What Every Property Owner Must Know About How to Identify and Manage Asbestos
Asbestos is still present in a significant proportion of UK buildings constructed before 2000 — and the legal, financial, and human cost of getting it wrong is enormous. If you own or manage a non-domestic property, knowing how to identify and manage asbestos is not optional. It is a legal duty, and failing to meet it can result in prosecution, hefty fines, and — far more seriously — preventable illness and death.
This post walks you through your legal obligations, how to develop a working asbestos management plan, what happens after removal, and when to call in the professionals.
Understanding the Duty to Manage Asbestos
The Control of Asbestos Regulations place a clear duty on those who own, occupy, or are responsible for non-domestic premises. This person — known as the dutyholder — must take reasonable steps to identify whether asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are present, assess their condition, and manage any risk they pose.
Crucially, the regulations do not require you to remove all asbestos. In many cases, asbestos that is in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed is safer left in place and managed. The key obligation is to know what you have and act accordingly.
Who Is the Dutyholder?
The dutyholder is typically the building owner, employer, or anyone with contractual or tenancy-based responsibility for maintaining the premises. If there is any ambiguity about who holds this duty, the building owner is responsible by default.
In multi-tenanted commercial properties, dutyholders must cooperate with each other where responsibility is shared. This is not an area where assumptions should be made — get it confirmed in writing.
What the Regulations Require
Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, dutyholders must:
- Take reasonable steps to find out if ACMs are present and where they are located
- Presume materials contain asbestos unless there is strong evidence to the contrary
- Assess the condition of any ACMs and the risk they present
- Prepare and implement a written asbestos management plan
- Review and update the plan regularly
- Provide information about ACMs to anyone who may disturb them
The HSE’s guidance document HSG264 provides detailed technical guidance on how surveys should be conducted and what the management plan must contain. Familiarise yourself with it, or work with a surveyor who applies it rigorously.
How to Identify Asbestos in Your Building
You cannot manage what you do not know about. The starting point for any asbestos management programme is a thorough, professional survey of your premises.
Commissioning an Asbestos Management Survey
An asbestos management survey is the standard survey for most occupied buildings. It is designed to locate, as far as reasonably practicable, all ACMs that could be disturbed during normal occupation and routine maintenance.
The survey will identify the type, location, quantity, and condition of any ACMs found, and assign a risk score to each material — helping you prioritise action. This forms the foundation of your asbestos register.
Always use a UKAS-accredited surveying company. Unaccredited surveys may not be recognised as legally compliant and could leave gaps in your records that create serious liability.
Where Asbestos Is Commonly Found
Asbestos was used extensively in UK construction until its full ban in 1999. Common locations include:
- Ceiling tiles and textured coatings such as Artex
- Floor tiles and the adhesive beneath them
- Pipe lagging and boiler insulation
- Roof sheets and soffit boards
- Insulating board used in fire doors, partitions, and ceiling panels
- Sprayed coatings on structural steelwork
- Gaskets and rope seals in older heating systems
Any building constructed or refurbished before 2000 should be treated as potentially containing asbestos until a survey proves otherwise. Do not assume that because a building looks modern on the inside, the original structure is free of ACMs.
When a Refurbishment or Demolition Survey Is Needed
If you are planning significant building work, a standard management survey is not sufficient. A demolition survey — also used for major refurbishments — is required before any intrusive work begins.
This type of survey is more disruptive. It involves sampling and inspecting areas that may be hidden or inaccessible, but it is essential for protecting workers and ensuring legal compliance during construction activity. Skipping it is not a cost saving — it is a liability.
Developing an Effective Asbestos Management Plan
Once your survey is complete and your asbestos register is in place, you need a written management plan. This is not a bureaucratic formality — it is a practical working document that tells you, your staff, and your contractors exactly what to do.
