Infrastructure delivery

Any work in ECC buildings likely to disturb asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) including their removal, must only be undertaken by a licensed contractor. This is regardless of whether the work is licensable or non-licensable. It applies to community and voluntary controlled schools constructed before the year 2000.

To find out what work does or does not require a licence use the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) Deciding if the work must be done by a licensed contractor web page.

Asbestos guidance

Where works are undertaken, the Control of Asbestos regulations 2012 (CAR) must be understood and adopted for all works to make sure they’re carried out safely. 

Asbestos is the greatest cause of work-related deaths in Great Britain. Around 5,000 people die every year from asbestos-related diseases which typically take decades to develop and cannot be cured. Asbestos exposure can lead to progressive carcinogenic diseases if disturbed and inhaled. 

Activities which can disturb asbestos and put people at greater risk can include the following:

• drilling into walls
• refurbishment or retrofitting
• demolition
• installations for example smart meters

Asbestos must be treated and disposed of appropriately by certified professionals who know how to dispose of it.

Asbestos training

Workers who are likely to disturb asbestos during their normal day-to-day work must be appropriately trained to work safely with asbestos or trained to be aware of it and stop work.

Our Corporate Health and Safety Team provides asbestos management training through Juniper Education. To find out more search the Juniper Education website.

Asbestos management plans (AMPs)

A common misconception is that a building's asbestos management plan (AMP), which must be kept on-site, will tell you about all the asbestos contained within a building.  This is incorrect, the AMP is a guide only.  It will advise where suspected asbestos may be located following the results of a visual inspection and its sole purpose is to aid with the day-to-day running of the building.

This does not include or allow for construction work.

Asbestos surveys

Every school built before 2000 must have an asbestos management survey.

If schools undertake building works then an asbestos refurbishment and demolition (R&D) survey must be carried out before work commences.

To obtain a full understanding of any remaining and unidentified asbestos in the building, R&D surveys must be undertaken by a competent surveyor. However, not all asbestos removal companies are accredited to conduct asbestos surveys.

R&D surveys are intrusive and generally require samples of the proposed buildings to be taken and tested under laboratory conditions.  Owing to the potential disturbance of asbestos, an area must be vacated during surveys and surveyors must confirm if an area is fit for reoccupation when the survey is complete.

R&D surveys should be commissioned before undertaking any work which could disturb the fabric of the building.

All layers of construction material below and including visible finished surfaces that will be affected by construction activity (for example, cutting, drilling, hammering or sanding) must be tested.

R&D surveys determine if there’s any asbestos present and if any material will need to be removed or treated prior to construction works starting.

You should allow suitable time and budgets for R&D surveys to take place and consider the costs associated with any identified remedial work.

Asbestos removal

If any ACMs are removed from buildings, this must be recorded in the AMP. The removal of ACMs must be notified to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) at least 2 weeks before any works commence.

Certified contractors

Asbestos must be handled, removed and tested by a certified member of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). This should be checked when employing a certified testing company. 

Where work is carried out, all relevant certification and waste transfer notes must be obtained.

Schools must follow CAR regulations which protect building users from asbestos exposure.

An accredited UKAS contractor will need to be appointed to undertake the following tasks:

• AMP surveying and drafting
• R&D surveying and testing 
• removals
• encapsulation
• treatment
• disposal
• certification
• other associated tasks when previous tasks cannot be performed

To check details for and find UKAS accredited contractors, visit the UKAS Who's Accredited? web page.

For more information on asbestos management, visit the HSE Asbestos web pages.

Contact us

Alternatively, for specific issues around asbestos contact our Infrastructure and Delivery Team 0333 013 3402