Compliant Asbestos Surveys For Art Galleries
As the owner or manager of an art gallery, trust is placed in you to curate, plan and preserve valuable pieces of artwork. However, as a dutyholder, that’s not the only responsibility you are entrusted with.
Art galleries are often housed in historic (or listed) buildings due to their long-standing architectural merit, which enhances cultural significance and ensures the building’s continued viability. But unfortunately, older buildings come with a greater risk of hidden asbestos, due to its wide use that dates back to the late 1800s, all the way up until the UK’s ban on the material in November of 1999.
Whether your art gallery is commercial or public, if it was built before the year 2000, you are legally obliged (under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, 2012) to have an asbestos survey undertaken.
Pillars Environmental asbestos consultants are just the right team of people to help you manage the risk of ACMs (asbestos-containing materials) within your cultural space – whether that be an art gallery, museum, library or listed building. As experienced asbestos surveyors, we understand that historic projects require extra care and attention. Our considerate approach ensures we balance preservation with precision to ensure minimal impact and maximum results in every survey we undertake.
We provide both Refurbishment & Demolition Surveys (R&D Surveys) and Asbestos Management Surveys (AMS), as well as Asbestos Management Plans (AMPs), Asbestos Removal Management and Asbestos Re-Inspections.
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Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys For Art Galleries
Many UK art galleries have been renovated in recent years, with the conversion of the Tate Modern in London being one of the most famous examples, closely followed by the Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne, the New Art Gallery Walsall and the Aberdeen Art Gallery in Scotland.
Architectural recycling offers a sustainable way to repurpose existing buildings, adding a modern touch to culturally significant sites. But if you’re an art gallery manager planning to refurbish, or even demolish, parts of a building that pre-dates 2000, this could disturb potential, hidden ACMs. This disturbance is not only a compliance risk, putting the reputation of your cultural space on the line, but it is also a serious health hazard.
This is where our Refurbishment & Demolition Surveys (formerly known as Type 3 Asbestos Surveys) come in. Involving visual, intrusive sampling methods, we will need to survey all accessible areas of the building (if an area is inaccessible, we will assume it contains asbestos) to identify possible ACMs. These samples will then be sent off to a UKAS-accredited laboratory for asbestos testing, which will confirm the presence, type and condition of the material at-hand. After receiving the results, we will be able to plan the next steps with you, should further action be necessary.
Art galleries & other cultural spaces, including museums, libraries or listed sites, typically occupy historic buildings where asbestos may be hidden in central heating systems, electrical installations, floor tiles and more.
Asbestos Management Surveys For Art Galleries
Asbestos is often hidden and difficult to identify with an untrained eye. One example includes Raoul Dufy’s ‘La Fee Electricite’, which was found to be coated in asbestos in 2001. The Museum of Modern Art in Paris spent seven million Euros (just over £6.1 million) on removing 50 hazardous panels from the painting.
More recently in 2014, traces of asbestos were found at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in an exhibit displaying Brazilian artist, Hélio Oiticica’s, work titled ‘Nas Quebradas’.
This is where an Asbestos Management Survey (previously known as a Type 2 Asbestos Survey) would be required. The aim of an AMS is to identify potential ACMs that could be disturbed during the normal occupancy (or in this case, use) of the building. Discreet in comparison to R&D sampling, an Asbestos Management Survey involves more modest methods, e.g. accessing dry risers or removing ceiling tiles.
Due to the less intrusive nature of an AMS, building users may remain on-site during the survey if needed. Our accredited asbestos surveyors take care with every project we undertake, but we especially do so with historic or listed sites. That’s why our team will keep disruptions to a minimum by only sampling materials from empty or unoccupied areas of your art gallery, museum, library or other type of cultural space.
Similarly to an R&D survey, the samples taken during an AMS are also sent to an independent, UKAS-accredited laboratory for rigorous testing. If asbestos is found within the samples, our qualified surveyors will advise you on any required next steps, this usually includes an Asbestos Management Plan or Asbestos Removal Management.
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Contact our qualified asbestos surveyors to get your free, no-obligation quote today.
- Our fully qualified team has over 35+ years of experience
- We work with independent, UKAS-accredited laboratories
- Our asbestos survey company holds accreditations from the SSIP (formerly Acclaim) & ConstructionLine
Asbestos Surveys For Art Galleries: FAQs
Which types of asbestos are commonly found in art galleries?
Types of asbestos that could be commonly found in art galleries include, but are not limited to:
- Asbestos Insulating Board (AIB asbestos): Usually found in the central heating systems of listed buildings, but can also be found in fire door panels, partition walls, ceiling tiles, window surrounds, etc.
- Asbestos wiring: Found in wire insulation, electrical installations/panels, cable wraps, electrical paper, etc.
- Asbestos cement: It is probable that several art galleries in the UK would have used asbestos cement for their roofs, as it was a popular roofing material during the 1900s.
- Asbestos floor tiles: Asbestos floor tiles were used in many commercial buildings during the 20th century due to their low-cost durability and fire-resistance.
What happens if asbestos is found in my art gallery?
If asbestos is found in your art gallery, our trained asbestos consultants will advise you on the best course of action. This will either include an asbestos management plan, asbestos removal management or asbestos re-inspections:
- Asbestos Management Plan (AMP): Outlines your commitments towards managing your legal responsibilities by setting out the processes you’ll undertake in order to make sure your building’s users are not exposed to asbestos. We’ll create a bespoke plan for your site to give you the tools you need to fulfil your statutory obligations.
- Asbestos Removal Management: Asbestos doesn’t always need to be removed. But if it does, we can provide project management support to ensure the site preparation, tendering process, audits, timescales, costs and more, all go to plan.
- Asbestos Re-Inspections: Sometimes asbestos is safer to be left in situ, but regular compliance checks will need to be carried out which is something our specialists can help with.
Will an asbestos survey disrupt my art gallery’s exhibitions or visitors?
This will depend on which asbestos survey is required for your art gallery. If you need a Refurbishment & Demolition Survey, this utilises intrusive sampling methods so the site will need to be vacant.
But if it’s an Asbestos Management Survey your gallery needs, we will only extract samples from empty or unoccupied areas. Exhibitions will be able to go ahead and visitors will be allowed on-site.
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Areas We Offer Asbestos Surveys
ASBESTOS
SURVEYS
We undertake Asbestos Management Surveys and Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys, both of which are HSG264-compliant…
ASBESTOS
MANAGEMENT PLAN
Our Asbestos Management Plans detail how you can manage asbestos in your property, in line with legislation…
ASBESTOS REMOVAL
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
We can oversee Asbestos Removal projects to ensure a thorough, safe and compliant job is being undertaken…
