When managing asbestos in buildings, surveys play a crucial role in documenting the presence of this hazardous material. Asbestos surveys are performed as part of the documentation process, which is known as the asbestos register. It is a legal requirement to document asbestos found in the workplace, and this documentation needs to be kept for 30 years. The asbestos register is a valuable tool that allows workplaces to effectively manage ACMs in the workplace, meet their legal requirements and avoid legal recourse.
A Closer Look at the Asbestos Building Survey
As the name suggests, a survey or inspection is conducted in the workplace where ACMs have been identified and reported. The asbestos building survey documents these findings very specifically, documenting the exact areas where ACMs are found and the areas where No Asbestos Containing Material (NAD) is found.
For example, an asbestos building survey will document the location of ACMs in a building detailing locations such as ground floor, level 7, Ground Floor bathroom, etc. The asbestos building survey will cross reference these locations with the samples taken, detailing the sample numbers and the type of asbestos identified e.g. Chrysotile.
This can be seen more clearly in the sample asbestos building survey shown below:
As well as the legal compliance aspect, asbestos building surveys are very useful during construction work, providing construction workers with full documentation about the inspected areas. This documentation removes any confusion and expedites the construction process.If you have an area that needs to be inspected, surveyed and documented prior to construction or to comply with legal requirements, please contact us with your questions or to schedule an initial consultation.