What the Plan Must Include
A robust asbestos management plan should cover:
- The location and condition of all identified ACMs
- A risk assessment for each material, including the likelihood of fibre release
- Decisions on whether each ACM will be managed in place, encapsulated, or removed
- Procedures for informing contractors and workers about ACM locations before work begins
- A schedule for regular re-inspections
- Emergency procedures if ACMs are accidentally disturbed
- Records of all actions taken, including any removal or repair work
The plan must be reviewed at least annually, or sooner if there has been a change in the building’s use, condition, or occupancy. A plan that sits in a filing cabinet and never gets updated is not a management plan — it is a liability document.
Risk Assessment and Prioritisation
Not all ACMs present the same level of risk. Asbestos cement roof sheets in good condition on an unoccupied roof pose a very different risk to damaged sprayed asbestos insulation in a busy plant room.
Your risk assessment should consider:
- The type of asbestos — amphibole types such as crocidolite and amosite carry higher risk than chrysotile
- The material’s condition — whether it is intact, damaged, or friable
- The likelihood of disturbance during normal maintenance activities
- The number of people who could be exposed if fibres were released
Higher-risk materials should be prioritised for remediation or more frequent monitoring. Lower-risk materials in good condition can often be managed in place with appropriate labelling and periodic inspection.
Labelling and Communication
Every ACM should be clearly labelled where it is safe and practical to do so. More importantly, information about ACM locations must be communicated to anyone who might disturb them — including maintenance contractors, electricians, plumbers, and building services engineers.
A permit-to-work system is strongly recommended. Before any work begins in an area where ACMs are present, the contractor must review the asbestos register and acknowledge the risks in writing. This protects them and it protects you.
Legal and Safety Obligations During and After Asbestos Work
If your risk assessment determines that ACMs need to be removed or repaired, there are strict legal requirements governing how that work is carried out.
Licensed vs. Non-Licensed Work
Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, most work with high-risk asbestos materials — including sprayed coatings, asbestos insulation board, and pipe lagging — must be carried out by a licensed contractor. Licensed asbestos removal contractors are regulated by the HSE and must notify the relevant enforcing authority before starting licensable work.
Some lower-risk work may be carried out without a licence, but it still requires proper risk assessment, appropriate controls, and in some cases notification to the relevant authority. If you are unsure which category your work falls into, take professional advice before proceeding.
For properties requiring professional asbestos removal, always verify that the contractor holds a current HSE licence and carries appropriate insurance. Cutting corners here is not worth the risk.
Documentation and Reporting
All asbestos-related work must be properly documented. This includes:
- Records of any surveys and re-inspections
- Risk assessments and management plan updates
- Details of any remediation, encapsulation, or removal work carried out
- Waste transfer notes for asbestos waste disposal
- Air monitoring results where required
Keep these records for as long as you own or manage the building. They are not just a legal requirement — they are essential evidence of due diligence if your asbestos management is ever challenged.
Post-Removal Obligations
Once asbestos has been removed, the job is not finished. You must update your asbestos register to reflect the change, confirm through air testing that the area is safe to reoccupy, and ensure that any residual ACMs still in the building remain on the register and within your management plan.
Do not assume that because some asbestos has been removed, the rest has gone too. Partial removal is common, and remaining materials still require active management.
Maintenance Strategies for Ongoing Asbestos Management
Knowing how to identify and manage asbestos is not a one-off exercise. It is an ongoing programme that requires consistent attention, good record-keeping, and regular professional input.
Regular Re-Inspections
ACMs must be re-inspected periodically to check that their condition has not deteriorated. The frequency will depend on the risk level assigned to each material, but annual inspections are the minimum standard for most managed properties.
During each re-inspection, the surveyor should assess whether the condition of each ACM has changed, whether any new work has disturbed materials, and whether the risk score needs to be revised. All findings must be recorded and the register updated accordingly.
Staff Training and Awareness
Anyone who works in or manages a building containing asbestos must receive appropriate awareness training. They do not need to be asbestos specialists — but they must understand what asbestos is, where it might be found, the risks it poses if disturbed, and what to do if they suspect they have encountered it.
