What to Do If You Discover Asbestos: Your Step-by-Step Response Guide
Finding asbestos in a building can bring work to an immediate standstill — and that is exactly the right reaction. Knowing precisely what to do if you discover asbestos is the difference between a controlled, legally compliant response and a situation that puts lives at risk and exposes your organisation to serious legal consequences. Whether you manage an industrial facility, oversee a refurbishment project, or carry out routine maintenance, the steps you take in the first few minutes matter enormously.
How to Identify Suspected Asbestos-Containing Materials
Asbestos cannot be identified by sight alone with any certainty. It was used in hundreds of building products — insulation, ceiling tiles, floor tiles, pipe lagging, roofing sheets, textured coatings, and partition boards — and most of these look completely unremarkable.
The key rule is straightforward: if your building was constructed or refurbished before 2000, assume asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) may be present until proven otherwise. The ban on all asbestos use in the UK came into effect in 1999, but materials installed before that date remain in millions of buildings across the country.
Common locations where ACMs are found include:
- Suspended ceiling tiles and ceiling boards
- Pipe and boiler insulation
- Textured coatings on walls and ceilings, such as Artex
- Roof sheets and guttering
- Floor tiles and the adhesive beneath them
- Partition walls and fire doors
- Electrical switchgear and fuse boxes
- Sprayed coatings on structural steelwork
Never attempt to sample or test suspected ACMs yourself. Disturbing the material releases fibres into the air — and that is where the danger lies. Asbestos fibres are microscopic, odourless, and completely invisible to the naked eye.
Your Immediate Response: The First Steps After Discovery
The moment you suspect you have found asbestos — or a worker accidentally disturbs a material that may contain it — your response in the next few minutes is critical. Do not wait to be certain before acting.
Stop Work and Secure the Area
Halt all activity in the affected area immediately. Do not attempt to clean up dust or debris — this will only disturb more fibres and spread contamination further.
Clear all personnel from the zone and establish a physical barrier using tape, signage, or hoarding. Post clear warning signs indicating the potential presence of asbestos. Only workers with appropriate training and personal protective equipment (PPE) should be permitted to re-enter the secured zone, and only when absolutely necessary.
Control Ventilation
Switch off any ventilation, air conditioning, or heating systems that serve the affected area. These systems can carry airborne fibres into other parts of the building, spreading contamination far beyond the original disturbance point.
If the disturbance has been significant, a specialist air monitoring assessment may be needed before the area is re-entered or ventilation systems are restarted. Do not assume the air is safe without evidence.
Notify Management and Relevant Authorities
Report the discovery to your line manager or the responsible person for the site without delay. In a commercial or industrial setting, there will typically be a designated duty holder under the Control of Asbestos Regulations — they need to know immediately.
If asbestos has been disturbed and workers may have been exposed, you are likely to have reporting obligations under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations). Your employer or safety officer should assess this promptly. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) may also need to be notified depending on the nature and scale of the incident.
Understanding Your Legal Obligations
Knowing what to do if you discover asbestos means understanding the legal framework that governs your response. Getting this wrong is not just a safety issue — it carries serious legal consequences for duty holders and employers alike.
The Control of Asbestos Regulations
The Control of Asbestos Regulations is the primary legislation governing asbestos management in the UK. It applies to all non-domestic premises and places clear duties on those who own, occupy, or manage buildings.
Under these regulations, duty holders must:
- Take reasonable steps to find out if ACMs are present in their premises
- Assess the condition of any ACMs found
- Presume materials contain asbestos unless there is strong evidence to the contrary
- Produce and maintain a written asbestos management plan
- Keep an up-to-date asbestos register
- Ensure anyone who may disturb ACMs is informed of their location and condition
The HSE’s guidance document HSG264 provides detailed technical guidance on asbestos surveys and is the standard reference for surveyors and duty holders across the UK.
The Duty to Manage
The duty to manage asbestos sits with the person responsible for maintaining the premises — this could be a building owner, facilities manager, or employer. The duty is not simply to remove asbestos, but to manage it safely.
In many cases, ACMs that are in good condition and are unlikely to be disturbed can be safely left in place and managed through monitoring and a robust management plan. However, if ACMs are damaged, deteriorating, or in a location where they will be disturbed by maintenance or construction work, action must be taken without delay.
Commissioning a Professional Asbestos Survey
If asbestos has been discovered — or if you simply do not know whether your premises contain ACMs — commissioning a professional asbestos survey is the most important step you can take. There are two main types of survey, and choosing the right one matters.
Management Survey
A management survey is designed to locate ACMs that could be disturbed during normal occupation and routine maintenance. It is the standard survey for most commercial and industrial premises and forms the basis of your asbestos management plan and register.
