Is the Asbestos in my Building Safe?
Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regs 2012 is the duty to “Manage”. This means that the person responsible for managing or maintaining a non–domestic property, has the duty to manage any Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) present within their building.
To be able to manage any ACMs within your building, you firstly need to commission an Asbestos Management Survey. This will give you a good understanding regarding the type, location and condition of any ACMs within the building that need to be managed.
The Asbestos Management Survey Report may initially record that an ACM is undamaged and in a safe location. However, over time, the use of the building may change and the ACM could become at risk of damage, or the material could have been accidentally damaged since the survey or even have been removed.
Regular re-inspections of the ACMs present within your building will identify if an ACM has been damaged or is at risk of being damaged. This will allow the Surveyor to update the recommendation from Manage, to Remove or Repair & Encapsulate, if required. The frequency of Asbestos re-inspections is subject to a Risk Assessed process and can usually depend on its location or accessibility (potential to be disturbed).
The ultimate goal of regular Asbestos Re-Inspections is to ensure that ACMs remain in a good, safe condition and are protected from any damage that would cause fibre release. Any changes in an ACMs condition could potentially cause the release of Asbestos fibres and put the occupants at risk. Your Asbestos register must be kept upto date following any changes to the ACM following any re-inspections or subsequent abatement works.
Need Help?
You should only appoint a competent person to carry out your Asbestos Re-Inspections. Should you require any assistance with your Asbestos Re-Inspections, please contact our competent Asbestos Team who will be more than happy to help on 01332 667788 or email [email protected]