An asbestos survey is a kind of survey taken with a property, structure or building to identify materials that contain asbestos. The survey aims at identifying present asbestos material using the correct type of screening.
Numerous building types need asbestos surveys as it seeks out any asbestos material present and establishes its record. Workplaces need an asbestos survey, and there are several different types of this survey, and therefore you should know which suits your place.
Any building constructed before the year 2000 requires an asbestos survey for its remaining period in serving people. Other structures need asbestos surveys during construction and maintenance. IF you are an occupational worker, you must know about this kind of survey.
You cannot identify asbestos fiber by looking at the construction materials; you take a sample during an asbestos survey. Later material undergoes examination in the laboratory to check the kind of asbestos it may contain and their types.
What your asbestos survey Indicates
- Where asbestos is
- Their type
- Their condition
- Their amount
- The action that you should take
Asbestos cannot lead to health risks if not disturbed. Therefore, it is essential to know where they are to avoid disturbing them. They look similar to other building materials, and hence it is hard to differentiate them. It is a mandatory requirement to reduce all incidences that may result in accidental asbestos disturbances.
Two Types of Asbestos Survey
The law requires asbestos surveys due to the high risk they pose to human beings. You can find asbestos materials in a building, and different surveys can be done in various facilities depending on the work planned for building uses.
Asbestos is the leading cause of death related to work in the UK. Deaths occur in the construction industry. It has a massive impact as it leads to almost 40 tradesmen deaths on average of what is called a hidden killer. Over 5000 people die yearly in the UK as a result of past asbestos exposure. Many people are diagnosed with asbestos diseases.
There are two types of asbestos survey that is;
- Management asbestos survey
It is a kind of survey conducted on your property to check for the presence of asbestos. The obtained information gives the asbestos report. Besides, it is used when buying a property. Please note that private residential can have asbestos, but it is not required to have it in place.
- Refurbishment and demolition
It is the type of survey conducted to check for any asbestos containing materials before any work occurs.
No matter the type of asbestos survey you choose, your surveyor should be competent with the necessary level of training, knowledge, qualifications and experience to conduct the study. The surveyor must have training and experience in all asbestos survey work aspects, the know-how of asbestos products, and have enough management system.
What are the Risk factors of asbestos?
A building can require one type of asbestos survey or both of them. It depends on what you do with your facility. It isn’t easy to know you are inhaling asbestos unless you identify materials with asbestos and do not have immediate effects. Therefore, you can be breathing them gradually, and by the time you realize it is very late when you develop health problems.