E2 Asbestos in Church Buildings

1          The purpose of this policy directive is to supplement previous guidance as shown in the North Western Synod Guidelines – Section E 3 and the letter dated 7 March 2005 issued to all District Secretaries.    

1.2       Under general Health & Safety provisions, but particularly The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 and The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 (CAR 2006), all persons in control of buildings should from time to time, conduct a risk assessment review of their premises.  It is, however, especially important to make a full assessment of the whereabouts of any asbestos as, although likely to be harmless while `dormant’ contractors and others working in the building need to know where it is, or might be, to reduce the risk of them inadvertently disturbing the asbestos fibres which might then become airborne and be inhaled. 

2          Who is this directive for?

2.1       The elders’ meeting are the body responsible for ensuring compliance with legislation as set out in the United Reformed Church Act 1972, 1981 and 2000, and specifically the Trustee Act 2000.  Consequently, they have the responsibility to manage the church buildings which may contain asbestos and they have:

• a legal duty to manage the risk from this material; and
• a duty to co-operate with whoever manages that risk on their behalf, should that be the case.

If the elders’ meeting have information on the whereabouts of asbestos they will, “under the duty of co-operation” be required to make this available to those responsible for managing the risk. The main duty to manage is placed on the body responsible for maintaining the fabric of the non-domestic building, in our case, the elders’ meeting. 

3          Why is asbestos dangerous?

3.1       Asbestos is severely harmful to health and can lead to fatal illnesses which may not appear until many years after exposure.  Breathing in air containing asbestos fibres can lead to asbestos-related diseases, mainly cancers of the lungs and chest linings.  Asbestos is only a risk to health if asbestos fibres are released into the air and breathed in.  

3.2       Buildings less than 30 years old, or more than (say) 100 years old may not have used asbestos in the original construction, but there is a strong possibility that it has been introduced subsequently into older buildings during repairs and alterations, and as the importation of asbestos was not finally banned until relatively recently, it may crop up in a wide variety of apparently harmless goods and materials in relatively modern buildings.  

3.3       There are three main types of asbestos found in premises.  These are commonly called: `blue asbestos’ (crocidolite) `brown asbestos’ (amosite) and `white asbestos’ called (chrysotile).  All of them are dangerous carcinogens, but blue and brown asbestos are more hazardous than white.  It is NOT possible to identify asbestos by colour.  Anyone claiming to be able to identify (any type of asbestos) with the naked eye is deluding themselves.  Sampling and microscopic inspection is required to positively identify asbestos.       

4          Who is at risk?

4.1       Anyone who uses the premises, who disturbs asbestos that has deteriorated or been damaged and is releasing fibres, can be at risk.  In fact, anyone whose work involves drilling, sawing or cutting into the fabric of premises could potentially be at risk.  They may breathe in asbestos fibres during their day to day work.  There is evidence to show that repeated occupational exposure, such as those which occur during routine maintenance and repair work, can lead to asbestos-related cancers, there is no known `safe’ limit.  

5          Asbestos is likely to be found in these materials:

• sprayed asbestos and asbestos loose packing – generally used as fire breaks in ceiling voids;
• moulded or preformed lagging – generally used in thermal insulation of pipes and boilers;
• as braided/woven gaskets; to inspection panels etc, in boilers;
• in some old fire blankets;
• sprayed asbestos – generally used as fire protection inducts, fire breaks, panels, partitions, and on asbestos cement sheets around structural steel work;
• insulating boards used for fire protection, thermal insulation, partitioning and ducts and soffits and as ceiling or wall panels;
• some ceiling tiles;
• millboard, paper and paper products used for insulation of electrical equipment, asbestos paper has also been used as a fire-proof facing on wood fibreboard;
• asbestos cement production, which can be fully or semi- compressed into flat or corrugated sheets.  Corrugated sheets are largely used as roofing and wall cladding, other asbestos cement products include gutters, rainwater pipes and water tanks;
• asbestos cement sheets were also widely used to upgrade the fire resistance of existing door, and sometime to upgrade the fire resistance of the ceilings of the basement boiler rooms;
• certain textured coatings;
• bitumen roofing material;
• vinyl or thermoplastic floor tiles;
• in older `Artex’ ceiling finishes;
• as a reinforcing fibre in some moulded plastic WC cisterns;
• as in reinforcing fibre in the black bonded patches to the undersides of steel sinks. 

