Asbestos risk assessment explained.

The asbestos risk assessment process, step by step

An asbestos risk assessment turns "there might be asbestos here" into a clear plan. It starts with finding out what is present, judging how dangerous it is, and deciding what must happen before any work goes ahead. The survey, register and management plan are the tools that make this work.

1 - The asbestos survey

The survey is where it begins. A competent surveyor identifies the materials that are or could be asbestos containing and records them.

• A management survey covers asbestos that could be disturbed during normal use of a building.
• A refurbishment and demolition survey is more intrusive and is required before any major work.
• Samples may be taken and analysed to confirm whether asbestos is present.
• Where access is not possible, materials are presumed to contain asbestos until proven otherwise.

2 - Assessing the material

Not all asbestos containing materials are equally dangerous. The assessment considers the type of material and how easily it releases fibres.

• How friable is it - does it crumble easily, like lagging and sprayed coatings?
• Is it a bonded product, like asbestos cement, that holds fibres more firmly?
• Has it been sealed, painted or encapsulated?
• What type of asbestos is involved?

3 - Assessing condition, location and disturbance

Next, the assessment looks at the real-world risk the material poses where it sits.

• Is the material intact, or is it damaged, worn or already releasing fibres?
• Where is it, and who passes by or works near it?
• How likely is normal activity or planned work to disturb it?
• Could maintenance, vibration or accidental contact damage it over time?

4 - The register and management plan

The findings are recorded in an asbestos register and a written management plan, which must be kept live and shared with anyone who could disturb the material.

• The register lists known and presumed ACMs, their location and condition.
• The management plan sets out how the asbestos will be managed, monitored and reviewed.
• Both are checked before any work that could disturb the building fabric.

An asbestos risk assessment is only useful if it leads to action. Once the risk is known, controls must be put in place and the register kept up to date so nobody disturbs asbestos by accident.

Turning the assessment into controls

The findings drive the controls, following the order of priority used for asbestos:

1. Avoid - leave the asbestos undisturbed wherever possible; if work does not need to touch it, do not.
2. Manage in place - if a material is in good condition, it can often be sealed, labelled and monitored rather than removed.
3. Use the right people - higher-risk work and removal must be done only by trained or licensed asbestos contractors.
4. Control any release - use safe methods, RPE, PPE and decontamination where work near asbestos is genuinely necessary.
5. Inform and train - make sure everyone liable to disturb asbestos has Asbestos Awareness Training and can read the register.