Who is qualified to conduct an asbestos survey in the UK?

A foundational element of asbestos management in the UK is asbestos surveying – the process whereby information is gathered about the asbestos situation at a particular premises or site.

This information is then typically used to inform the decisions made to control the risks asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are judged to present in the given location.

However, if you are reading this, you might be unsure of the qualifications and experience that someone needs to have in order to carry out an asbestos survey in the UK.

In this article we’ll outline the key principles of this topic.

What does an asbestos survey involve?

As mentioned, an asbestos survey is all about gathering information – specifically, accurate details about the location, amount, and condition of ACMs at the site that is being surveyed.

This process allows for the assessment of any damage or deterioration to on-site ACMs, so that decisions can be taken on any necessary remedial actions.

The information gathered through an asbestos survey can be used to put together an asbestos register and an asbestos management plan (AMP). These steps are key to fulfilling the “duty to manage” asbestos for a particular non-domestic site or building, as outlined by the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012).

There are three types of asbestos survey that exist:

• A management survey is mainly carried out to enable the dutyholder to produce the asbestos register and AMP. It assists with the management of ACMs during the normal occupation and use of the given property.
• A refurbishment survey or demolition survey, which is mainly carried out to locate and identify ACMs in a property ahead of structural work that could disturb such materials, such as a refurbishment or demolition project. It is typically the more intrusive and destructive of the two types of asbestos survey.

What qualifications should an asbestos surveyor hold?

An individual who is looking to gain one or multiple UK-recognised asbestos surveying qualifications, may consider the below options:

• The British Occupational Hygiene Society’s (BOHS) P402 certificate in building surveys and bulk sampling for asbestos. This course provides the learner with both the theoretical knowledge and practical ability they will require in order to conduct surveys of buildings in relation to asbestos.
• An equivalent to the P402 certificate is The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) which offers the Level 3 Award in Asbestos Surveying, a qualification designed to equip individuals with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary for surveying buildings for asbestos.
• Higher qualifications such as S301 (asbestos and other fibres) or the Certificate of Competence in Asbestos (CoC Asbestos). The latter of these is the entry-level qualification needed to join the Faculty of Asbestos Assessment and Management (FAAM) as a Licentiate. It enables UK candidates to establish their competence in the specific field of asbestos.

When it comes to such a specialised discipline as asbestos surveying, it is crucial to understand and appreciate the roles of training and experience alongside formal qualifications.

Indeed, individuals who seek to gain the CoC Asbestos qualification will be expected to demonstrate that they have three years’ professional experience. Management – including such aspects as the preparation of quotations/tenders, and discussions about relevant subject matters with workers, colleagues, and clients – will need to form part of this experience.

It is of the utmost importance, too, for professional asbestos surveyors to stay current with the latest legislation and accepted best practices. They can achieve this through proactive and suitably targeted Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Are asbestos surveyors required to be accredited?

There isn’t any legal requirement in the UK for asbestos surveyors to be accredited. However, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) strongly recommends that dutyholders use asbestos surveyors that are accredited to standard BS EN ISO/IEC 17020.

In Great Britain, the HSE only recognises one accreditation: the one provided by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

You might not be surprised to learn that here at Oracle Solutions, we hold UKAS accreditation for asbestos surveying. There are various benefits of hiring UKAS-accredited organisations to conduct an asbestos survey at your premises, such as:

• The assurance this provides of the surveying organisation’s competence, impartiality, and compliance with industry standards
• It enhances the standard of legal and safety compliance for you, the client of the UKAS-accredited organisation. If you choose such an accredited organisation to undertake an asbestos survey at your site, this will mean you have undertaken your due diligence as required by law, which states that you must ensure you use a competent company to conduct your asbestos surveys.

What skills and experience should a competent asbestos surveyor possess?

Whoever you ultimately choose to carry out an asbestos survey at your building or site, you should be looking to ensure they possess certain key skills, such as:

• Attention to detail
• Knowledge of building structures
• Analytical abilities
• Communication skills

We have written in detail in the past about the skills and competencies that someone will require if they wish to succeed in an asbestos surveying career. It is a role that also calls for strong decision-making skills, as well as integrity and environmental awareness.

