Asbestos

If the asbestos material product is in good condition, not likely to be damaged and not likely to be worked on, it may be safe to leave it where it is. It is good to review its condition regularly. Business are required to do this, they have a duty to manage asbestos. Businesses must also know where asbestos is, or where it maybe located, within their building. They must survey for asbestos if works are to be undertaken that may disrupt the fabric of a building.

Working with asbestos material is a specialist, skilled job. It is normally carried out by licenced contractors with specialist training recognised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Removal of asbestos materials by a business/contractor requires appropriate registration as a waste carrier with the Environment Agency. There are different ways asbestos can be legally handled. A brief overview is given below, and more information is available on the HSE website.

Licenced work

Work on most asbestos must be carried out by specialist contractors licenced by the HSE. Protective measures are needed including surveillance (of the environment and the workmen) and diligent record keeping. This is the case with asbestos that will disintegrate on handling such as when asbestos is found in insulation, lagging or seals etc. Licensed work is highly skilled.

The Construction Industry Advisory Committee has a list of licensed asbestos contractors.

Notifiable non-licenced work

Specialist contractors, appropriately trained, are needed for lower risk works which, although not licenced, must be notified to the HSE. This type of work includes asbestos sheets that may break up upon removal and some short duration works etc. As with licenced work, protective measures are required and contractors need to be competent. 

Lower risk work

There are some examples of non-licensed work with asbestos, but no work on asbestos is without serious risks. Some trained workers can, however, remove asbestos sheeting and other products or do small minor works, for example, encapsulation of undamaged asbestos. This work occurs mainly when the asbestos material has minimal disturbance and is not damaged during the work, such as when the products do not break up.

Householders themselves may also remove intact asbestos materials if they have the training on asbestos and can do so without breaking them up, for example, asbestos cement roofing sheets or garage panels. It is difficult to do this work safely. Knowledge, skill, and training are required. It is not recommended. 

Any asbestos sampling should be undertaken at a UKAS approved laboratory.

Guidance on non-licensed work involving asbestos can be found on the HSE’s asbestos essentials website.

Disposal

Normally, asbestos disposal is a speciallist job and your specialist contractor will be able to arange this.   

Domestic householders can take a small amount of asbestos cement materials to a county council recycling centre by prior arrangement - see the Recycle for Gloucestershire asbestos page for information.