Asbestos Information for Contractors

Having established that asbestos is present, the property owner should:

If the asbestos is in good condition and unlikely to be damaged or disturbed;

• If the asbestos is in good condition, not likely to be damaged and unlikely to be worked on or disturbed, it is usually the best option to leave the asbestos in place and manage it.

When leaving the asbestos in place, it is important to:

• Keep a record of the location of the ACM in case any future work is required in an asbestos location.
• Alert people to the presence of asbestos by using appropriate warning signage at the location.
• Ensure anyone that comes to carry out work on the building is given the relevant information on where ACMs are located.
• It may also be beneficial to note the location of non-asbestos materials. This will help to prevent any confusion when work is required to be carried out on the building.

If the asbestos is in poor condition or likely to be damaged or disturbed;

• In the event of finding asbestos which is in poor condition and/or likely to be damaged or disturbed, the building owner will need to decide whether the asbestos can be repaired or, if necessary, have it removed.

Further guidance is available on the HSE web site.