Asbestos Surveys

ADMAS LTD has an experienced team of asbestos survey professionals, who are able to carry out comprehensive building surveys that will identify the presence of asbestos. Our surveyors are all holders of the BOHS (British Occupational Hygiene Society) P402 qualification – the statutory proficiency certificate in ‘Building Surveys and Bulk sampling for Asbestos’. ADMAS LTD is accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) to ISO 17020 to undertake asbestos surveys of all types.

Our surveys and sampling techniques for suspected Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs), are carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance documents “HSG264“ Asbestos: The survey guide and “HSG227” A comprehensive guide to Managing Asbestos in premises.

HSG264 defines Two types of asbestos survey that can be undertaken for locating and assessing the condition of ACMs.

Management Surveys

A management survey is the standard survey. Its purpose is to locate, as far as practicable, the presence and extent of any suspect ACMs in the building which could be damaged or disturbed during normal occupancy, including foreseeable maintenance and installation, and to assess their condition.

Refurbishment and demolition surveys

A refurbishment and demolition survey is needed before any refurbishment or demolition work is carried out. This type of survey is used to locate and describe, as far as reasonably practicable, all ACMs in the area where the refurbishment work will take place or in the whole building if demolition is planned. The survey will be fully intrusive and involve destructive inspection, as necessary, to gain access to all areas, including those that may be difficult to reach. A refurbishment and demolition survey may also be required in other circumstances, eg when more intrusive maintenance and repair work will be carried out or for plant removal or dismantling.

ADMAS Ltd is also able to offer an ongoing service, of regular re-inspections to assist our clients with their ongoing asbestos management.

Sample Analysis

All samples obtained during the surveys are analysed in our in-house laboratory accredited by UKAS to ISO 17025. Our laboratory participates and satisfactorily performs in the Asbestos in Materials Scheme (AIMS) the HSE’s national proficiency testing program for bulk sample analysis.

Survey Reports

On completion of the survey, a full colour, bound report will be issued. This can be used, by the Dutyholder, to create a management plan in compliance with the asbestos regulations. Included in the report will be information that will show the asbestos Material Assessment (MA) score produced from the survey results, which with our recommendations will guide the Dutyholder to determine the appropriate action for each located ACM. The report will provide certificates of analysis, details of asbestos type, product, locations, Material Assessments of ACMs (including presumed ACMs) and individual Asbestos Register sheets complete with photograph and full details for each ACM.

Information is gathered during the survey that enables a Material Assessment (MA) score to be produced. This score is an assessment of the type and condition of the ACM, or presumed ACM, and the likelihood of it releasing fibres if disturbed. This gives an initial guide to prioritising action. MA’s identify materials that will most readily release fibres when disturbed. To determine whether such a disturbance is likely a Risk Assessment must be carried out.

Risk Assessments of ACMs

A Risk Assessment for an ACM must be carried out and comprises of a Material Assessment score and a Priority Assessment (PA) score. Priority Assessments look at the likelihood of an ACM being disturbed and requires detailed knowledge of a site and its day to day workings to complete. ADMAS LTD provides the Material Assessment, and is able to assist in the production of Priority Assessments in direct consultation with the Dutyholder or their representative.

Asbestos Register

The Asbestos Register is to record and enable the Dutyholder to identify the presence of ACMs to all those working in the building who are likely to come into contact with said ACMs. The register forms the record for the ongoing management of the asbestos by means of regular inspection and remedial action where appropriate. ADMAS Ltd provides the survey findings on a comprehensive Asbestos Register but the details are applicable only for the time period at which the survey was carried out. The Dutyholder is required to review, monitor and amend the Asbestos Register at regular intervals in order to continually update both the Register and Management Plan.

The aim of an Asbestos Survey and Register is not necessarily to identify all ACMs within a building for removal, but to use the information to develop a Management Plan that may include options such as encapsulation and regular review to ensure that the risk assessment of a particular ACM has not increased. The HSE view removal as the final and least favoured option in managing asbestos safely. It is therefore necessary to use the information provided in the Asbestos Survey to develop an Asbestos Register.

Bulk Sampling

In the instances where a full asbestos survey is not appropriate or a client wishes laboratory analysis to be undertaken to confirm the composition of materials presumed to be asbestos, ADMAS LTD is able to offer a call out service to visit your site and take bulk samples of materials which you consider suspicious. The sampling will be limited only to those materials that you consider suspect. Results are normally issued between 24-48 hours however, our fast track analysis by our in-house UKAS accredited laboratory will ensure that the results are provided the same day. In all cases we will offer practical and concise advice on the most appropriate way to proceed.