Compliant & Cost-Effective Asbestos Surveys For Emergency Service Buildings
As an integral part of the emergency services, police forces and fire departments have a duty to protect the general public, as well as their personnel. Not just from crime and fire, but also from the risk of asbestos.
According to the HSE (Health and Safety Executive), the organisation with clear responsibility for the building’s maintenance or repair is known as the ‘dutyholder’ – in other words, the person who has a legal obligation to manage the risk of asbestos within their building.
While most police stations are often purpose-built, fire stations are generally housed in historic buildings, with some dating back to the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Examples include Euston Road Fire Station in London (built between 1901 and 1902) and London Road Fire Station in Manchester (built between 1901 and 1906), both of which are Grade II listed due to their architectural and historical significance. Despite most police stations being housed in renovated buildings, the oldest existing station (the Marine Police Station in London) is still being used after being built all the way back in 1798.
Unfortunately, historic 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. Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations (2012), dutyholders are legally obliged to have an asbestos survey undertaken if the building they’re responsible for was built pre-2000, or is due to undergo refurbishment/demolition.
Pillars Environmental asbestos consultants have over 35 years of multi-disciplinary experience, ready to be utilised to help your emergency service building remain safe and compliant. To achieve this, 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.
OVER 30 YEARS
OF EXPERIENCE
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ASBESTOS
Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys For Emergency Service Buildings
Due to their tendency to be housed in older buildings, several emergency service establishments have been re-purposed in recent years. Currently, the Wolverhampton Police Station (built in 1992) is undergoing a multi-million pound refurbishment, as is Whitefield Community Fire Station (built in the 1960s).
While these refurbishments are great for improving sustainability and creating new victim facilities, significant construction or demolition works can disturb hidden asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) within the fabric of the building. This is where our Refurbishment & Demolition Surveys (also known as R&D Surveys, formerly referred to as Type 3 Asbestos Surveys) come in.
Adopting visual sampling methods, our asbestos surveyors will need to examine all areas of the building to locate, identify and assess potential ACMs. Our team will then send these samples to a UKAS-accredited laboratory for asbestos testing. This will confirm the presence of asbestos, as well as the type and condition (if ACMs have been found). Once we’ve received the results, our knowledgeable asbestos consultants will advise you on the best course of action to take, should any be necessary.
Fire stations are generally housed in historic or listed buildings, posing a greater risk of asbestos. What’s more, 82% of police stations in Scotland still contain asbestos.
Asbestos Management Surveys For Emergency Service Buildings
Did you know, 82% of police stations in Scotland still contain asbestos?
This is where an Asbestos Management Survey (abbreviated to AMS, 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 day-to-day use of the building. Utilising modest sampling methods, e.g. accessing dry risers or removing ceiling tiles, an AMS is more discreet than an R&D Survey and can be carried out while building users are on-site.
Our accredited asbestos surveyors understand that care and attention is extra important for surveys taking place in 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 emergency service facilities.
Once we receive the results of the asbestos testing performed by the UKAS laboratory, 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 which you can find out more about on our website.
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Qualified Asbestos Surveyors
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 Emergency Service Buildings: FAQs
Which types of asbestos are commonly found in police & fire stations?
Types of asbestos that could be commonly found in police and fire stations include, but are not limited to:
- Asbestos Insulating Board (AIB Asbestos): Generally found in ceiling tiles, wall and ceiling panels, partition walls, fire doors and around boilers or cisterns.
- Asbestos Roofing Sheets: Usually made of asbestos cement.
- Asbestos Insulation: Attic, pipe, wiring or duct insulation.
- Asbestos Textured Coatings: On walls, plaster and ceiling tiles (e.g. Asbestos in Artex).
What happens if asbestos is found in my police or fire station?
If asbestos is found in your police or fire station, 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): Sets out your obligations surrounding the management of asbestos risk within your station by outlining the processes you’ll undertake in order to prevent exposure. We’ll create a bespoke plan for your site to give you the tools you need to fulfil your statutory responsibilities.
- 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 asbestos specialists can help with.
Will an asbestos survey disrupt my police or fire station’s operations?
This will depend on which asbestos survey is required. If a Refurbishment & Demolition Survey is necessary, the invasive sampling methods could disturb potential ACMs. Therefore, the site will need to be vacant during the survey.
Whereas, if it’s an Asbestos Management Survey your station needs, our surveyors will only extract samples from empty or unoccupied areas. This means operations can continue as normal and personnel/members of the public can remain on-site during the survey.
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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…
