Asbestos Survey Types

Formal asbestos surveys  are required to be carried out in accordance the guidelines for Surveying, Sampling and Assessment of Asbestos Containing Material in The Health and Safety Executive’s Methods of the Determination of Hazardous Substances (MDHS) guidance document (MDHS 100).

There are 3 types of asbestos survey that can be carried out, depending on the requirements.

Asbestos Survey Type 1

Basic location and assessment asbestos survey which will give a general indication if there are any asbestos materials within the property. No samples are taken to determine whether materials are or are not asbestos so presumptions are therefore necessary.

Asbestos Survey Type 2

Standard sampling, identification and assessment survey. Small samples of all materials that are likely to contain asbestos  are taken in a non-destructive manner from all reasonably accessible areas. Samples are sent to accredited scientific laboratories for testing and they produce a report on the asbestos content of the samples.

Asbestos Survey Type 3

Full access, sampling and identification survey that will include intrusion into sealed voids, under floors, in ducts and enclosed spaces and all other more inaccessible areas. This type of survey is recommended before building works take place or demolition.

The location, condition and extent of all Asbestos Containing Materials and suspected asbestos containing materials identified during the asbestos survey are recorded in the form of an Asbestos Register.

It is a mandatory HSE requirement to have such a document, which is auditable along with normal H&SW documentation. Confirmation of asbestos content obtained through sampling is added to the Asbestos Register.

Hurst Solutions has a team of highly experienced surveyors  who are able to perform each of the three types of asbestos survey detailed in MDHS100.

The type of asbestos survey most appropriate will be dependent on client/property specific requirements.

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