Asbestos Guidance for Work Premises

Introduction

Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR) persons responsible for a building such as the owner,
sole occupier or part occupier have duties under the regulations manage risks from asbestos and comply with
CAR.

The duty holder is required to make a suitable and sufficient risk assessment as to whether asbestos is, or is
liable to be present in the premises. Compliance also requires the ‘duty holder’ to ensure this has been carried
out, ensuring that a suitable and sufficient assessment has been conducted, documented and available and
used to inform decision making, advise incoming occupiers, maintenance workers and others.

The person who has the duty (ie the “dutyholder”) has the responsibility to:

• Take reasonable steps to find out if there are asbestos containing materials (ACM) in non-domestic
premises, and if so, its amount, where it is and what condition it is in;
• Presume materials contain asbestos unless there is strong evidence that they do not;
• Make, and keep up-to-date, a record of the location and condition of the asbestos containing materials
(ACM) – or materials which are presumed to contain asbestos;
• Assess the risk of anyone being exposed to fibres from the materials identified;
• Prepare a plan that sets out in detail how the risks from these materials will be managed;
• Take the necessary steps to put the plan into action;
• Periodically review and monitor the plan and the arrangements to act on it so that the plan remains
relevant and up-to-date; and
• Provide information on the location and condition of the materials to anyone who is liable to work on or
disturb them.

There are three essential steps:

• Find out whether the premises contains asbestos, and, if so, where it is and what condition it is in. If in
doubt, suspect asbestos containing materials must be presumed to contain asbestos;
• Assess the risk; and
• Make a plan to manage that risk and act on it.

The named duty holder for the company is:

Name
Position:
Department:

Communication
Communication methods used to promote awareness of the location of ACMs

Maintenance and Building Work

• Inform any maintenance contractors of the location of asbestos containing material (ACM
• The duty holder will be informed of all changes, damage or disturbance to asbestos containing
materials
• If Asbestos is likely to be disturbed and cannot be repaired and protected it should be removed, Any
contractor appointed to work with asbestos containing material should be competent, trained and
registered in accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulation 2012
• Contracts appointed for any maintenance where ACMs are present must avoid drilling, sawing, cutting
or interfering with containing materials containing asbestos.
• A type 3 survey will be undertaken prior to the removal of any asbestos containing material

Any work undertaken with the asbestos containing materials (ACM); must comply with the guidance
of:

• The Managing Asbestos premises HSG227
• The Control of Asbestos Regulation 2012
• Asbestos – The contractors guide HSG 247

Employees

• Warn staff not to go interfere with or enter the location where ACMs are present
• Inform staff to report any damage, changes to or disturbance to asbestos containing materials,
surfaces or equipment to:

Name:
Position:
Department: