How long is an asbestos survey valid for?
Last Updated on 10 October 2023
How Often Should An Asbestos Survey Be Carried Out To Remain valid?
Asking yourself “How long is an asbestos survey valid for?” or “How often does an asbestos survey need to be carried out on my premises?” Well, It all depends on the type of survey, the work you plan to do and if you are managing the asbestos currently.
In the UK, The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 is the legal framework which underpins what you must do to comply.
If you own or control a non-domestic property that was built before the year 2000 (Asbestos was banned in the UK in August 1999), then it should already have some form of asbestos register or valid survey.
Infact, any ‘commercial property’ built prior to the year 2000 must hold an asbestos survey by law. This is called a ‘Management asbestos survey’ and used to be known as a ‘Type 2’ survey.
If asbestos is present in a commercial property it must be managed and re-inspected regularly. This is where the confusion can arise. If you have a management asbestos survey and an appropriate asbestos management plan, only the plan needs updating regularly, not the survey.
The asbestos management plan effectively becomes the ‘live document’ that records all the changes within the property relating to asbestos and the trained person who will be collating and distributing information to contractors and staff.
However, if you plan to undertake ‘work’ on a property (Domestic or Commercial) then you require a more detailed asbestos survey. This is known as a ‘Refurbishment or Demolition asbestos survey’.
This also used to be called a ‘Type 3’ survey. This type of survey is generally valid for a period of up to 12 months, unless you have managed the asbestos in the interim. Following removal of asbestos, any management plan should be updated to reflect the changes.
Please note: If you have a Type 1 asbestos survey, these are no longer valid under the current regulations (Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012).
How often do asbestos registers need to be updated?
Following a Management survey, the only time you should need another asbestos survey is when you plan any material changes to the property that go outside the scope of the original survey.
This could be refurbishment, demolition or significant maintenance. In this case you will need a ‘Refurbishment/ Demolition asbestos survey’ which used to be called a Type 3 asbestos survey.
If any asbestos containing materials (ACMs) are found present in the property, under the regulations there is a legal duty to manage ACM’s within your property or the property you control.
As part of the asbestos management plan ACM’s should be inspected regularly and at least annually.
If you haven’t complied with this law for a period of time, you may well be expected to re-survey the property as the condition of the ACM’s may have changed and the original asbestos survey will therefore no longer be valid.
What is the asbestos register?
The asbestos register is a document that lists all identified or assumed asbestos in a building. The owner of the building is in charge of ensuring an asbestos register is in place and available to those who plan to carry out maintenance and related work on the property.
It can be kept on paper or an electronic device, but must be current and updated to ensure any changes made do not affect the health and safety of those in the building.
When was the use of asbestos in buildings banned in the UK?
Asbestos was fully banned in the UK in August 1999, because of the harm it can have on the human body. If asbestos fibres are inhaled, they can embed themselves into the lungs and cause fatal diseases.
Structures built or renovated prior to 2000 are likely to contain asbestos fibres, as it was used as a durable building material that was cheap, widely available and insulating before it was banned.
Book an asbestos survey today
Is your existing asbestos survey no longer valid or need a survey on a new property you own or manage? Whatever the reason, If you need any help or advice, or would like to book an asbestos survey for your property then please get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.
Call our friendly team on 0800 141 2676 or fill in our online contact form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
