Responsibilities and Regulations for Asbestos Management in the UK
The primary piece of legislation governing asbestos in the UK is the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. This comprehensive set of regulations places a number of key duties and responsibilities on those who own, manage, or have control of premises where asbestos is present or is likely to be present. A fundamental aspect of these regulations is the "duty to manage" asbestos.
This duty applies to owners and managers of non-domestic premises built before 1999 and requires them to take proactive steps to identify any asbestos-containing materials, assess their condition, and implement a comprehensive management plan to prevent exposure.
The duty to manage encompasses several key actions, including conducting asbestos surveys to locate and assess the condition of ACMs, carrying out risk assessments to determine the potential for exposure, developing and implementing a detailed plan to safely manage or remove any identified asbestos, providing adequate information and training to anyone who is likely to disturb asbestos as part of their work, and ensuring that more detailed refurbishment and demolition surveys are conducted before any such work begins.
The duty to manage encompasses several key actions, including conducting asbestos surveys to locate and assess the condition of ACMs, carrying out risk assessments to determine the potential for exposure, developing and implementing a detailed plan to safely manage or remove any identified asbestos, providing adequate information and training to anyone who is likely to disturb asbestos as part of their work, and ensuring that more detailed refurbishment and demolition surveys are conducted before any such work begins.
While the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 are the cornerstone of the legal framework, other relevant legislation and guidance documents also exist to provide further detail and support for compliance. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the body responsible for enforcing asbestos regulations throughout the UK, ensuring that duty holders are meeting their legal obligations.
The "duty to manage" places a significant and ongoing responsibility on property owners and managers to proactively address the risks posed by asbestos in their buildings. This goes beyond simply reacting to accidental disturbance and necessitates a continuous cycle of identification, assessment, and management to protect occupants and workers over time. The specific requirement for refurbishment and demolition surveys before any disruptive work commences underscores the heightened risk of asbestos exposure during these types of activities.
The "duty to manage" places a significant and ongoing responsibility on property owners and managers to proactively address the risks posed by asbestos in their buildings. This goes beyond simply reacting to accidental disturbance and necessitates a continuous cycle of identification, assessment, and management to protect occupants and workers over time. The specific requirement for refurbishment and demolition surveys before any disruptive work commences underscores the heightened risk of asbestos exposure during these types of activities.
This legal mandate recognises that such work inherently involves disturbing building materials and therefore requires a more thorough and detailed investigation than a standard management survey to ensure all potential asbestos risks are identified and mitigated before work begins.