6          What does the duty to manage asbestos involve?

6.1       The duty to manage asbestos is included in the Control of Asbestos regulations 2006 as shown above. The duty lies with the elders’ meeting because they have the responsibility for maintenance and repair of church premises.  This implies as a minimum, knowing whether the building has any asbestos present in it, and to produce an asbestos management plan.  The presence of asbestos can be determined by a survey, which should be carried out by a specialist licensed firm in accordance with HSE guidance MDHS100.  Undamaged asbestos can be allowed to remain, if it is not vulnerable to damage in the future; it only becomes harmful if it is inhaled. 

6.2       The duty requires the elders’ meeting to manage the risk from asbestos by:          

• either finding out if there is asbestos in the premises, its location and what condition it is in;
• or assessing if ACMs (asbestos-containing materials) are liable to be present and making a presumption that materials contain asbestos unless you have strong evidence that they do not;
• presuming materials contain asbestos, unless you have strong evidence that they do not;
• making and keeping up to date a record of the location and condition of the ACMs or presumed ACMs in your premises;
• assessing the risk of the material;
• preparing a plan that sets out in detail how you are going to manage the risk from the material;   
• taking steps to put the plan into action;
• reviewing and monitoring the plan and the arrangements made to put it in place;
• setting up a system for providing information on the location and condition of the material to anyone who is liable to work on or disturb it. 

6.3       Remember, the responsibility for complying with the duty to manage the potential risk remains with the elders’ meeting because they are responsible for maintaining the buildings.   

7          Find out if asbestos is present

7.1       ACMs may be present if the building was constructed or refurbished before 2000.  The use of all asbestos was prohibited by 1999.  The peak period for the use of asbestos material was between 1950 and 1970.  The elders’ meeting will need to do all they reasonably can to find ACMs by:

• looking at building plans and other information, such as builders’ invoices, which may indicate where asbestos was used in the construction or refurbishment;
• carry out a thorough inspection of the premises both inside and out to identify materials that are or may be asbestos; 
• and consult with others, such as architects and surveyors who may be able to provide information;
• arrange for an asbestos survey to the HSE guidance MDHS100 to be carried out. 

7.2       There are three types of survey- they are as follows:

• type 1.  This is purely visual and identifies materials which may contain asbestos;
• type 2. This includes sampling of suspect material and potentially asbestos containing materials;
• type 3. This includes destructive sampling and is usually carried out prior to demolition or major alterations and normally requires the building to be empty. 

7.3       It is strongly recommended that an asbestos survey is carried out. You should ascertain from the Company that:

• they are accredited or certificated for asbestos work;
• ask for evidence of their training and experience in such work;
• ask for evidence that they have suitable liability insurance; 
• the Synod will refund 50% of the cost of the survey upon the submission of a receipt for the total cost.      

7.4       If the surveyors find asbestos in a hazardous or damaged condition, they may require the immediate closure of the affected area or (in an extreme case) the building, pending decontamination.  It is therefore suggested that surveys are scheduled for a date and time when the premises are otherwise unoccupied and there is time to cancel and re-schedule planned events and meetings.  

7.5       It is necessary to presume any material contains asbestos unless there is strong evidence to suggest, it does not.  Some materials do not contain asbestos such as glass, solid wooden doors, floorboards, brick and stones.  Do not break or damage any material which may contain asbestos, in an effort to identify it. 

7.6       If you know or suspect something may contain asbestos do NOT attempt to dispose of it yourself.  The asbestos skips at public waste sites are for domestic use only, and any waste from a Church is `trade waste’; and in any case you may be putting yourself at risk. 

Checklist: 

Find                must check if materials containing asbestos are present or are liable to be present;     

Condition        must check what condition the material is in;

Presume          must presume the material contains asbestos unless they have strong

                               evidence to suggest that it does not;

Identify            if planning to have maintenance or refurbishment of the building(s) carried out or the material is in a poor condition, you may wish to arrange for the material to be sampled and identified by a specialist;

Record           record the location and condition of the material on a plan or drawing;

Assess           must decide if the condition or the location means the material is likely to be disturbed;

Plan                prepare and implement a plan to manage these risks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1          The purpose of this policy directive is to supplement previous guidance as shown in the North Western Synod Guidelines – Section E 3 and the letter dated 7 March 2005 issued to all District Secretaries.  

