Why Are Asbestos Inspections Important?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibre which was commonly used in construction and other industries until the late 1990s. Asbestos was used in buildings for insulation, roofing, flooring and was sprayed on walls and ceilings. It is now banned from being used in the UK, however, some buildings may have some asbestos in them which poses a risk when damaged or disturbe. This makes it necessary for asbestos inspections and surveys to take place to ensure safety. Asbestos fibres have been found extremely dangerous and damaging to humans when inhaled into the lungs.

If work is being performed on an asbestos-containing building then it is vital and a part of the health and safety risk management process for an asbestos inspection/survey to take place before any work occurs. The purpose of asbestos inspections is to: 

• Locate the asbestos and record the amount of it
• Identify how accessible the asbestos is 
• Pinpoint the type of asbestos material present

Asbestos inspections are important when working in the construction industry and are designed to identify and manage asbestos-containing areas and to ensure that they are left untouched and undisturbed to ensure that no harm comes to anyone. It is also important to identify which survey is needed in order to cover the issue safely and entirely. The three types of asbestos inspections include:

• Management: this establishes whether there is asbestos present in the premises by taking samples and means that a management plan needs to be created to ensure that it is not disturbed or damaged in the process.
• Pre-demolition: this is required when demolition work is scheduled. This inspection is fully intrusive of the affected areas to check the building for the presence of asbestos fabric.
• Pre-furbishment: this is used when refurbishment is planned for a building. It is similar to pre-demolition in terms of being intrusive, however, the extent of the work will depend on the nature of the refurbishment.