FAQ for Commercial Buildings

Having an asbestos survey carried out and then maintaining asbestos records is a legal requirement under Health & Safety legislation. This is to protect maintenance workers and building occupiers from exposure to asbestos.

As part of the government’s urban regeneration scheme, under the Finance Act 2001, it is possible to claim 150% of the cost of asbestos remediation against your company’s profits as tax relief.

For example: if asbestos removal costs £10,000 a company can deduct £15,000 from their taxable income. This also means that if the company made a loss, then they could be eligible for a cash rebate. This concession only applies to UK-registered companies and does not apply if the building or land was owned by the company when the asbestos was originally imported. Ask your company’s accountant or financial advisor for more information on how this might apply to you.

It is possible to have an asbestos survey carried out in-house, but the surveyor must be deemed officially competent to carry out the work required. This means he/she must:

• Have sufficient training, qualifications, knowledge, and experience
• Have sufficient knowledge of the tasks to be undertaken and the work therein
• Demonstrate impartiality, integrity, and independence
• Have a compliant Quality Management System
• Carry out the survey in according with HSG264

In practice, very few property owners or companies can meet these requirements from within their own staff. That is why it is best to engage specialists like Meyer Southern Ltd. to conduct your asbestos survey.

Just use quick enquiry form on this page, e-mail admin@meyerenvironmental.co.uk, or telephone 0239 307 2182.

Yes. It is only a qualified and competent surveyor who can officially make the finding that there is no asbestos in a building. Even then, a Report and Management Plan must still be prepared as part of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.

As a commercial property owner, you have a legal duty to manage asbestos at your premises under the Control of Asbestos (CAR2012) regulations. Whilst the day-to-day management of asbestos can be delegated to a manager or management company, the legal duty cannot be delegated. The property owner is still ultimately responsible for ensuring that any appointed persons are competent to fulfil the responsibilities laid out under this duty.

You may be surprised to hear that we actually see asbestos removal as a last resort. Asbestos is only dangerous if it is disturbed and therefore no remedial actions may be needed if the ACMs in your building are stable and likely to remain that way. Other remedial actions, apart from removal, may also provide a solution if necessary. These include encapsulation, isolation, or repairs.

Yes. The management survey only shows asbestos which is found during a normal inspection. A refurbishment survey is used to find hidden asbestos which cannot be found during a normal inspection, such as asbestos hidden in wall voids or under floor boards.

Yes. To manage the risk from Asbestos Materials, you will need to:

• Keep and maintain an up-to-date record of the location, condition, maintenance and removal of all ACMs on the premises
• Repair, seal or remove asbestos if there is a risk of exposure due to its condition or location
• Maintain ACMs in a good state of repair and regularly monitor their condition
• Inform anyone who is liable to disturb the ACMs about their location and condition
• Have arrangements and procedures in place so that work which may disturb the ACMs complies with CAR 2012
• Review the plan at regular intervals and make changes if circumstances change

You must create an asbestos management plan using up to date information about asbestos in the building and perform risk assessments. This can be quite a tricky subject and we would advise that you give us a call for consultation.