Asbestos Management Strategies

Where asbestos containing materials (ACMs), have been found or presumed in premises during the asbestos survey and recorded in the asbestos register, asbestos management strategies have to be developed to ensure that any potential for damage or disturbance and the spread of fibres is minimised.

Generally it is better to leave ACMs in place, especially if they are in good condition, to avoid unnecessary disturbance of asbestos fibres. Therefore strategies to seal, encapsulate, repair, enclose and protect are preferred to the removal option.

Leaving an asbestos containing material (ACM) in place

Asbestos products may be left in place provided it is:

In good condition

Sealed or encapsulated if it is found slightly damaged, or deteriorated, to prevent any asbestos fibre release

Repaired if the damage, or deterioration, found is more extensive, and

It is very unlikely that the material will be disturbed by its position or location, or because measures have been taken to reduce its vulnerability to damage.

Management of contact with asbestos

Any potential contact with identified ACMs left in place must be managed by a robust management system so that damage or disturbance is avoided as far as reasonably practicable. This can be achieved by:

Tight control of maintenance employees and maintenance contractors by ensuring that they know where asbestos can be found and to avoid disturbing it.

Ensuring there is an up to date asbestos register or record to be able to give maintenance employees/contractors appropriate information

use of Permit-to-Work systems to control the work in the vicinity of ACMs.

the use of labelling and/or colour coding to indicate the locations where asbestos has been found.

Monitoring / Re-inspections

Whenever an ACM is left in place it must be subject to a monitoring scheme to ensure that it has not been damaged or that its condition is not deteriorating. This should be in the form of a periodic visual inspection to check its condition and record the results. The frequency of the monitoring checks will vary and will depend on:

the type and condition of the asbestos containing material (ACM)

its location, and

the activities which generally occur in that location.

However, the frequency of inspection of asbestos containing materials (ACMs) should not normally be greater than 12 months.  A useful method of comparing the condition of the asbestos containing materials (ACMs) with previous checks and to tell if it is deteriorating, is by using photographs.

Remedial actions

Where an ACM is found to be damaged or deteriorating there are several options which need to be explored before its removal is considered. However, when exploring these options there are other certain factors which may affect the final decision, such as:

their application may require a certain amount of skill and on nearly every occasion it must be carried out by a licenced asbestos removal contractor, or by similarly trained people and work methods if using your own staff on own premises. The work may only be carried out by non-licenced removal contractors if it is of a minor nature and of short duration.

the fire resistance properties of the sealant, encapsulant or repair substance, if the original purpose of the ACM was to resist to spread of fire.