Commercial
Commercial Asbestos Testing, Inspections and Surveys
Professional Commercial Asbestos Surveys and Advice from Asbestos Risk Management for Your Peace of Mind
Do you own a commercial or residential property built before 2000? Are you a contractor or tradesperson completing work on a pre-2000’s home or building? Are you worried there may be asbestos hiding somewhere in the building or on the property? We can help.
Breathe Easy in the Workplace with Asbestos Risk Management
If you suspect your industrial or commercial site contains Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs), don’t take the risk. Our team here at Asbestos Risk Management is happy to confidentially discuss an Asbestos Management Survey and Plan and your asbestos regulation requirements at any time so get in touch immediately if you have any concerns.
Where are You Likely to Find Asbestos in Your Commercial Property?
Until the late 1990s, asbestos was used extensively in factories, warehouses, housing as well as other commercial buildings, however the presence of asbestos is not immediately obvious without proper testing as it is often mixed with other materials.
If asbestos or Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) are left undisturbed and in good condition, they are unlikely to pose a health risk. The true risk to the health of anyone operating on these sites comes when asbestos is damaged or disturbed, and the resulting release of asbestos fibres into the air which may subsequently be inhaled.
These are the main areas where asbestos may be present in your property:
Roof sheeting, roof ventilators, skylights, textured ceilings and manhole frames.
Door and window mouldings, exterior louvre blades, side flashings as well as cement downpipes and gutters.
Exterior wall sheets and cement cladding including fencing and outbuildings.
Interior wall sheets, soffits, baseboards and shingles.
Spray on fireproofing.
Bitumen products.
Lino, flooring tiles and adhesives.
As an insulator for pipes, gaskets, washers, lagging and water tanks.
Soils.
Does Your Commercial Property, or a Property You are in Control of Need an Asbestos Survey?
If you own a commercial or industrial building built prior to January 2000, you are now required by law to have an Asbestos Management Plan in place. If the property contains asbestos, then this must also be detailed in your Asbestos Management Plan.
The new Health & Safety at Work (Asbestos) regulations were implemented on 4 April 2016 to urgently control the use – and removal – of asbestos in the workplace. These regulations affect all commercial and industrial buildings (excluding private residential houses) built prior to the year 2000, and require that asbestos materials are identified on-site.
The New Asbestos Regulations
The Health & Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016 state that any commercial or industrial building erected before the year 2000 must have the following:
- Asbestos in the workplace has been identified by a competent person
- An Asbestos Management Plan prepared that identifies the presence and location of asbestos or Asbestos Containing Material (ACM).
- Control measures in place to manage the risks from asbestos documented in the Asbestos Management Plan.
- At least annual reviews of the Asbestos Management Plan.
Here at Asbestos Risk Management we have experts on-hand to help building owners and operators comply with these new regulations.
What Type of Survey do I Require?
Survey information is used to prepare a record of the location of any asbestos, as well as an Asbestos Management Plan for the workplace. An Asbestos Survey will also identify all of the Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) that need to be removed before starting refurbishment or demolition work.
Asbestos Management Survey
A management survey involves locating and recording the presence – and extent – of any suspected Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) in the property that could be damaged or disturbed during normal occupancy. This includes foreseeable maintenance and use, such as exterior cleaning, landscaping, replacing window frames and minor plumbing repairs.
A management survey includes an assessment of the condition of the various potential Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs), and often involves minor intrusive work and some disturbances.
From an Asbestos Management Survey, you’ll receive an Asbestos Management Plan which provides documentation detailing the type, location and extent of the Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) along with the recommended actions. This document will need to be held on-site – and made available – at all times.
Asbestos Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys
When more extensive maintenance or refurbishment work that disturbs the fabric of the building materials is undertaken, the Asbestos Management Survey will not provide sufficient information. This could be the refurbishment of a kitchen or bathroom area, the extension of a building or installation of new windows or doors.
In these cases, a Refurbishment and Demolition Survey is used to locate and describe all Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) in the area where the refurbishment work will take place, or throughout the building – or site – if demolition is planned. The survey will be fully intrusive and may involve destructive inspection in order to gain access to all areas. Therefore, Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys are usually only conducted in unoccupied areas to minimise risks.
Get in Touch
Call us here at Asbestos Risk Management now for free advice about the assessment of possible Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) in your house, residential or commercial property.
Get in Touch
Call us here at Asbestos Risk Management now for free advice about the assessment of possible Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) in your house, residential or commercial property.