The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) methodology for carrying out surveys has recently changed. Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3 surveys have been superseded, as has the MDHS100 document (method for conducting asbestos surveys).

The new document is entitled ‘Asbestos, The Survey Guide’.

Management survey

For the day-to-day management of asbestos in a property, the management survey is the type that would be carried out. Its purpose is to identify all visible and accessible asbestos materials. The survey may involve some minor intrusive works, but nothing that would damage the structure or fabric of the buildings. It can be carried out in occupied premises and will involve a combination of sampling and making informed presumptions of areas traditionally using asbestos-containing materials.

This type of survey will enable the surveyor to identify materials that could be disturbed through routine maintenance work or through accidental damage/wear and tear. If more extensive maintenance works or refurbishment/demolition works are planned, these require a more extensive survey as detailed below.

Refurbishment/pre-demolition survey

The refurbishment/pre-demolition survey is required when works will disturb areas that were not inspected as part of the management survey. This extensive survey may involve surveying the whole building, for example where demolition is to occur, or only certain sections that are to undergo refurbishment works. This type of survey is much more intrusive than a management survey and will involve works sufficient to gain access to ‘hidden’ voids, ductwork, cavities, etc.

‘Asbestos: The Survey Guide’ states:

‘HSE strongly recommends the use of accredited or certified surveyors for asbestos surveys. The duty holder should not appoint or instruct an independent surveyor to carry out a survey unless the surveyor is competent.’

RSK holds UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) accreditation for conducting asbestos surveys, and we operate our own UKAS-accredited laboratories for the analysis of asbestos samples.

As we operate our own UKAS-accredited laboratories for the analysis of asbestos samples, we are able to ensure rapid turnaround if required. We hold UKAS accreditation for both the sampling and analysis of asbestos materials.

Once surveys have been carried out, and the asbestos materials identified, a risk assessment enables us to establish the risk that each item poses and thus helps us determine the action to be taken (such as asbestos removal, repair or to leave the asbestos in situ and inspect it regularly). RSK is able to conduct risk assessments in conjunction with the asbestos survey or as a stand-alone exercise. All risk assessments are carried out in partnership with the site occupiers and duty holders to ensure that the use and maintenance of the building is taken into full consideration.

Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, employers are required to provide adequate training to all employees who are liable to be exposed to asbestos.

Three types of training are detailed:

Asbestos awareness training: this is for people who are liable to disturb asbestos in their day-to-day activities and might include plumbers, electricians, maintenance staff, construction and demolition workers, plasterers, painters and decorators, roofers, tilers and engineers.

Training for non-licensable asbestos work: this is for employees who are going to undertake non-licensable work with asbestos, for example roofers or maintenance workers.

Training for licensable asbestos work: this is for employees who are going to undertake licensable work with asbestos.

RSK specialises in providing a variety of training courses that can be tailored to the specific requirements and types of work that the client organisation carries out. These courses range from short introductory seminars to multi-day courses with external examinations.

As an integral part of the duty-to-manage asbestos requirement, duty holders must produce a written plan illustrating how they are to manage the risk of asbestos in the premises. Crucial is that the plan must be a ‘living’, pragmatic, workable document, not just a glossy folder that gathers dust on someone’s shelf. 

RSK has extensive experience in producing management systems and plans that are tailored to the client’s existing ways of working. Plans are formatted to the client’s health, safety and property-management systems, ensuring clients work within their existing arrangements, rather than against them.

RSK holds a licence from the HSE that allows us to supervise asbestos-removal works at site. We also hold UKAS accreditation for carrying out air monitoring and four-stage clearance testing.

We understand that managing asbestos-removal works can be a time-consuming and perhaps daunting task for clients. We therefore assist with any stage of the process, or manage the whole project from planning to completion.

This includes:

• Assisting with procuring asbestos-removal contractors, writing technical work specifications and reviewing tender submissions;
• Planning and programming the works to ensure continued protection of employees, contractors and the general public;
• Providing a qualified and experienced construction (design and management) (CDM) co-ordinator if appropriate;
• Liaising with all parties including the client, occupiers, employees, unions, management, contractors and the regulatory authority;
• Inspecting and monitoring throughout the site works; and
• Clearance testing on completion and providing the close-out reports.

Managing asbestos, particularly within a multi-site property portfolio that may consist of hundreds of sites, can be a data-management nightmare. More and more, duty holders are looking to computer-based electronic options to help them with this task.

RSK has designed bespoke, internet- and intranet-based, asbestos-management databases for clients, taking into account their specific needs and integrating the databases into existing health, safety and property-management systems. If clients already have databases in operation, we are experienced in utilising these and uploading our data in the format required.

Jason Hodgkiss, RSK STATS EHS director with over 20 years of experience working in the asbestos industry, is a member of the UK Register of Expert Witnesses (Asbestos) and has acted on behalf of a number of stakeholders.