 

1.2       Under general Health & Safety provisions, but particularly The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 and The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 (CAR 2006), all persons in control of buildings should from time to time, conduct a risk assessment review of their premises.  It is, however, especially important to make a full assessment of the whereabouts of any asbestos as, although likely to be harmless while `dormant’ contractors and others working in the building need to know where it is, or might be, to reduce the risk of them inadvertently disturbing the asbestos fibres which might then become airborne and be inhaled.

 

2          Who is this directive for?

2.1       The elders’ meeting are the body responsible for ensuring compliance with legislation as set out in the United Reformed Church Act 1972, 1981 and 2000, and specifically the Trustee Act 2000.  Consequently, they have the responsibility to manage the church buildings which may contain asbestos and they have:

• a legal duty to manage the risk from this material; and
• a duty to co-operate with whoever manages that risk on their behalf, should that be the case.

If the elders’ meeting have information on the whereabouts of asbestos they will, “under the duty of co-operation” be required to make this available to those responsible for managing the risk. The main duty to manage is placed on the body responsible for maintaining the fabric of the non-domestic building, in our case, the elders’ meeting.

 

3          Why is asbestos dangerous?

3.1       Asbestos is severely harmful to health and can lead to fatal illnesses which may not appear until many years after exposure.  Breathing in air containing asbestos fibres can lead to asbestos-related diseases, mainly cancers of the lungs and chest linings.  Asbestos is only a risk to health if asbestos fibres are released into the air and breathed in. 

 

3.2       Buildings less than 30 years old, or more than (say) 100 years old may not have used asbestos in the original construction, but there is a strong possibility that it has been introduced subsequently into older buildings during repairs and alterations, and as the importation of asbestos was not finally banned until relatively recently, it may crop up in a wide variety of apparently harmless goods and materials in relatively modern buildings. 

 

3.3       There are three main types of asbestos found in premises.  These are commonly called: `blue asbestos’ (crocidolite) `brown asbestos’ (amosite) and `white asbestos’ called (chrysotile).  All of them are dangerous carcinogens, but blue and brown asbestos are more hazardous than white.  It is NOT possible to identify asbestos by colour.  Anyone claiming to be able to identify (any type of asbestos) with the naked eye is deluding themselves.  Sampling and microscopic inspection is required to positively identify asbestos.     

 

4          Who is at risk?

4.1       Anyone who uses the premises, who disturbs asbestos that has deteriorated or been damaged and is releasing fibres, can be at risk.  In fact, anyone whose work involves drilling, sawing or cutting into the fabric of premises could potentially be at risk.  They may breathe in asbestos fibres during their day to day work.  There is evidence to show that repeated occupational exposure, such as those which occur during routine maintenance and repair work, can lead to asbestos-related cancers, there is no known `safe’ limit. 

 

5          Asbestos is likely to be found in these materials:

• sprayed asbestos and asbestos loose packing – generally used as fire breaks in ceiling voids;
• moulded or preformed lagging – generally used in thermal insulation of pipes and boilers;
• as braided/woven gaskets; to inspection panels etc, in boilers;
• in some old fire blankets;
• sprayed asbestos – generally used as fire protection inducts, fire breaks, panels, partitions, and on asbestos cement sheets around structural steel work;
• insulating boards used for fire protection, thermal insulation, partitioning and ducts and soffits and as ceiling or wall panels;
• some ceiling tiles;
• millboard, paper and paper products used for insulation of electrical equipment, asbestos paper has also been used as a fire-proof facing on wood fibreboard;
• asbestos cement production, which can be fully or semi- compressed into flat or corrugated sheets.  Corrugated sheets are largely used as roofing and wall cladding, other asbestos cement products include gutters, rainwater pipes and water tanks;
• asbestos cement sheets were also widely used to upgrade the fire resistance of existing door, and sometime to upgrade the fire resistance of the ceilings of the basement boiler rooms;
• certain textured coatings;
• bitumen roofing material;
• vinyl or thermoplastic floor tiles;
• in older `Artex’ ceiling finishes;
• as a reinforcing fibre in some moulded plastic WC cisterns;
• as in reinforcing fibre in the black bonded patches to the undersides of steel sinks.