For facilities managers and building maintenance teams, more detailed training on the asbestos management plan and permit-to-work procedures is strongly advisable. Regular refresher training keeps knowledge current and reduces the risk of accidental disturbance.
Managing Contractors Effectively
One of the most common causes of accidental asbestos disturbance is contractors who are not properly briefed before they start work. Before any contractor begins work on your premises, they must be informed of the location of all relevant ACMs and provided with the relevant sections of your asbestos register.
Ask contractors for their own asbestos awareness training records. A responsible contractor will welcome this — and any contractor who dismisses the question should be viewed with caution.
The Role of Asbestos Professionals
Managing asbestos effectively is not something most property owners can do entirely on their own. The technical knowledge required to conduct surveys, assess risk, and specify remediation work demands specialist expertise.
A competent asbestos surveying company will not just hand you a report and disappear. They will help you understand what the findings mean, advise on the most appropriate management strategy for your specific building, and support you in keeping your plan current and compliant.
Whether you need a management survey for a newly acquired property, a re-inspection of an existing register, or guidance on a planned refurbishment, working with experienced professionals is the most reliable way to stay on the right side of the law — and to protect the people in your building.
Asbestos Surveys Across the UK
Asbestos management obligations apply equally whether your property is in a major city or a rural location. Supernova Asbestos Surveys operates nationwide, with specialist teams covering all regions of England, Scotland, and Wales.
If you are based in the capital and need an asbestos survey London clients trust for accuracy and compliance, our London team is ready to help. We also provide a full asbestos survey Manchester service for properties across Greater Manchester and the North West, and our asbestos survey Birmingham team covers the Midlands and surrounding areas.
With over 50,000 surveys completed, we have the experience and accreditation to handle everything from routine management surveys on occupied offices to complex demolition surveys on large industrial sites. Every survey is conducted by UKAS-accredited professionals and delivered in full compliance with HSG264.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to remove asbestos from my building?
Not necessarily. The Control of Asbestos Regulations do not require you to remove all asbestos. If ACMs are in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed, managing them in place is often the safer and more practical option. Removal is required where materials are damaged, deteriorating, or where planned building work would disturb them.
What is the difference between a management survey and a demolition survey?
A management survey is used for occupied buildings during normal use and routine maintenance. It locates ACMs that could be disturbed under everyday conditions. A demolition survey is required before any major refurbishment or demolition work — it is more intrusive and designed to locate all ACMs, including those in hidden or inaccessible areas, to protect workers during construction activity.
How often does an asbestos management plan need to be reviewed?
Your asbestos management plan must be reviewed at least annually. It should also be updated sooner if there has been a change in the building’s use, occupancy, or physical condition, or following any work that has affected ACMs. Keeping the plan current is a legal requirement, not a recommendation.
Who is responsible for managing asbestos in a commercial building?
The dutyholder — typically the building owner, employer, or person with contractual responsibility for maintaining the premises — holds the legal duty to manage asbestos. In multi-tenanted buildings, responsibility may be shared, but this must be clearly defined and agreed in writing. Where responsibility is unclear, the building owner is accountable by default.
Can any contractor carry out asbestos removal work?
No. Most work involving high-risk asbestos materials — such as sprayed coatings, asbestos insulation board, and pipe lagging — must be carried out by a contractor licensed by the HSE. Always verify that your contractor holds a current HSE licence before any removal work begins. Using an unlicensed contractor for licensable work is a criminal offence and exposes you to significant legal liability.
Get Professional Help with Asbestos Management
If you need expert guidance on how to identify and manage asbestos in your property, Supernova Asbestos Surveys is here to help. With over 50,000 surveys completed nationwide, we provide UKAS-accredited management surveys, demolition surveys, re-inspections, and asbestos removal support tailored to your building and your obligations.
Call us on 020 4586 0680 or visit asbestos-surveys.org.uk to book a survey or speak to one of our specialists today.