Another thing that will be greatly valuable for any asbestos surveyor – and therefore the individuals and organisations that may draw upon their services – is a broad diversity of field experience, encompassing residential, commercial, and industrial environments.

After all, as we have also previously talked about, the specific type of building or site can have implications for the specific ACMs likely to be found there, and the probable locations of such materials.

What role do professional memberships and certifications play?

Various reputable professional bodies exist in the UK in relation to asbestos management services. These encompass the likes of the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association (ARCA) and the Independent Asbestos Training Providers (IATP).

If you can find an asbestos surveying provider that holds professional memberships of bodies like these, this could further reassure you about their commitment to high standards and ethics.

By only placing your trust in certified asbestos surveyors – professionals, in other words, judged by one or several external bodies to have reached certain standards in how they operate – you can help to ensure you only use professionals who are genuinely reputable and accountable.

How can you verify the credentials of an asbestos surveyor?

When you are comparing your options for an asbestos surveyor and you like the look of a particular individual surveyor or company, taking these steps can further help you determine their suitability:

• Checking their accreditation via UKAS and/or other professional bodies.
• Reviewing the given surveyor or company’s training records, certification numbers, and references.
• Asking the surveyor or company to provide sample reports from surveys they have previously undertaken. Receiving such documentation will give you an opportunity to assess the quality of their work, and their compliance with HSE guidance such as that contained in the Asbestos: The survey guide publication (series code HSG264).

What are the risks of hiring an unqualified asbestos surveyor?

Asbestos surveying is a hugely specialised and sensitive task, necessitating the most painstaking and informed approach.

If, then, you are a dutyholder in accordance with CAR 2012, responsible for managing asbestos at a particular building or site, you will not wish to take the chance of hiring an unqualified asbestos surveyor.

The risks of doing so could include:

• The inaccurate identification of ACMs at your site. This could mean your subsequent actions to manage asbestos at your property are based on wrong information – which in turn, could bring about avoidable health risks to users of the property.
• Legal liabilities due to your failure to comply with regulations. As we referenced earlier, you have a legal obligation to make sure you use a competent company for asbestos surveying at your site. Our industry news section documents real-world examples of the possible consequences for dutyholders that fail to adhere to the UK’s stringent asbestos regulations.
• Costly remediation or legal actions due to incorrect advice. If, for instance, you have another asbestos survey carried out at your site in the future by a better-qualified company, new ACMs and risks could be detected that weren’t spotted by the original surveyor. In the meantime, users of your buildings and contractors could have been put at unnecessary risk, due to no one having even realised certain ACMs were present.

How do you choose the right asbestos surveyor or company?

The subject of how you can determine the most suitable asbestos surveyor or company for your requirements, is another one we have previously addressed in some depth.

Nonetheless, as a “takeaway” from this article, we would like to highlight the following especially important factors:

• The accreditation and qualifications of the given asbestos surveyor or company
• Their general industry reputation and the reviews they have received from clients
• Whether the given company or surveyor is suitably insured and offers strong guarantees.

Remember: asbestos surveying is definitely not a service where you should be making your choice of provider purely on the basis of the “headline” price they quote to you.

Yes, it is inevitable that you will need to factor your budget into consideration when you are comparing asbestos surveying specialists. However, you should also be working to ensure whatever asbestos surveyor you choose represents excellent value for money in relation to such aspects as their expertise, reputation, and quality of service.

Above all else, it is crucial to do everything possible to avoid compromising the quality or compliance of your asbestos surveyor. Trying to “cut corners” in this regard to save money, is likely to be a false economy in terms of the non-compliance fines and other expensive consequences that could arise later.

Conclusion: why hiring a qualified asbestos surveyor matters

We have sought to make clear in this article that as a dutyholder, you can’t afford to adopt an attitude of “any asbestos surveyor will do”. The legal, financial, moral and health stakes involved are simply too great for this. Instead, you must make sure you place your trust in an asbestos surveyor with high standards of expertise, accreditation, and experience.

Prioritise the competence and safety of your chosen asbestos surveyor or company over cost considerations alone, and you can greatly help to ensure you manage the ACMs in your property in a safe, effective, and responsible way. You will not regret taking the extra time and care over this process.

To learn more about our own formidable credentials as asbestos surveyors at Oracle Solutions, and to ask for a free and fast quote, please contact us today.