Asbestos Surveying Services

EMS are UKAS accredited for all levels of Asbestos surveys ensuring the highest quality of service at all times. There are two levels of Asbestos Surveys as follows:

As part of Asbestos Management requirements, all materials within a property should be presumed to contain asbestos, unless there is good reason to prove otherwise. A survey can aid management by allowing our experts to identify all the asbestos containing materials within your property, allowing you to focus management where it is required. Surveys designed specifically for asbestos management are classified in two ways:

Types of survey

The duty-holder, building owner, employer and surveyor need to be clear on the type of survey needed, where the survey is needed, and what records should result.

There are two types of survey for ACM

Management survey

The Management Survey purpose is required to manage ACM during the normal occupation and use of premises. A Management Survey aims to ensure that:

1. nobody is harmed by the continuing presence of ACM in the premises or equipment;
2. that the ACM remain in good condition; and
3. that nobody disturbs it accidentally

The Survey must locate ACM that could be damaged or disturbed by normal activities, by foreseeable maintenance, or by installing new equipment. It involves minor intrusion and minor asbestos disturbance to make a Materials Assessment. This shows the ability of ACM, if disturbed, to release fibres into the air. It guides the client, eg in prioritising any remedial work.

The survey involves inspection of all areas that are accessed during daily use or foreseeable maintenance, any materials suspected of containing asbestos will be sampled to determine the presence and type of asbestos.

Refurbishment / demolition survey

The Refurbishment / demolition Survey is required where the premises, or part of it, need upgrading, refurbishment or demolition. The Survey does not need a record of the ACM condition. Normally, a surveyor is needed for Refurbishment / demolition Surveys.

A Refurbishment / demolition Survey aims to ensure that:

1. nobody will be harmed by work on ACM in the premises or equipment;
2. such work will be done by the right contractor in the right way

The Survey must locate and identify all ACM before any structural work begins at a stated location or on stated equipment at the premises. It involves destructive inspection and asbestos disturbance.

Selecting a competent surveyor

Accreditation or certification provides clients with an assurance of a surveyor's competence.

Competent surveyors:

1. Have survey knowledge, and know the risks in surveying
2. Have training and experience, and recognise their limitations
3. Use a quality management system
4. Show independence, impartiality and integrity
5. Do their work in accordance with good practice guidance, eg as in HSG264

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service, UKAS accredits organisations. The UKAS website helps you to find a surveyor.

The Asbestos Builders Inspection Certification Scheme, ABICS accredits individuals.

An old scheme, National Individual Asbestos Certification Scheme, NIACS also accredited individuals.

Accreditation and good performance in a quality assurance scheme provides an assurance of a laboratory's competence in asbestos analysis.

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service, UKAS accredits laboratories. The UKAS website helps you to find a laboratory that participates in the 'Asbestos in Materials Scheme', AIMS.