This type of survey involves some minor intrusive inspection but is not destructive. The surveyor will take samples of suspected materials and have them analysed by a UKAS-accredited laboratory, giving you a reliable, documented picture of what is present in your building.
Refurbishment and Demolition Survey
If your premises are undergoing significant refurbishment, alteration, or demolition, a demolition survey is required before work begins. This is a fully intrusive survey that aims to locate all ACMs in the areas to be worked on, including those that are hidden or inaccessible during normal occupation.
Skipping this survey before refurbishment or demolition work is not only dangerous — it is a breach of the Control of Asbestos Regulations and could result in prosecution.
Supernova Asbestos Surveys carries out both types of survey across the UK. If you are based in the capital, our asbestos survey London service covers all London boroughs and surrounding areas. For the North West, our asbestos survey Manchester team operates across Greater Manchester and beyond. In the Midlands, our asbestos survey Birmingham service is available throughout the region.
Building and Maintaining Your Asbestos Register
An asbestos register is a legal requirement for non-domestic premises. It must record the location, type, and condition of all known or presumed ACMs in the building, along with a risk assessment for each material.
The register should be:
- Kept on site and readily accessible at all times
- Made available to contractors before they begin any work on the premises
- Updated whenever new ACMs are found or existing ones are disturbed or removed
- Reviewed regularly as part of your asbestos management plan
A register that is out of date, incomplete, or not shared with contractors is as dangerous as having no register at all. Contractors who are not informed about ACMs may inadvertently disturb them, putting themselves and others at risk and potentially triggering a serious incident.
Developing an Asbestos Management Plan
An asbestos management plan sets out how your organisation will manage the ACMs identified in your survey. It is a living document — not something you produce once and file away.
A robust plan should include:
- A summary of all ACMs and their risk ratings
- Details of who is responsible for managing each material
- A schedule for regular re-inspection of ACMs
- Procedures for informing contractors and workers
- Actions required if ACMs deteriorate or are disturbed
- Records of all asbestos-related work carried out on the premises
Review the plan at least annually, or sooner if there are changes to the building, its use, or the condition of any ACMs. Air monitoring results and health surveillance data should feed into these reviews.
When Does Asbestos Need to Be Removed?
Not all asbestos needs to be removed. In fact, disturbing ACMs that are in good condition and unlikely to be touched can create more risk than leaving them in place. However, removal is necessary in certain circumstances, and when it is required, the work must be handled correctly.
Licensed Removal Work
The most hazardous forms of asbestos — including sprayed coatings, asbestos insulation board (AIB), and asbestos lagging — must be removed by a contractor licensed by the HSE. This is non-negotiable. Attempting to remove these materials without a licence is illegal and extremely dangerous.
Licensed asbestos removal contractors are trained to work in fully controlled conditions, using specialist enclosures, negative pressure units, and HEPA-filtered equipment. They are also required to notify the HSE before commencing licensed work.
Notifiable Non-Licensed Work (NNLW)
Some asbestos work falls below the threshold for licensed removal but still requires notification to the HSE. This is known as notifiable non-licensed work (NNLW) and covers tasks such as working with asbestos cement products or certain floor tiles.
Employers carrying out NNLW must:
- Notify the HSE before work begins
- Conduct a thorough risk assessment
- Provide appropriate PPE, including FFP3 respirators with face-fit testing
- Keep health records for workers involved
- Follow decontamination procedures after work is completed
Non-Licensed Work
Minor, short-duration work with low-risk ACMs may be carried out without a licence or HSE notification, but it must still be properly planned, risk-assessed, and carried out with appropriate PPE. If there is any doubt about the category of work, consult a qualified asbestos consultant before proceeding. When in doubt, treat the work as licensed until you know otherwise.
PPE and Safety Measures During Asbestos Work
Whether you are securing an area after discovery or overseeing removal work, appropriate PPE is essential. The right equipment must be selected based on the level of risk involved.
For any work involving potential asbestos disturbance, this means:
- Respiratory protective equipment (RPE): As a minimum, FFP3 disposable respirators for low-risk work; powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs) or full-face masks with P3 filters for higher-risk activities
- Disposable coveralls: Type 5 disposable coveralls to prevent fibre contamination of clothing
- Gloves and overshoes: To prevent carrying fibres out of the work area
Critically, all RPE must be face-fit tested. A poorly fitting mask provides little to no protection. Face-fit testing must be carried out by a competent person and repeated if the worker’s face shape changes significantly — for example, due to significant weight change or dental work.
