Asbestos Survey Types

The key requirement of Regulation 4 is that duty holders must ensure that a suitable and sufficient assessment of whether asbestos is liable to be present is carried out. This will include the need for an inspection/survey of the premises.

The three types of asbestos surveys (as defined within MDHS 100) are:

 

Type 1 Asbestos Survey: Location and Assessment Survey (presumptive survey)

The purpose of the survey is to locate, as far as reasonably practicable, the presence and extent of any suspect Asbestos Containing Materials in the building and assess their condition. This is done by a visual inspection of the building to identify materials which may contain asbestos. This type of survey defers the need to sample and analyse for asbestos until a later time.

 

Type 2 Asbestos Survey: Standard Sampling, Identification and Assessment Survey

The purpose and procedures used in this survey are the same as for Type 1, except that representative samples are collected and analysed for the presence of asbestos. Samples from each type of suspect Asbestos Containing Material found are collected and analysed to confirm or refute the surveyor's judgement. Sampling may take place simultaneously with the survey, or as in the case of some larger surveys, can be carried out as a separate exercise, after the Type 1 Survey is complete.

 

Type 3 Asbestos Survey: Full Access Sampling and Identification Survey

This type of survey is used to locate and describe, as far as reasonably practicable, all Asbestos Containing Materials in the building and may involve destructive inspection, as necessary, to gain access to all areas, including those that may be difficult to reach. A full sampling program is undertaken to identify possible Asbestos Containing Materials and estimates of the volume and surface area of Asbestos Containing Materials made. The survey is designed to be used as a basis for tendering the removal of Asbestos Containing Materials from the building prior to demolition or major refurbishment so the survey does not assess the condition of the asbestos, other than to note areas of damage or where additional asbestos debris may be expected to be present.

In some instances a combination of Type 1, Type 2, Type 3, asbestos surveys may be used depending on what is planned for each area.