If you own or manage a building in Llandudno or anywhere across North Wales, the question of asbestos may well have crossed your mind, particularly if the building was constructed before the year 2000. Asbestos was not fully banned in the UK until 1999, which means it is present in a significant proportion of the country’s existing building stock. For many property owners, landlords, employers and facilities managers, that is not ancient history. It is an active legal obligation that needs to be managed. But what exactly is an asbestos survey, who needs one, and what does the process actually involve?
Why Asbestos Still Matters
Asbestos was used extensively in UK construction from the 1950s right through to the late 1990s. It was valued for its fire-resistant and insulating properties and was incorporated into a huge range of building materials, from roof tiles, ceiling panels and floor tiles to pipe lagging, textured coatings like Artex and certain types of plaster. The fact that it was so widely used is precisely why it remains such a relevant issue today.
When asbestos-containing materials are in good condition and left completely undisturbed, they generally present a low risk. The danger arises when the material is damaged, deteriorating or disturbed during building work or maintenance, which can release microscopic fibres into the air. Those fibres, when inhaled over time, can cause serious diseases including mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. These conditions typically develop many years after the original exposure and are in most cases fatal. Asbestos-related disease still kills around 5,000 people in the UK every year, more than any other occupational health hazard.
The Legal Duty to Manage Asbestos
The legal framework is set out in Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, known as the duty to manage. Anyone with responsibility for the maintenance or repair of non-domestic premises, whether that is a landlord, employer, managing agent or facilities manager, has a legal obligation to manage the risk of asbestos. That obligation does not disappear if no building work is planned. It applies simply by virtue of having responsibility for the premises.
Meeting the duty means having an up-to-date survey, knowing where asbestos-containing materials are and what condition they are in, assessing the risk they present and having a written asbestos management plan in place. The plan must be kept current and must be made available to anyone carrying out work that might disturb the building fabric.
The Three Types of Asbestos Survey
There are three types of survey, each designed for a different situation.
A management survey is the standard survey for any building in normal everyday use. It identifies asbestos-containing materials in accessible areas and provides the information needed to compile an asbestos management plan. The surveyor takes samples of suspected materials which are analysed in a laboratory. The report details the type, location, condition and risk score of every identified material, along with a floor plan showing where each item was found.
A refurbishment survey is required before any renovation or refurbishment work begins. It is more intrusive than a management survey and focuses on the areas to be affected by the planned works. It must be completed before contractors start, so that any asbestos present is identified and properly managed before the building fabric is disturbed. Finding asbestos during a live project causes delays and significant additional cost.
A demolition survey is the most comprehensive type and is legally required before any building is demolished. It covers the entire structure to locate all asbestos-containing materials so they can be safely removed before demolition work begins.
Who Needs a Survey?
If you are responsible for a commercial property, school, public building, block of flats or any other non-domestic premises built before 2000, a management survey is almost certainly a legal requirement. If building or refurbishment work is being planned, a refurbishment survey is essential before work starts. Even where a building has previously been surveyed, it is worth checking whether the survey is still current and whether changes to the building have taken place since it was completed. Asbestos management plans should be reviewed regularly and updated whenever the condition of known materials changes.
Choosing the Right Surveyor
The quality of an asbestos survey depends entirely on the competency of the company carrying it out. UKAS accreditation is the key thing to look for. UKAS (the United Kingdom Accreditation Service) is the national body appointed by the government to independently assess inspection and testing organisations. Accreditation confirms that a company’s methods, equipment and staff qualifications meet a recognised national standard that is actively monitored.
Surveyors should also hold BOHS qualifications. The British Occupational Hygiene Society issues professional certificates in asbestos surveying (P402) and analysis (P403/P404) that confirm individual competency through formal, assessed training.
For professional UKAS acredited asbestos surveys in North Wales and the wider North West, JB Monitor are Colwyn Bay-based specialists with full UKAS accreditation (surveying ref 0294, laboratory ref 2075), BOHS-qualified surveyors and their own in-house laboratory for fast, reliable sample analysis. They carry out management, refurbishment and demolition surveys across all building types and cover Llandudno, Conwy, Wrexham, Chester, Manchester and the wider North West.
North Wales: 01492 536 444 | Manchester: 0161 359 3684
www.jbmonitor.co.ukWhat Is an Asbestos Survey and Does Your Building Need One?
