As a responsible business owner or property manager, protecting your staff and ensuring their safety is a top priority. One potential hazard that can be often overlooked is the presence of asbestos in a place of work.
By obtaining a commercial asbestos report, you can give yourself peace-of-mind and reduce any potential future risk. Read on to learn more about why asbestos surveys are key in commercial spaces.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring material that was widely used in a variety of construction applications prior to its total ban in 1999. This means that asbestos-containing materials are still found in many commercial properties built prior to this date, including workplaces, offices, retail stores, restaurants and other non-domestic buildings.
These asbestos-containing materials can cause serious diseases, including cancer and mesothelioma, responsible for thousands of deaths each year in the UK alone. So, even if you believe asbestos to be present in a building, you should never attempt to remove or even disturb it if you are not trained and competent.
Instead, contacting a professional to arrange a commercial asbestos survey will ensure the safe and correct identification of any asbestos-containing materials in your commercial property with a plan to manage them.
Who is Responsible for a Commercial Asbestos Survey?
We’ve talked before about the role of a ‘dutyholder’ – a legal term to describe the person who is responsible for asbestos-related issues in a commercial property. According to the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, the dutyholder is required to:
‘…assess the presence and condition of asbestos-containing materials in their buildings.’
While every non-domestic property in the UK must have a dutyholder by law, it’s unlikely that this person is qualified to handle asbestos by themself.
What Help is Available for a Dutyholder?
Professional asbestos surveyors will be able to conduct a comprehensive asbestos survey for your commercial property.
Through an in-depth inspection process, asbestos surveyors like ourselves can identify any materials suspected to contain asbestos and assess their condition. For example this could result in an asbestos management plan and frequent asbestos re-inspections, your staff’s safety will be ensured and you will be fulfilling your legal obligation as a dutyholder.
By engaging early with a specialist to arrange your commercial asbestos survey, you’ll avoid unnecessary exposure to potentially hazardous materials.
How Can I Avoid Risk?
The number one priority for any dutyholder will always be the health & safety of any staff and visitors present at your commercial property. But as a business owner too, the reality is that you should also be mindful of avoiding costly consequences of non-compliance with regulations on asbestos.
A safer workplace, one that has undergone an asbestos survey for commercial property, is also a legally compliant one – contact us today to arrange yours.
