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Why Are Asbestos Surveys Important

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  • 11-01-2024
Why Are Asbestos Surveys Important

This article asks: Why Are Asbestos Surveys Important? Learn how our expert surveys mitigate health risks and ensure regulatory adherence, safeguarding your well-being and legal obligations.

 Risk Assessment

Long ago, asbestos was extensively used in constructing buildings, due to its sturdy, heat-resistant properties. However, we now know that asbestos can be detrimental to human health when it deteriorates or gets disturbed. Hence, pinpointing and controlling these asbestos-containing materials is critical.

Asbestos surveys serve this very purpose and form an essential part of risk evaluation in edifices, especially those constructed before the 2000s. Undertaking an asbestos survey assists in mapping out the existence, quantity, and state of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in a property. 

This procedure is accomplished using a combination of comprehensive visual inspection and sampling. The samples collected are then scrutinised in a lab to determine the presence of asbestos fibres. The importance of an asbestos survey is that it plays a fundamental role in establishing an effective asbestos management plan. The intricate information derived from the survey helps make sure that suitable actions are implemented to lessen the risks associated with the presence of asbestos.

Consequently, potential health risks that could emerge from exposure to these specific materials are averted. Whether asbestos is located or not, conducting an asbestos survey is crucial. This is because understanding what you are dealing with, allows the creation of a plan to handle these materials. Therefore, asbestos surveys by a professional and certified surveyor are indispensable in ensuring a safe and healthy environment.

 The Best Strategy To Detect Asbestos

Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) not only represents a potential danger to those who occupy buildings but also bring about stringent legal responsibilities for landlords. It is incumbent on the latter to ensure robust management of asbestos within their properties. 

Carrying out asbestos surveys is a responsible and effective way for landlords to adhere to this obligation. The advantages are manifold – protection of tenants, compliance with regulations, and at a broader level, the potential to save numerous lives.

The detection of asbestos is not necessarily straightforward and relies on a dual approach strategy. The first step typically consists of a management survey.

Why Are Asbestos Surveys Important?

This type of survey is designed to identify materials that could contain asbestos as a result of daily use or due to routine maintenance of a building. Identifying these materials proactively can prevent unnecessary exposure to asbestos fibres that can endanger the health of occupants. 

However, when a building is slated for more invasive procedures such as refurbishment or demolition, simply conducting a management survey isn't adequate. Such scenarios warrant a more detailed review, in the form of a refurbishment or demolition survey. The objective of this type of survey is to uncover materials that might be hidden deep within the construction structure of a building. These hidden materials could also potentially contain asbestos and hence pose significant risks if disturbed during refurbishment or demolition work.

Regardless of the type of survey conducted, it is only through the taking and analysis of samples that the presence of asbestos can be confirmed. This critical step in the process provides certainty and allows for appropriate measures to be taken, whether that includes careful management or safe removal of the discovered asbestos.

In conclusion, this methodical, two-pronged approach to asbestos detection serves to protect tenants and comply with legal obligations, thereby protecting landlords from potential litigation. Conducting regular and thorough asbestos surveys underscores a landlord's commitment not just to abide by the law, but also to safeguard human lives.

 Safety

Exposure to asbestos can result in serious health risks. Such dangers could involve severe, potentially fatal diseases like asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. Therefore, it's vital to protect oneself from such exposures. One highly dependable method to ensure this is through an asbestos survey.

An asbestos survey isn't just a casual inspection - it's a proactive move designed to prevent individuals who live in or work within a building from coming into contact with dangerous asbestos fibres. This comprehensive process involves a meticulous assessment of a structure to check for the existence or likely presence of asbestos.

Specialists, usually from dedicated firms are skilled and trained to carry out these crucial surveys. The result of an asbestos survey is not just limited to managing immediate risks. One noteworthy product of conducting such a survey is the creation of an asbestos register. This document enumerates all known or assumed locations of asbestos within a building. The register serves as an indispensable instrument because it helps avoid accidental disturbance of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), which can be extremely hazardous.

The asbestos register, in conjunction with the insights from the asbestos survey, forms a key part of an overall asbestos management plan. This plan is designed to safeguard both occupants residing in the building and workers who might come into contact with asbestos. By doing so, these surveys and the resulting management plan play an essential role in fighting against the health risks associated with asbestos.

 Before Demolition

The significance of carrying out an asbestos survey becomes even more evident when considering demolition works on a building. Often, properties built before the 1980s were constructed using material containing asbestos due to its heat-resistant and insulating properties. 

However, it is now a well-established fact that asbestos, when disturbed, can release hazardous fibres into the air which, if inhaled, can cause serious health problems.

A demolition survey, unlike a standard asbestos survey, delves deeper into areas of the building that might otherwise be difficult to access during a regular inspection.

Before Demolition - Why Are Asbestos Surveys Important?

This type of survey is much more comprehensive, involving destructive scrutiny to ensure there are no hidden asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) lurking beneath the surface. By undertaking a demolition survey before the commencement of the demolition work, you are taking a vital step towards ensuring the safety of all the workers or contractors involved in the tear-down. It ensures that they don't inadvertently disturb and inhale harmful asbestos fibres, thus safeguarding their health.

Therefore, it is highly recommended that any building, regardless of its size, that is due for demolition needs to undertake an asbestos survey. This is a crucial action within the wider context of health and safety regulations set by the government and organisations such as the Health and Safety Executive.

 Legal Requirements

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 is a critical piece of legislation that places specific requirements on duty holders, usually the owner of the property or individual responsible for the premises, to properly manage the risks associated with asbestos in non-domestic properties. This legal regulation's purpose is to significantly decrease the risk posed by asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral that was once widely used in construction due to its heat resistance, strength and insulating properties.

Despite these favourable characteristics, asbestos poses severe health risks if its fibres are inhaled leading to severe diseases like asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer. Carrying out an asbestos survey is an integral part of fulfilling this legal duty.

The purpose of the survey is to determine whether there are materials containing asbestos present on the premises, and if so, detailed information about its quantity, location, and condition is required. The reason for this is that the presence of asbestos in a structure does not automatically pose a risk; rather, it becomes hazardous when it is disturbed or damaged, enabling fibres to become airborne.

Therefore, understanding where asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are located, their extent and their condition allows duty holders to manage them more effectively and prevent inadvertent disturbance. Their condition can inform if they pose a current risk or a future one. For instance, ACMs in good condition may just require monitoring whilst damaged ones may need repairing or removal. It's also important to note that definitive identification and assessment of asbestos can only be accurately carried out by trained and competent surveyors.

These professionals have the experience and knowledge to assess the risk and provide advice on managing it. In conclusion, the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 aims to protect individuals and the public from the risks of asbestos. Therefore, conducting an asbestos survey is not merely a legal requirement but a vital proactive health protection measure.


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