resident and can cause severe damage.
An asbestos survey is required to provide enough information and details on the present asbestos, so that the assessments on the risks can be planned and managed. This information is stored in asbestos register, in order to work out the management plan. This asbestos management register should be available to all those who are planning or initiating the maintenance and relevant work. This register can be consulted by these workers before initiating the work.
The survey involves sampling and analyzing in order to confirm the presence of ACMs. The type of survey varies according to the age and structure of the premise. These surveys can be carried out by the resident of the particular building or by any third party. In either of the case, the surveyor is required to be competent to work out all that is required.
Need for survey
The Asbestos Survey is required according to the HSG264 Asbestos: The Survey Guide. It is needed for several reasons and all to ensure safety of the residents of the buildings which contain asbestos. The survey helps in managing the asbestos in a certain premise. It provides people the accurate and correct data about the location, amount and the conditions of the asbestos containing materials (ACMs). It helps in assessing the level of damage in the ACMs, it also concludes if the remedial action is required in that particular situation. The information gathered by the survey is used in order to maintain a record which might contain information on the location of asbestos. This record is commonly known as asbestos register or an asbestos plan of the buildings. The survey also concludes the details of all the ACMs in the building which are needed to be removed before it gets demolished or renovated.
The regulations as per the Control of Asbestos required the duty holder to pinpoint and analyze the location and the condition of the asbestos containing materials. They are also required to create a written plan on asbestos management- which is needed in order to make sure that any potential risks are managed accordingly. In order to achieve all this, it is required to conduct an asbestos survey which can conclude the foundation of the management plan one is going to follow.
Type of Surveys
The asbestos surveys range significantly in terms of their sizes, purpose and complexity. The access and visibility both can range from simple to complex accordingly. Apart from that, the presence of the asbestos varies according to the age, structure and design of the building or premise. The easier way of knowing which type of survey to get done, is to consider the reason and purpose of getting the survey done. In order to find out if asbestos is present in the property or to work out the asbestos management plan, the Asbestos Management Survey is required. If the requirement is to carry out the work which will directly or indirectly affect the fabric, fixture, fittings or the décor of the building, the Asbestos Refurbishment Survey can be conducted. If the plan is to demolish the building or all parts of it, the required survey is Asbestos Demolish Survey.
