Asbestos Surveys & Bulk Sample Analysis Services

Formal Asbestos surveys  are required to be carried out in accordance with the guidelines for Surveying, Sampling and Assessment of Asbestos Containing Material in The Health and Safety Executive’s Methods of the Determination of Hazardous Substances (MDHS) guidance document (MDHS 100).

There are 3 main types of Asbestos survey (Types 1, 2 & 3) that can be carried out, depending on the requirements of the client.

If deemed appropriate, a specific area survey can be conducted to more localized areas.

Asbestos Survey Type 1
Basic location and assessment Asbestos survey which will give a general indication if there are any Suspected Asbestos Containing Materials within the property. No samples are taken to determine whether materials are or are not Asbestos so presumptions are therefore necessary.

Asbestos Survey Type 2
Standard sampling, identification and assessment survey. Small samples of all materials that are likely to contain Asbestos are taken in a non-destructive manner from all reasonably accessible areas. Samples are sent to accredited scientific laboratories for testing and they produce a report on the Asbestos content of the samples provided to them.

Asbestos Survey Type 3
Full access, sampling and identification survey that will include intrusion into sealed voids and ducts, under floors, enclosed spaces and all other more inaccessible areas. Samples are sent to acredited scientific laboratories for and they produce a report on the Asbestos content of the samples provided to them. It is now statutory to conduct this type of survey prior to any refurbishment or demolition projects.

Specific Area Surveys 
The removal of Asbestos can be costly and is not always necessary. Specific area surveys are often cheaper than complete building surveys and can be extremely effective when trying to identify possible or suspect ACM’s in localized areas.

The location, condition and extent of all Asbestos Containing Materials and suspected Asbestos Containing Materials identified during the Asbestos survey are recorded in the form of an Asbestos Register.

It is a mandatory HSE requirement to have such a document, which is auditable along with all normal Health & Safety documentation. Confirmation of Asbestos Containing Materials obtained through sampling is added to the Asbestos Register.

UK Asbestos Services have several teams of highly experienced surveyors  who are able to perform each of the three types of Asbestos survey as described in the HSE's guidance document MDHS100.

The type of Asbestos survey most appropriate will be dependent on the client/property specific requirements.

Please contact us if you are unsure of which survey best fits the needs of your building.