 

6          What does the duty to manage asbestos involve?

6.1       The duty to manage asbestos is included in the Control of Asbestos regulations 2006 as shown above. The duty lies with the elders’ meeting because they have the responsibility for maintenance and repair of church premises.  This implies as a minimum, knowing whether the building has any asbestos present in it, and to produce an asbestos management plan.  The presence of asbestos can be determined by a survey, which should be carried out by a specialist licensed firm in accordance with HSE guidance MDHS100.  Undamaged asbestos can be allowed to remain, if it is not vulnerable to damage in the future; it only becomes harmful if it is inhaled.

 

6.2       The duty requires the elders’ meeting to manage the risk from asbestos by:          

• either finding out if there is asbestos in the premises, its location and what condition it is in;
• or assessing if ACMs (asbestos-containing materials) are liable to be present and making a presumption that materials contain asbestos unless you have strong evidence that they do not;
• presuming materials contain asbestos, unless you have strong evidence that they do not;
• making and keeping up to date a record of the location and condition of the ACMs or presumed ACMs in your premises;
• assessing the risk of the material;
• preparing a plan that sets out in detail how you are going to manage the risk from the material;   
• taking steps to put the plan into action;
• reviewing and monitoring the plan and the arrangements made to put it in place;
• setting up a system for providing information on the location and condition of the material to anyone who is liable to work on or disturb it.

 

6.3       Remember, the responsibility for complying with the duty to manage the potential risk remains with the elders’ meeting because they are responsible for maintaining the buildings. 

 

7          Find out if asbestos is present

7.1       ACMs may be present if the building was constructed or refurbished before 2000.  The use of all asbestos was prohibited by 1999.  The peak period for the use of asbestos material was between 1950 and 1970.  The elders’ meeting will need to do all they reasonably can to find ACMs by:

• looking at building plans and other information, such as builders’ invoices, which may indicate where asbestos was used in the construction or refurbishment;
• carry out a thorough inspection of the premises both inside and out to identify materials that are or may be asbestos; 
• and consult with others, such as architects and surveyors who may be able to provide information;
• arrange for an asbestos survey to the HSE guidance MDHS100 to be carried out.

 

7.2       There are three types of survey- they are as follows:

• type 1.  This is purely visual and identifies materials which may contain asbestos;
• type 2. This includes sampling of suspect material and potentially asbestos containing materials;
• type 3. This includes destructive sampling and is usually carried out prior to demolition or major alterations and normally requires the building to be empty.

 

7.3       It is strongly recommended that an asbestos survey is carried out. You should ascertain from the Company that:

• they are accredited or certificated for asbestos work;
• ask for evidence of their training and experience in such work;
• ask for evidence that they have suitable liability insurance; 
• the Synod will refund 50% of the cost of the survey upon the submission of a receipt for the total cost.     

 

7.4       If the surveyors find asbestos in a hazardous or damaged condition, they may require the immediate closure of the affected area or (in an extreme case) the building, pending decontamination.  It is therefore suggested that surveys are scheduled for a date and time when the premises are otherwise unoccupied and there is time to cancel and re-schedule planned events and meetings. 

 

7.5       It is necessary to presume any material contains asbestos unless there is strong evidence to suggest, it does not.  Some materials do not contain asbestos such as glass, solid wooden doors, floorboards, brick and stones.  Do not break or damage any material which may contain asbestos, in an effort to identify it.

 

7.6       If you know or suspect something may contain asbestos do NOT attempt to dispose of it yourself.  The asbestos skips at public waste sites are for domestic use only, and any waste from a Church is `trade waste’; and in any case you may be putting yourself at risk.

 

 

 

Checklist:

 

Find                must check if materials containing asbestos are present or are liable to be present;     

Condition        must check what condition the material is in;

Presume          must presume the material contains asbestos unless they have strong

                         evidence to suggest that it does not;

Identify            if planning to have maintenance or refurbishment of the building(s) carried out or the material is in a poor condition, you may wish to arrange for the material to be sampled and identified by a specialist;

Record           record the location and condition of the material on a plan or drawing;

Assess           must decide if the condition or the location means the material is likely to be disturbed;

Plan                prepare and implement a plan to manage these risks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1          The purpose of this policy directive is to supplement previous guidance as shown in the North Western Synod Guidelines – Section E 3 and the letter dated 7 March 2005 issued to all District Secretaries.  