Asbestos Awareness Training for Workers
Every worker who may encounter asbestos in the course of their work — whether they are a maintenance technician, site manager, or facilities coordinator — must receive appropriate asbestos awareness training. This is not optional.
Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, employers must ensure that workers who are liable to disturb ACMs receive training before they do so. Refresher training should be carried out at regular intervals — at least every three years, though annual refreshers are considered best practice in high-risk environments.
Training should cover:
- The properties of asbestos and the health risks it poses
- The types of ACMs workers may encounter
- How to recognise potential ACMs
- The importance of the asbestos register and management plan
- What to do if asbestos is discovered or disturbed
- Correct use and disposal of PPE
Reporting Asbestos Exposure Incidents
If workers have been exposed to asbestos fibres — whether through an accidental disturbance or a failure in controls — this must be reported and recorded promptly. Delays in reporting can complicate both the health response and any subsequent investigation.
Under RIDDOR, certain asbestos-related incidents are reportable to the HSE. Your safety officer or HR team should be familiar with the thresholds for reporting. All exposed workers should be referred to occupational health as a matter of priority, and their exposure should be documented in their health records.
Workers who have been exposed to asbestos may be eligible for health surveillance under the Control of Asbestos Regulations. This is not a one-off check — it is an ongoing process designed to detect any signs of asbestos-related disease as early as possible.
Practical Checklist: What to Do If You Discover Asbestos
To summarise your response into clear, actionable steps:
- Stop all work in the affected area immediately
- Clear all personnel and establish a physical exclusion zone
- Post warning signage at all access points
- Switch off ventilation systems serving the area
- Notify the duty holder or responsible person on site
- Assess whether RIDDOR reporting obligations apply
- Contact a qualified asbestos surveyor to inspect and sample the material
- Do not re-enter the area until it has been declared safe
- Commission the appropriate survey type based on your planned works
- Update your asbestos register and management plan with the new findings
- Arrange licensed removal if required before any further work proceeds
- Ensure all workers involved receive appropriate training and health surveillance
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do immediately if I find asbestos at work?
Stop all work in the affected area straight away. Clear everyone from the zone, switch off any ventilation systems serving the area, and establish a physical barrier with clear warning signage. Notify your site’s duty holder or responsible person immediately. Do not attempt to clean up, sample, or move any suspected asbestos-containing material — contact a qualified asbestos surveyor to inspect and advise.
Is it always necessary to remove asbestos once it has been found?
No. ACMs that are in good condition and are unlikely to be disturbed can often be safely left in place and managed through a documented asbestos management plan and regular re-inspection. Removal is required when materials are damaged, deteriorating, or located in areas where they will be disturbed by refurbishment, maintenance, or demolition work. A qualified surveyor will advise on the appropriate course of action based on the material’s condition and location.
Who is legally responsible for managing asbestos in a commercial building?
Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, the duty to manage asbestos falls on the person responsible for maintaining the non-domestic premises — typically the building owner, facilities manager, or employer. This duty holder must take reasonable steps to find ACMs, assess their condition, maintain an asbestos register, and produce and implement an asbestos management plan. Failing to meet these obligations can result in prosecution by the HSE.
What type of survey do I need if I am planning refurbishment or demolition?
You will need a refurbishment and demolition survey before any significant refurbishment, alteration, or demolition work begins. This is a fully intrusive survey that locates all ACMs in the areas to be worked on, including those hidden behind walls, above ceilings, or beneath floors. A standard management survey is not sufficient for this purpose. The survey must be completed before any contractors begin work on the affected areas.
Can I carry out asbestos removal myself?
Only for certain very low-risk, non-licensed work — and even then, strict controls apply. The most hazardous ACMs, including sprayed coatings, asbestos insulation board, and asbestos lagging, must be removed by an HSE-licensed contractor. Attempting to remove these materials without a licence is illegal. If you are unsure which category your material falls into, always seek advice from a qualified asbestos consultant before any work takes place.
Get Expert Help From Supernova Asbestos Surveys
Supernova Asbestos Surveys has completed over 50,000 surveys across the UK, working with building owners, facilities managers, contractors, and local authorities to identify, manage, and remove asbestos safely and in full compliance with UK regulations.
If you have discovered suspected asbestos, do not delay. Our qualified surveyors can attend your site promptly, carry out the appropriate inspection, and provide you with a clear, actionable report. We cover the whole of the UK, with dedicated teams in London, Manchester, Birmingham, and beyond.
Call us today on 020 4586 0680 or visit asbestos-surveys.org.uk to arrange a survey or speak to one of our team about your specific situation. The sooner you act, the sooner you can get your site moving safely again.