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For most of the 20th century, asbestos was a contractor’s best friend. It was cheap, durable and even fire-resistant. Today, asbestos use is illegal in 68 countries around the world, including the UK. British legislation even requires regular asbestos surveys to be conducted, including at construction sites.
But what is asbestos, why is it so dangerous and what are your responsibilities when it comes to surveys and why do they matter for your construction site? Read on to find out.
What is Asbestos and Why is It Dangerous?
With all the concern about asbestos it’s easy to imagine it was formulated in a lab somewhere, but it’s actually a naturally occurring mineral. Asbestos is found in rocks underground and mined. It appears as a fibrous mineral, made up of lots of tiny strands.
These strands are also what make it so dangerous. When asbestos is disturbed in any way, these fibres are so small that they can float into the air and be breathed in. If a person or animal breathes the fibres in, they attach themselves to the inside of their lungs.
After a period of ten years or even more, the fibres irritate the inside of the lungs leading to health conditions including mesothelioma and asbestosis. These conditions are often fatal and are the reason that asbestos has become so tightly regulated today.
What is an Asbestos Survey?
An asbestos survey is designed to find and assess the condition of asbestos. They fall into four categories and are a legal requirement in the UK, which we’ll cover in the next section.
The four types of asbestos survey include:
- Asbestos management survey – to identify Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) in a building and inform a long-term plan to keep them from being disturbed.
- Asbestos refurbishment survey – to find asbestos materials before refurbishment works to make sure they are not accidentally disturbed.
- Asbestos demolition survey – the most invasive survey, conducted to remove any asbestos from a building before it is demolished.
- Asbestos re-inspection survey – a routine re-inspection of a property to check asbestos materials have not aged or been disturbed.
Each type serves a different purpose and must be conducted by a qualified asbestos surveyor.
Legal Requirements and Regulations
Asbestos in the UK is overseen primarily by the Control of Asbestos Regulations (CAR) 2012. These regulations set out the need for regular asbestos surveys. When it comes to construction sites, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 also contains provisions for asbestos.
Under the CAR, construction site operators and contractors are legally required to make sure that either an asbestos refurbishment survey or demolition survey is conducted before any work takes place, depending on the nature of the project.
You should also consult with the building owner or operator about any known asbestos materials, which they should have a record of in their asbestos management plan – also required by the CAR.
The Health and Safety at Work Act mandates that employers should take reasonable steps to protect their employees from workplace hazards, including asbestos. So not only is it your duty to locate any asbestos and have it safely removed if necessary, you are also required to provide your workforce with adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
To help them stay within the law and avoid costly fines or even prison sentences, many construction site operators and contractors choose to work with an accredited asbestos consultant.
How Asbestos Surveys Protect Your Construction Site
Worker Safety
By ensuring the required asbestos surveys have been conducted, you can help protect your workforce from exposure to harmful asbestos fibres. This preserves their long-term health and protects you from potentially damaging lawsuits.
Compliance
Compliance with asbestos regulations is vital, and proper surveying is a large part of meeting your obligations. Staying on top of your requirements protects you from potential fines or even prison sentences for non-compliance.
Risk Management
Surveys help you catch any potential risks early, helping you manage them safely and ensuring surprises don’t cost you your compliance.
Project Efficiency
Discovering asbestos when you are mid-way through a project can cause serious setbacks that could have been avoided with a pre-emptive survey. By surveying before you start, you can help protect against unwanted and costly disruption.
Steps to Take After an Asbestos Survey
What you do after your asbestos survey will depend on the project type and the outcome of the survey. For example, if you are overseeing a demolition project and your asbestos demolition survey identifies ACMs on site, they will have to be removed and safely disposed of before work can commence. Depending on the risk of fibre release during work you may also need to supply your workers with relevant PPE to protect them from asbestos exposure.
In essence, you should follow the recommendations made in your survey report, whether that’s for containment or removal, and supply any PPE to your workers as needed.
Protecting Your Site with Asbestos Surveys
Regular asbestos surveys are crucial to maintaining a safe, productive construction environment. They help you identify any potential hazards and tackle them effectively before they become a risk to your staff or even the public. Surveys are also instrumental in ensuring you meet your legal obligations.
Given the breadth of the regulations and the heavy penalties for non-compliance, many site managers and construction employers choose to work with dedicated asbestos consultants to help them ensure safety and compliance.
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