Choose the right asbestos survey

Start with the decision the survey must support

HSG264 defines two survey types. They are not interchangeable: each is designed to answer a different question. Begin by being clear about the activity you are planning.

• Ongoing occupation and maintenance – locate asbestos‑containing materials (ACMs) that could be disturbed during normal use or foreseeable maintenance, so they can be managed.
• Refurbishment or demolition – locate ACMs within the specific work area (or the whole building for demolition) so risks can be assessed and addressed before work starts.

In Great Britain, the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 set out duties. Regulation 4 (the duty to manage) applies to non‑domestic premises and the common parts of multi‑occupancy domestic buildings. It requires reasonable steps to determine whether ACMs are present (or to presume their presence), to keep a record of their location and condition, and to manage the risk. The law does not prescribe a survey by name; a survey is the usual way to obtain the information needed.

Before work that may disturb the building fabric, the employer responsible for the work must make a suitable and sufficient assessment of whether asbestos is present, its type and condition, or assume it is present if there is doubt. A survey in line with HSG264 is the standard method of meeting this requirement where the scope is wider than a single, defined material.

Compare the survey types

Management survey

Purpose: to locate, as far as reasonably practicable, the presence and extent of ACMs that could be disturbed during normal occupation, including foreseeable maintenance and installation, and to assess their condition.

• Intrusiveness: minor intrusive work and disturbance.
• Method: inspection plus sampling where needed, or presumption.
• Output: an asbestos register with locations, extent and condition and (where sampled) the asbestos type; a material assessment to help prioritise management.
• Use: supports the duty to manage and day‑to‑day control of risks.

Refurbishment and demolition (R&D) survey

Purpose: to locate and describe, as far as reasonably practicable, all ACMs in the area where refurbishment or demolition will take place.

• Intrusiveness: fully intrusive and, where necessary, destructive.
• Method: access to all relevant areas within the defined scope. The survey area should be unoccupied and effectively isolated due to the level of disturbance involved.
• Output: a record of ACMs in the work area so that appropriate control measures or removal can be planned before work begins.
• Use: specific to the defined scope of works; not a substitute for a management survey in occupied areas outside that scope.

Key distinction: a management survey is not suitable for intrusive refurbishment work. Where only part of a building will be altered, a targeted R&D survey should be commissioned for that exact area.

Scope, access and limitations

Every survey is defined by its agreed scope and the access available. For management surveys, some areas may be inaccessible at the time of inspection and may be recorded as such or assessed on a presumption basis. Hidden construction can also limit what can be identified without more intrusive work.

For R&D surveys, the expectation is that all areas within the work scope are accessed as far as reasonably practicable. Restrictions and caveats should be kept to a minimum and resolved before refurbishment or demolition proceeds. Where access cannot be achieved, this should be clearly reported so further investigation can be arranged.

A robust report will state all exclusions and caveats. Where materials are presumed to contain asbestos, they should be managed as such unless and until evidence shows otherwise.

What a survey report should contain

• Survey type, purpose and scope, including areas inspected and excluded.
• Plans or marked‑up drawings showing locations.
• Descriptions and photographs of suspect materials.
• Sample identifiers and laboratory results for any samples taken.
• Assessment of condition and, for management surveys, a material assessment.
• Clear recommendations that follow from the findings.
• Details of the laboratory used for analysis and its accreditation.

Where bulk samples are analysed by a third party, the laboratory should be accredited by UKAS to ISO/IEC 17025 for asbestos identification. HSE guidance also recommends using surveying organisations that can demonstrate competence; UKAS accreditation to ISO/IEC 17020 is commonly used for this purpose, although it is not a statutory requirement.

How to commission suitable work

• Define the purpose – management or R&D, and the exact areas affected.
• Provide information – building age, construction details, drawings, previous surveys or registers, and known hazards.
• Agree access – who will provide keys, isolate services if required, and how occupants will be protected.
• Confirm competence – training, experience and quality systems; if relying on accreditation, check that the UKAS schedule covers the services you are buying.
• Set deliverables – report content, plans, photographs and sample results.

AsbestosInspection.co.uk is an independent enquiry service. It does not carry out surveys, sampling, analysis or removal, does not claim UKAS accreditation and does not hold itself out as an HSE‑licensed asbestos contractor. Enquiries can be passed to suitable professional providers; you should confirm scope, competence and any accreditation directly with the appointed organisation.

After the survey

• For management surveys – update the asbestos register and management plan, prioritise actions, and share relevant information with anyone who may disturb the materials.
• For R&D surveys – use the findings to plan the work, including appropriate control measures or removal of ACMs before refurbishment or demolition begins.
• Keep information current – review and update records as the building changes.