What Actually Happens During an Asbestos Survey? (And How to Read Your Report)

If you’ve never had an asbestos survey before, it’s natural to wonder what’s involved. Will it disrupt your business? Will the surveyor be in a full protective suit? And what do you do with the report afterwards?

Here’s a step-by-step guide to what happens from the first phone call to the finished report.

Step 1: Planning the survey

Before we visit, we’ll have a quick conversation about:

• The type of property – house, office, shop, school, farm, industrial unit
• Its age and any history of alterations
• Why you need the survey – ongoing management, planned refurbishment, demolition, or a property purchase
• Access – keys, locked rooms, roof spaces, plant rooms and any areas that are difficult to reach

This helps us recommend the right survey type (management or refurbishment & demolition) and agree the scope, so there are no surprises.

Step 2: On the day

A management survey is usually low-key. Your building can generally stay in use, and the surveyor will work around you. Depending on the size of the property, it might take an hour or two for a house, or a full day or more for a large commercial building.

The surveyor will systematically inspect every accessible area, including:

• Ceilings, walls and floors
• Roof spaces and lofts
• Boiler rooms, heating systems and pipework
• Service risers and ducts
• Outbuildings, garages and external areas

For a refurbishment and demolition survey, the process is more intrusive and the affected areas should be empty, because the surveyor may need to lift floors or break into walls and ceilings.

Step 3: Taking samples

When the surveyor finds a material that might contain asbestos such as textured coatings, floor tiles, insulating board, pipe lagging or cement sheets – they’ll take a small sample.

Sampling is done carefully and in a controlled way. The material is usually dampened to suppress dust, a small piece is removed, sealed and labelled, and the sample point is made good or sealed. Where appropriate, the surveyor will wear protective equipment. This is standard practice and doesn’t mean your building is dangerous.

Step 4: Laboratory analysis

Samples are sent to a UKAS-accredited laboratory, where they’re examined under a microscope to confirm whether asbestos is present and, if so, which type, chrysotile (white), amosite (brown) or crocidolite (blue). UKAS accreditation is your assurance that testing meets strict, independently audited standards.

Step 5: Your report

Your survey report is the key document. A good report should be clear and easy to use, not just a list of technical data. It will typically include:

• An executive summary – the headline findings and any urgent actions
• The scope and limitations – what was surveyed, and any areas that couldn’t be accessed. Pay attention to these: an inaccessible area should be presumed to contain asbestos until proven otherwise.
• The asbestos register – a room-by-room record of every material found or presumed to contain asbestos, with its location, extent and condition
• Photographs and floor plans showing exactly where materials are
• Laboratory certificates confirming the analysis results
• Material assessment scores and recommendations

Understanding the risk scores

Each asbestos-containing material is given a material assessment score based on four factors:

1. Product type – for example, lagging releases fibres far more easily than bonded floor tiles
2. Extent of damage – from good condition to badly damaged
3. Surface treatment – whether it’s sealed, painted or exposed
4. Asbestos type – blue and brown asbestos score higher than white

The total score places the material in a band from very low to high potential to release fibres.

The material score is only half the picture. As dutyholder, you then consider how likely it is to be disturbed – how often the area is used, who works there and what maintenance takes place. A damaged material in a sealed plant room may be a lower priority than a lightly damaged one in a busy corridor.

Step 6: Acting on the findings

Typical recommendations include:

• Leave in place and monitor – for materials in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed
• Label – so maintenance workers know what they’re dealing with
• Encapsulate or repair – sealing minor damage
• Remove – where materials are badly damaged, or in the way of planned work

For non-domestic premises, the report forms the basis of your asbestos management plan. Keep the register up to date, review the condition of materials regularly, and always share it with tradespeople before they start work.

Ready to book?

Asbestos Solutions NI carries out asbestos surveys across Northern Ireland for homeowners, landlords, businesses, schools and farms. We explain everything in plain English and are always happy to talk through your report once you’ve received it. Urgent surveys can be accomodated. Speak to Philip to arrange.

Call 07702 332 333 to book or ask a question, we’re always happy to help.