WHEN IS A COMMERCIAL ASBESTOS SURVEY NEEDED?
An asbestos management survey has to be in place for any non-domestic property built before 2000. This includes commercial office and retail space as well as industrial premises. If the property has any history of containing asbestos, the survey has to be re-inspected on a regular basis (typically once a year) and any recommendations actioned accordingly.
In addition, any commercial property built before 2000 that is earmarked for refurbishment or demolition requires a separate refurbishment and demolition survey. These are the regulations stipulated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
At Bradley-Mason LLP, we have specialist commercial asbestos surveyors to deal with all types of commercial properties that may be suffering from ACM problems. Depending on various factors, including age and type of building, access and visibility issues, different types of survey may be suitable.
MANAGEMENT SURVEY (FORMERLY TYPE 2 ASBESTOS SURVEY)
Minimally intrusive, this identifies and locates the presence of ACMs in a commercial building at the most basic level. It is used to assess the condition of ACMs and provides a risk assessment for any disturbance.
REFURBISHMENT & DEMOLITION SURVEYS (FORMERLY TYPE 3 ASBESTOS SURVEY)
Before any work can take place to refurbish or demolish the building, a refurbishment and demolition survey needs to be completed. Used to identify and locate all ACMs in the property, with full access needed for inspection, this type of survey is intrusive and may cause damage.
Bradley-Mason’s team of expert surveyors and building consultants are experienced in dealing with commercial asbestos surveys for any type of commercial property – from small office buildings to large tower blocks. With regional offices across the UK, we can respond quickly to any urgent commercial asbestos survey enquiry. Management Surveys can be carried out by Bradley-Mason’s in-house team while we recommend a specialist firm to deal specifically with Demolition Surveys.
SPECIFIC OR COMBINED ADVICE
We are often asked to inspect a specific piece of material which has been discovered during works on site which it has not been previously identified in a client’s Asbestos Report. We offer a swift and rapid response to inspect individual products and advise on the asbestos content, the risks posed and the need for further surveys.
Being dual qualified as Chartered Building Surveyors and Asbestos Surveyors we are able to take samples of any suspect materials discovered during one of our Building Surveys, Acquisition Surveys or Due Diligence Surveys. This combined advice prevents the need for an instruction of a separate survey, whilst ensuring specialist access we have in place such as cherry picker or MEWP and delays avoided in the acquisition process.
AREAS WE CARRY OUT COMMERCIAL ASBESTOS SURVEYS
From our Head Office in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, Bradley-Mason LLP operate on a nationwide basis, with commercial clients across London, Bristol, Manchester, Sheffield and Northern Ireland. Our specialist team of project managers and building surveyors brings a ‘hands on’ approach to every project, working with each individual client to ensure complete satisfaction.
FAQS
Asbestos is a naturally occurring material that has the potential to cause significant damage to your health. If the material is damaged or disturbed, asbestos fibres will be released into the air, where they can be breathed into the lungs. Once in the lungs, these fibres are almost impossible to remove and they cause damage over a long period of time. Repeated exposure to asbestos can lead to a number of serious and potentially fatal conditions, including cancers. However, many symptoms do not show at all until years after the exposure occurs.
Asbestos is almost always mixed with other materials – as such, it can be extremely difficult to establish whether asbestos is present in a property simply by looking. Asbestos is commonly found between floor joists and inside walls, providing insulation, but it is also used in textured coatings such as Artex, floor and ceiling tiles, cement (especially in out buildings) and sprayed coatings.
If you believe you have found asbestos at your property, it is important to have an asbestos survey carried out. If the survey confirms the presence of asbestos, it will also provide information on its current condition, as well as provide guidance and next steps in order to minimise the risk of asbestos exposure.
Owners of non-residential property must have an asbestos management plan in place to ensure that no-one is at risk of asbestos exposure when they work at or visit the premises. An asbestos management plan is a legal requirement in accordance with Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. Having an asbestos survey carried out is the first step in creating an asbestos management plan.
There may be other times when an asbestos survey is required – for example, before entering a lease or when buying or selling a property.
No, there are two distinct types of asbestos survey. Management surveys are less intrusive and look for asbestos and ACMs across the building – these surveys were previously known as Type 2 surveys. Refurbishment and demolition surveys are important if you are carrying out significant building work or demolishing the property, either in part or in full. Previously known as Type 3 surveys, these are more in-depth, intrusive surveys.
An asbestos management plan is required in non-residential properties. It lists any known asbestos in a property, as well as details on the current condition of the asbestos. The asbestos management plan additionally makes provisions for minimising the risk of asbestos exposure.
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