Asbestos Surveys

An asbestos survey is essential for lawful asbestos management. Duty holders need accurate information on the presence, location, and condition of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) before maintaining a compliant register, creating a management plan, or briefing contractors. Without this information, the duty to manage cannot be fulfilled.

Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012) and HSG264, duty holders for non-domestic premises built before 2000 must identify and manage asbestos risks. The following sections outline the appropriate survey types, the process involved, and how ACMS supports you from initial instruction to ongoing compliance.

Who needs an asbestos survey?

Under CAR 2012 Regulation 4, the person or organisation responsible for maintaining or repairing non-domestic premises must manage asbestos. Duty holders are legally required to identify asbestos, assess associated risks, and take reasonable steps to manage them. A survey enables this identification.

Duty holders who need to commission an asbestos survey include, but are not limited to:

• Landlords and freeholders of commercial and public sector buildings
• Managing agents and facilities management companies
• NHS estates teams and healthcare trusts
• Local authorities managing schools, civic buildings, and community facilities
• Housing associations and social housing providers
• Universities and further education providers
• Owners and operators of industrial and commercial property portfolios

In buildings with multiple occupiers or shared management, the duty may be divided, such as between a landlord for common areas and a tenant for leased spaces. Clear contractual agreements are essential to prevent gaps in accountability.

The duty to manage asbestos cannot be delegated. Although a third-party surveyor may conduct the survey, the duty holder remains responsible for ensuring its adequacy and for acting on the findings.

Types of asbestos survey

HSG264 defines two distinct survey types, each with a specific purpose and application. Selecting the wrong type can leave ACMs unidentified, expose workers to risk, and result in regulatory breaches.

Asbestos management survey

The management survey is the standard survey type required for ongoing asbestos management in an occupied building. Its purpose is to locate, as far as is reasonably practicable, all ACMs that could be damaged or disturbed during normal occupation, routine maintenance, or minor installation work.

A management survey is minimally intrusive and does not require the premises to be vacated. Surveyors need full access to all areas, including those often overlooked. The scope must include:

• All rooms, corridors, stairwells, basements, and cellars
• Ceiling voids and above false ceilings
• Underfloor areas and floor coverings
• Loft spaces, risers, service ducts, and lift shafts
• External areas, including roofs, soffits, and gutters

If access to an area is not possible during the survey, this must be recorded in the report, and the materials should be presumed to contain asbestos until confirmed otherwise.

The management survey produces a detailed report for the asbestos register and management plan. It does not authorise refurbishment or demolition work, which requires a separate, more intrusive survey.

Asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey

A refurbishment and demolition (R&D) survey is required before any structural work is carried out on a building, including refurbishment, fit-out, major maintenance activities that disturb building fabric, or full demolition. Under CAR 2012 Regulation 7, all ACMs must be identified and removed, as far as is reasonably practicable, before work begins.

An R&D survey is fully intrusive. Surveyors must access all areas affected by planned works, including concealed voids, cavities, and structural elements not covered by a management survey. This involves destructive inspection techniques such as lifting floor coverings, breaking through walls, removing ceiling tiles, and opening risers and service areas.

The surveyed area must be vacated during the inspection and certified as fit for reoccupation before use. For refurbishment surveys, the scope is defined by the planned works. For demolition surveys, the entire building must be covered.

Refurbishment or demolition without a suitable R&D survey is a legal offense. It puts workers at risk of asbestos exposure and exposes duty holders, contractors, and clients to enforcement action and liability.

Which survey type do you need?

The appropriate survey depends on the building’s current use and any planned work. The two survey types serve different functions, and a building may require both at different times.

If a building is occupied and no structural work is planned, a management survey is required. It provides the information needed to maintain an asbestos register, brief contractors, and demonstrate compliance.

If structural, refurbishment, or demolition work is planned, or if maintenance will disturb building fabric beyond the scope of a management survey, an R&D survey is required before work begins. A management survey alone is not sufficient to authorise structural works.

Many organisations start with a management survey when taking control of a building and commission an R&D survey for planned works. After major refurbishment, the R&D survey may inform an updated management survey and register. A competent asbestos consultant can advise on the appropriate sequence for your building or project.

What the survey process involves

All survey types follow a structured process from initial instruction to a usable compliance record.

Before the survey, ACMS will gather key pieces of information about the premises, including age, construction type, current use, occupancy, and existing asbestos records. This scoping stage ensures the survey is thorough and properly resourced.

During the survey, qualified surveyors will systematically inspect all relevant areas and collect samples of suspect materials for laboratory analysis. If sampling is not possible, materials are presumed to contain asbestos and treated accordingly. All findings are recorded on site with photographic evidence.

The survey report details the location, type, extent, and condition of each identified or presumed ACM. Each material receives a condition rating and risk score based on accessibility, likelihood of disturbance, and potential for fibre release. The report includes recommendations for management, encapsulation, or removal as needed.

ACMS records survey findings directly into our Vision Pro Software, creating a live asbestos register from day one. Contractors and maintenance teams receive controlled access to relevant data before work begins, meeting the duty to inform under CAR 2012. Automated re-inspection schedules keep the register current without added administrative burden.

Asbestos surveyor competence and UKAS accreditation

HSE guidance states that asbestos surveys must be conducted by a competent surveyor with the necessary qualifications, experience, and sector knowledge. An inadequate survey does not fulfill the duty to manage and may leave real risks unaddressed.

The HSE strongly recommends using a UKAS-accredited organisation for asbestos surveys. UKAS is the sole recognised accreditation body in Great Britain for asbestos inspection bodies, and accreditation to the relevant standard provides independent assurance that the surveyor’s technical competence and quality management systems meet the requirements of HSG264.

ACMS surveys comply fully with HSG264 and HSG248 and are conducted by qualified, accredited professionals. Every survey, from single buildings to complex estates, reflects our commitment to technical rigor and defensible compliance.

From survey to ongoing compliance management

A survey report is the foundation for ongoing asbestos management. Its value depends on acting on the findings, keeping the register current, and conducting timely re-inspections.

ACMS provides a managed approach to asbestos compliance beyond the initial survey. Survey data is stored in Vision Pro Software with photographs, condition ratings, risk scores, and management actions. Duty holders gain real-time portfolio visibility and receive automated alerts for re-inspections, overdue actions, and changes in ACM condition.

Contractors can access relevant sections of the register before work begins, meeting the duty to inform and ensuring a clear audit trail. Re-inspection findings are logged against existing records, so the register always reflects the building’s current condition.

For organisations managing complex or multi-site estates, this approach replaces fragmented paper-based systems. It provides integrated, evidence-based oversight, enabling duty holders to demonstrate defensible compliance to boards, insurers, and regulators.