Asbestos Surveys
Asbestos surveys involve the inspection of a building or structure in order to locate and assess asbestos-containing materials.
Asbestos Surveys
Asbestos surveys involve the inspection of a building or structure in order to locate and assess asbestos-containing materials.
If you are setting up an asbestos management plan for your workplace or managing risk at your properties, you should be looking into getting an asbestos survey done. If you are doing any demolition or refurbishment works on a structure built before 2000, this is a requirement under the Asbestos Regulations.
Having an asbestos survey will allow you to effectively manage asbestos and arrange asbestos removals or other management options as required. Depending on your situation, this may be a requirement under law. Asbestos is a known hazard that can cause serious health conditions and even death if not managed correctly.
Consultation
We will first consult with you to determine the appropriate survey type and scope for your needs.
Preliminary Site Visit and Preparation
Depending on the size of the property, we may conduct a preliminary site walk-through. We may require the area to be vacated and electricity to be disconnected.
Survey
We will inspect all areas of the property and report the condition of any presumed or sampled asbestos-containing materials. In the case of refurbishment and demolition surveys, aggressive inspection techniques are required and all possible asbestos-containing materials must be sampled.
Reporting
We will provide you with a comprehensive report on asbestos at your site, including recommended management options for each material.
This depends on the type of survey.
A demolition survey will require complete evacuation of the area and the disconnection of utilities.
A management survey will require evacuation of the room while our surveyors are sampling. If you have workers or customers on site, the survey should be scheduled for a time when the survey areas can be isolated.
Asbestos surveys are split into three types. You may require a combination of these surveys.
Asbestos Management Survey
This type of survey is essential before creating an effective asbestos management plan in the workplace or rental property. It is also recommended if you are buying or selling a home or considering renovations in the future.
Asbestos Refurbishment Survey
This is a requirement under the Asbestos Regulations for any structure constructed before 2000 that is being refurbished. See Worksafe NZ's technical bulletin to determine if your work is classed as refurbishment or maintenance. This is often used in combination with a management survey for areas outside of the refurbishment area.
Asbestos Demolition Survey
This is a requirement under the Asbestos Regulations for any structure constructed before 2000 that is being demolished. Demolition surveys demand aggressive inspection techniques such as inspecting under flooring, behind walls and above ceilings.
Generally 10-20 samples is typical for an average house.
In the case of refurbishment and demolition surveys, any possible asbestos-containing material that will be disturbed by planned works must be sampled. Where possible, we will composite samples together to reduce the number of samples.
Sampling is not a requirement of asbestos management surveys. However, the more materials we sample, the less you are likely to have to manage as many presumed materials will be found to be non-asbestos.
If you have concerns, discuss a sampling strategy with us prior to the survey.
We assess the risk of asbestos-containing materials based on the BOHS (British Occupational Health Society) IP402 method. This gives all materials a risk score based on the type of material, surface treatment, damage and type of asbestos.
The higher the score, the higher the chance the material will release respirable fibres if disturbed.
Your options for asbestos management will generally include a combination of the following.
- Removal
- Encapsulation
Coating with a hard material - Sealing
Applying a protective coating - Enclosure
Building a barrier around the material - Deferral
No action, periodic monitoring