 

1.2       Under general Health & Safety provisions, but particularly The Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 and The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 (CAR 2006), all persons in control of buildings should from time to time, conduct a risk assessment review of their premises.  It is, however, especially important to make a full assessment of the whereabouts of any asbestos as, although likely to be harmless while `dormant’ contractors and others working in the building need to know where it is, or might be, to reduce the risk of them inadvertently disturbing the asbestos fibres which might then become airborne and be inhaled.

 

2          Who is this directive for?

2.1       The elders’ meeting are the body responsible for ensuring compliance with legislation as set out in the United Reformed Church Act 1972, 1981 and 2000, and specifically the Trustee Act 2000.  Consequently, they have the responsibility to manage the church buildings which may contain asbestos and they have:

• a legal duty to manage the risk from this material; and
• a duty to co-operate with whoever manages that risk on their behalf, should that be the case.

If the elders’ meeting have information on the whereabouts of asbestos they will, “under the duty of co-operation” be required to make this available to those responsible for managing the risk. The main duty to manage is placed on the body responsible for maintaining the fabric of the non-domestic building, in our case, the elders’ meeting.

 

3          Why is asbestos dangerous?

3.1       Asbestos is severely harmful to health and can lead to fatal illnesses which may not appear until many years after exposure.  Breathing in air containing asbestos fibres can lead to asbestos-related diseases, mainly cancers of the lungs and chest linings.  Asbestos is only a risk to health if asbestos fibres are released into the air and breathed in. 

 

3.2       Buildings less than 30 years old, or more than (say) 100 years old may not have used asbestos in the original construction, but there is a strong possibility that it has been introduced subsequently into older buildings during repairs and alterations, and as the importation of asbestos was not finally banned until relatively recently, it may crop up in a wide variety of apparently harmless goods and materials in relatively modern buildings. 

 

3.3       There are three main types of asbestos found in premises.  These are commonly called: `blue asbestos’ (crocidolite) `brown asbestos’ (amosite) and `white asbestos’ called (chrysotile).  All of them are dangerous carcinogens, but blue and brown asbestos are more hazardous than white.  It is NOT possible to identify asbestos by colour.  Anyone claiming to be able to identify (any type of asbestos) with the naked eye is deluding themselves.  Sampling and microscopic inspection is required to positively identify asbestos.     

 

4          Who is at risk?

4.1       Anyone who uses the premises, who disturbs asbestos that has deteriorated or been damaged and is releasing fibres, can be at risk.  In fact, anyone whose work involves drilling, sawing or cutting into the fabric of premises could potentially be at risk.  They may breathe in asbestos fibres during their day to day work.  There is evidence to show that repeated occupational exposure, such as those which occur during routine maintenance and repair work, can lead to asbestos-related cancers, there is no known `safe’ limit. 

 

5          Asbestos is likely to be found in these materials:

• sprayed asbestos and asbestos loose packing – generally used as fire breaks in ceiling voids;
• moulded or preformed lagging – generally used in thermal insulation of pipes and boilers;
• as braided/woven gaskets; to inspection panels etc, in boilers;
• in some old fire blankets;
• sprayed asbestos – generally used as fire protection inducts, fire breaks, panels, partitions, and on asbestos cement sheets around structural steel work;
• insulating boards used for fire protection, thermal insulation, partitioning and ducts and soffits and as ceiling or wall panels;
• some ceiling tiles;
• millboard, paper and paper products used for insulation of electrical equipment, asbestos paper has also been used as a fire-proof facing on wood fibreboard;
• asbestos cement production, which can be fully or semi- compressed into flat or corrugated sheets.  Corrugated sheets are largely used as roofing and wall cladding, other asbestos cement products include gutters, rainwater pipes and water tanks;
• asbestos cement sheets were also widely used to upgrade the fire resistance of existing door, and sometime to upgrade the fire resistance of the ceilings of the basement boiler rooms;
• certain textured coatings;
• bitumen roofing material;
• vinyl or thermoplastic floor tiles;
• in older `Artex’ ceiling finishes;
• as a reinforcing fibre in some moulded plastic WC cisterns;
• as in reinforcing fibre in the black bonded patches to the undersides of steel sinks.

