Asbestos Survey
We offer a comprehensive range of asbestos surveying services covering the latest survey types and techniques – and including all premises, buildings and locations. You can rest assured that our services cater for all survey requirements and eventualities.
Management Survey (formerly Type 2)
This is a standard survey is undertaken to locate, as far as reasonably practicable, the presence and extent of any asbestos containing materials (ACMs) which could be disturbed during a building’s everyday use, including maintenance work. This usually involve taking samples of the suspected ACMs for independent UKAS accredited laboratory analysis which confirms whether or not asbestos is present.
This type of survey will often involve minor intrusive work and some disturbance, the extent of which will vary depending on what is reasonably practicable for individual properties. The scope and extent of the survey will be discussed and agreed in advance.
The management survey will assess the condition of suspect materials, along with their ability to release fibres. This is classed as a material assessment and will enable the duty holder to assess the risk and subsequently put measures in place to mitigate or reduce the risk to building occupants and those involved in routine maintenance.
Refurbishment and Demolition Survey (formerly Type 3)
If refurbishment or demolition work is to be carried out, this type of survey is used to locate and describe, as far as reasonably practicable, all asbestos containing materials (ACMs) in the area where the refurbishment work will take place, or in the whole building if demolition is planned.
The survey is fully intrusive and involves destructive inspection, as necessary, to gain access to all areas of the building fabric. A full sampling program will be undertaken to identify asbestos containing materials and estimates of quantity will be recorded. The survey is primarily designed to identify asbestos containing materials so that they can be removed in preparation for refurbishment or demolition.
The intrusive inspection techniques used in undertaking Refurbishment / Demolition Asbestos Surveys will cause damage to the fabric of the building being surveyed as all parts of the building fabric will need to be accessed to make a comprehensive assessment.
It should be noted that in some cases asbestos containing materials may be concealed within the fabric of a building which can only be positively identified once demolition has actually begun. Additional consultation/site visits may be required in such instances.
A Refurbishment / Demolition survey can be undertaken to specific areas of a building affected by proposed works, e.g. re-wiring, plumbing works.
This survey enables planned removal of ACMs which will be disturbed by the refurbishment or demolition works well in advance of the works commencing. Guidance will also be provided in instances where identified ACMs may remain in situ during the refurbishment or demolition works, as applicable.
A refurbishment and demolition survey may also be conducted to establish the economic future or viability of an occupied building(s).
Separate refurbishment and demolition surveys may be undertaken of individual areas within the same building as various projects are planned over a period of years.
The survey will be fully intrusive and involve destructive inspection, as necessary to gain access to all areas, including those that may be difficult to reach. Refurbishment and demolition surveys should only be conducted in unoccupied areas, ideally the building should not be in service and all furnishings removed.
Samples of suspected ACMs will be taken for independent UKAS accredited laboratory analysis which confirms whether or not asbestos is present.