Compliant Asbestos Surveys for Prisons
Prisons have been used in the UK since the early 11th century, with modern versions of prisons being introduced during the early 1800s. Due to the majority of prisons being older constructions, asbestos can still be found in many prisons to this day, posing serious health risks for both inmates and staff. Asbestos insulation was one of the most widely used asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) within prison buildings. This was due to its lightweight nature, fire-resistance, heat-resistance and resistance to chemical reactions, which made it a highly durable material – ideal for the construction of buildings. If disturbed, or left unchecked, ACMs in prisons could cause serious diseases for those exposed to them, including mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), if a building was constructed or refurbished before the year 2000, you should assume asbestos remains present within the premises. Their regulations also outline that it is the dutyholder’s responsibility to manage the risk of asbestos within their property. For public buildings, who the dutyholder is depends on who is responsible for the maintenance of the building, e.g. for most hospitals, the dutyholder is the employer.
As a public sector dutyholder, planning a timeline that sets out the correct course of action in order to manage asbestos within your premises can be intimidating and complex. Pillars Environmental asbestos consultants are here to make the process simpler for you. Providing each client with a bespoke package of asbestos services tailored to their site, we carry out five types of asbestos management services for prisons across England, including: Asbestos Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys (R&D Asbestos Surveys), Asbestos Management Surveys (AMS), Asbestos Management Plans (AMP), Asbestos Removal Management and Asbestos Re-Inspections.
Other Types Of Public Sector Buildings We Work With:
| Museums & Libraries | Shops |
| Restaurants | Cafes |
| Hospitals | Schools |
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ASBESTOS
Refurbishment and Demolition Surveys For Prisons
As public sector buildings generally undergo regular maintenance, or in some cases, are older constructions – a Refurbishment and Demolition Asbestos Survey (also known as an R&D survey, formerly referred to as a Type 3 asbestos survey) could be the right solution.
According to HSE legislation, it is a legal requirement for any building constructed before the year 2000 that is due to undergo significant maintenance, refurbishment or demolition works to have an asbestos survey carried out at the premises. R&D surveys are also generally recommended for older buildings due to the survey’s invasive and thorough approach. This means all building users must be vacated during the survey.
Samples taken during the survey will only ever be extracted in accordance with the HSG264 Asbestos: The Survey Guide. After these samples have been tested at a UKAS-Accredited independent laboratory, our team of licensed asbestos specialists will be able to confirm the presence, location, type and condition of any ACMs within your premises.
If any ACMs are found, we will contact you immediately to begin planning the next steps, which could be removal or remediation (as part of our Asbestos Removal Management services, we can vet contractors for you based on their experience and compliance) or regular Asbestos Re-Inspections which will help your building remain safe and legally compliant.
“The duty to manage asbestos in buildings covers all non-domestic premises, such as factories, museums, warehouses, shops, restaurants, cafes, hospitals and schools.” ~ HSE
Asbestos Management Surveys For Prisons
Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (Section 4), there is a “legal duty to manage the risk of asbestos in non-domestic properties”. Therefore, even if a public sector building is not due to undergo any significant maintenance, refurbishment or demolition works, the dutyholder is still legally obliged to have an asbestos survey carried out at the premises. In this case, an Asbestos Management Survey (or AMS, previously known as a Type 2 asbestos survey) may be recommended.
The primary aim of an Asbestos Management Survey is to locate any ACMs that could be disturbed during the normal occupancy of the building. To ensure minimal disruption is caused to public sector buildings, such as prisons, our professional and fully licensed team will always carry out asbestos management surveys in the most considerate manner possible. This means we are likely to only take samples from unoccupied or empty areas of the prison.
After assessing the status of your building, our specialist team will then be able to advise you on how best to manage any potential ACMs accordingly, either through an Asbestos Management Plan or Asbestos Removal Management.
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Asbestos Management Plans For Prisons
An Asbestos Management Plan (AMP) shapes a dutyholder’s commitment to managing their legal obligations by setting out the process in which they will ensure all building users are not exposed to any ACMs while at their premises.
Firstly, our asbestos consultants will create a history of the ACMs on site and maintain, label or remove these materials as necessary. Also provided within your bespoke plan, tailored to your public sector building, will be timeframes for completion based on a priority and risk assessment scale. The plan will also outline who is responsible for managing the risk of asbestos at the site, the asbestos register, any training required, any previous asbestos abatement works undertaken at the premises and the level of communication required to ensure the risk of asbestos is managed effectively.
Asbestos Removal Management For Prisons
If ACMs have been identified within your building, depending on the type of asbestos and the condition of the materials (whether they are broken, damaged or have crumbled over time) asbestos removal may be recommended as the next step. To make this notoriously time-consuming and complex process simpler for you, our Asbestos Removal Management services are the perfect solution.
With our asbestos removal project management services, we can:
- Prepare the specification for the works, ensuring 100% compliance with the latest asbestos regulations and communicating your unique requirements to a list of contractors.
- Manage the tendering process, assessing quotations and vetting asbestos removal contractors based on their experience and compliance with all relevant health and safety regulations.
- Perform regular site audits to monitor progress and ensure that the asbestos removal contractor is carrying out work safely and compliantly.
- Advise and represent your best interests in all site meetings to help maintain agreed timescales and costs.
- Produce documentation showing that the asbestos removal works were completed to a high standard at the end of the project.
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Asbestos Re-Inspections For Prisons
If ACMs have been detected within your premises, but have been left in good condition, some types of asbestos (e.g. those with fibres that are unlikely to be readily released) are safe to be left in situ – with regular compliance checks carried out. Our Asbestos Re-Inspection services can help with this, ensuring your building remains safe and legally compliant.
This is especially important for constructions built before the year 2000, as older buildings pose a higher risk of containing ACMs with deteriorated conditions and inspection reports that have passed their expiry date.
Asbestos Surveys For Prisons FAQs
Where is asbestos commonly found in prisons?
There are several common locations for asbestos to be found in prisons, including but not limited to:
- All types of asbestos insulation
- Boilers
- Furnaces
- Roofing materials
- Asbestos ceiling tiles
- Asbestos floor Tiles
- Adhesives, e.g. asbestos in bitumen
- Spray-on coatings, e.g. asbestos in artex/popcorn ceilings
- Asbestos in plaster
- Asbestos cement sheets
- Asbestos in caulking
How long will an asbestos survey take?
The two types of asbestos surveys provided by our highly experienced asbestos contractors are tailored to the unique requirements of each site and project. If your building is an older construction, it may require a more invasive method, such as an R&D survey, to thoroughly assess the potential presence of any ACMs. Whereas, if your building is slightly newer, it may only require an asbestos management survey, that takes on a modest approach in comparison.
What is the cost of an asbestos survey?
Asbestos survey costs can vary significantly depending on the individual requirements of the prison, including: the location of any suspected ACMs, any specialist equipment needed, etc.
For a better idea, get in touch with us today for a free quote.
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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…