 

6          What does the duty to manage asbestos involve?

6.1       The duty to manage asbestos is included in the Control of Asbestos regulations 2006 as shown above. The duty lies with the elders’ meeting because they have the responsibility for maintenance and repair of church premises.  This implies as a minimum, knowing whether the building has any asbestos present in it, and to produce an asbestos management plan.  The presence of asbestos can be determined by a survey, which should be carried out by a specialist licensed firm in accordance with HSE guidance MDHS100.  Undamaged asbestos can be allowed to remain, if it is not vulnerable to damage in the future; it only becomes harmful if it is inhaled.

 

6.2       The duty requires the elders’ meeting to manage the risk from asbestos by:          

• either finding out if there is asbestos in the premises, its location and what condition it is in;
• or assessing if ACMs (asbestos-containing materials) are liable to be present and making a presumption that materials contain asbestos unless you have strong evidence that they do not;
• presuming materials contain asbestos, unless you have strong evidence that they do not;
• making and keeping up to date a record of the location and condition of the ACMs or presumed ACMs in your premises;
• assessing the risk of the material;
• preparing a plan that sets out in detail how you are going to manage the risk from the material;   
• taking steps to put the plan into action;
• reviewing and monitoring the plan and the arrangements made to put it in place;
• setting up a system for providing information on the location and condition of the material to anyone who is liable to work on or disturb it.

 

6.3       Remember, the responsibility for complying with the duty to manage the potential risk remains with the elders’ meeting because they are responsible for maintaining the buildings. 

 

7          Find out if asbestos is present

7.1       ACMs may be present if the building was constructed or refurbished before 2000.  The use of all asbestos was prohibited by 1999.  The peak period for the use of asbestos material was between 1950 and 1970.  The elders’ meeting will need to do all they reasonably can to find ACMs by:

• looking at building plans and other information, such as builders’ invoices, which may indicate where asbestos was used in the construction or refurbishment;
• carry out a thorough inspection of the premises both inside and out to identify materials that are or may be asbestos; 
• and consult with others, such as architects and surveyors who may be able to provide information;
• arrange for an asbestos survey to the HSE guidance MDHS100 to be carried out.

 

7.2       There are three types of survey- they are as follows:

• type 1.  This is purely visual and identifies materials which may contain asbestos;
• type 2. This includes sampling of suspect material and potentially asbestos containing materials;
• type 3. This includes destructive sampling and is usually carried out prior to demolition or major alterations and normally requires the building to be empty.

 

7.3       It is strongly recommended that an asbestos survey is carried out. You should ascertain from the Company that:

• they are accredited or certificated for asbestos work;
• ask for evidence of their training and experience in such work;
• ask for evidence that they have suitable liability insurance; 
• the Synod will refund 50% of the cost of the survey upon the submission of a receipt for the total cost.     

 

7.4       If the surveyors find asbestos in a hazardous or damaged condition, they may require the immediate closure of the affected area or (in an extreme case) the building, pending decontamination.  It is therefore suggested that surveys are scheduled for a date and time when the premises are otherwise unoccupied and there is time to cancel and re-schedule planned events and meetings. 

 

7.5       It is necessary to presume any material contains asbestos unless there is strong evidence to suggest, it does not.  Some materials do not contain asbestos such as glass, solid wooden doors, floorboards, brick and stones.  Do not break or damage any material which may contain asbestos, in an effort to identify it.

 

7.6       If you know or suspect something may contain asbestos do NOT attempt to dispose of it yourself.  The asbestos skips at public waste sites are for domestic use only, and any waste from a Church is `trade waste’; and in any case you may be putting yourself at risk.

 

 

 

Checklist:

 

Find                must check if materials containing asbestos are present or are liable to be present;     

Condition        must check what condition the material is in;

Presume          must presume the material contains asbestos unless they have strong

                         evidence to suggest that it does not;

Identify            if planning to have maintenance or refurbishment of the building(s) carried out or the material is in a poor condition, you may wish to arrange for the material to be sampled and identified by a specialist;

Record           record the location and condition of the material on a plan or drawing;

Assess           must decide if the condition or the location means the material is likely to be disturbed;

Plan                prepare and implement a plan to manage these risks.