Purpose
Asbestos remains the biggest cause of work-related deaths in the UK, and the exposure that causes them happens decades before the illness appears. That is why the law treats asbestos differently from every other site hazard: under Regulation 6 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012), a suitable and sufficient risk assessment must be completed before any work that is liable to disturb asbestos, and under Regulation 5 you must find out whether asbestos is present before the work starts.
In practice that means one hard rule for any building built or last refurbished before the year 2000: assume asbestos may be present until a suitable survey tells you otherwise. A refurbishment and demolition survey is required before refurbishment or intrusive work in the affected area, and its findings are the starting point for this assessment. This template gives you a structured way to record the survey information, the materials involved, their condition, who could be exposed, and the controls that make the work safe, or the decision that the work must go to an HSE licensed contractor instead.
When to Use This Template
- Before any work on a pre-2000 building that could disturb the fabric of the structure
- When a refurbishment and demolition survey has identified or presumed asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in the work area
- To assess and document non-licensed asbestos work, including notifiable non-licensed work (NNLW)
- To record the decision that work is licensed and must be passed to an HSE licensed asbestos contractor
- When unexpected suspected asbestos is found during work and the job needs reassessing before it restarts
- Alongside your general risk assessment and method statement as part of the RAMS pack
The Template
Asbestos Risk Assessment
| Assessment Reference: | [ARA-001] |
| Date of Assessment: | [DD/MM/YYYY] |
| Review Date: | [DD/MM/YYYY] |
| Project / Site: | [Enter project name and location] |
| Building Age: | [Year built / last refurbished. Pre-2000: presume ACMs unless surveyed] |
| Activity Assessed: | [e.g. Removal of asbestos cement roof sheets from single-storey outbuilding] |
| Assessed By: | [Name, role, asbestos training held] |
1. Survey Information
| Survey Type: | [Management survey / Refurbishment and demolition survey / None (state why)] |
| Survey Date and Reference: | [DD/MM/YYYY, report reference, surveying company] |
| Asbestos Register Checked: | [Yes / No, date checked, duty holder contact] |
| Sampling / Analysis Results: | [Bulk sample results, or "presumed ACM" where not sampled] |
2. Category of Work
| Category | Applies? | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed asbestos work (e.g. sprayed coatings, insulation, most AIB work) | [Yes / No] | STOP. Must be carried out by an HSE licensed contractor. Do not proceed under this assessment. |
| Notifiable non-licensed work (NNLW) | [Yes / No] | Notify the relevant enforcing authority before work starts. Medical surveillance and records apply. |
| Non-licensed work | [Yes / No] | Proceed only with the controls in this assessment and workers trained for non-licensed asbestos work. |
3. Materials and Exposure Assessment
| Material / Location | Asbestos Type (if known) | Condition | Who is at Risk | Expected Exposure | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [e.g. Cement roof sheets, outbuilding] | [e.g. Chrysotile, per survey] | [Good / weathered / damaged] | [Operatives, others nearby] | [Low, no breaking, kept damp] | [Medium] |
| [e.g. Textured coating, ceiling] | [Presumed] | [Sound, undisturbed] | [Operatives] | [None if left undisturbed] | [Low] |
| [Add rows as needed] |
4. Control Measures
| Control | Detail |
|---|---|
| Avoid disturbance | [Can the work be redesigned to leave the ACM undisturbed? Record the decision] |
| Segregation and signage | [Exclusion zone, warning signage, restricted access arrangements] |
| Dust suppression and method | [Keep material damp, no power tools, remove whole where possible, no breaking up] |
| RPE and PPE | [e.g. FFP3 disposable respirator (face fit tested), disposable coveralls type 5/6, boots without laces] |
| Decontamination | [Personal decontamination procedure, wipe-down, coverall disposal as asbestos waste] |
| Waste disposal | [Double-bagged / wrapped, UN-approved packaging, licensed carrier and consignment note] |
| Training | [Asbestos awareness as a minimum; non-licensed work training for those doing the work] |
5. Emergency Procedures
[Set out the actions for accidental damage or uncontrolled release: stop work, evacuate and isolate the area, prevent spread, report to the site manager and duty holder, arrange air monitoring or specialist clean-up where needed, record the incident and update this assessment before work restarts.]
6. Sign-Off
| Role | Name | Signature | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessor | |||
| Approved By | |||
| Briefed To (operatives) |
How to Customise This Template
- Start from the survey, not from memory. Attach or reference the refurbishment and demolition survey for the work area, and treat unsurveyed pre-2000 fabric as containing asbestos
- Decide the category of work first. If any part of the task is licensed work, stop and pass it to an HSE licensed contractor; no amount of controls in this template makes licensed work safe to self-perform
- Assess each material and location separately, because a weathered cement sheet outside and an intact textured coating inside carry very different risks
- Prefer avoiding disturbance over controlling it. The safest asbestos work is the work you redesign out of the job
- Be specific about RPE, decontamination and waste. "Mask and bags" is not an assessment; state the equipment, the face fit requirement and the disposal route
- Brief the assessment to everyone on the task and record the briefing in the sign-off, then review it whenever conditions or findings change
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an asbestos risk assessment?
An asbestos risk assessment is a documented assessment, required under Regulation 6 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, that must be completed before any work that is liable to disturb asbestos. It records what asbestos-containing materials are present or presumed, their type and condition, who could be exposed, the expected level of exposure, and the controls needed to prevent or reduce that exposure.
Do I need an asbestos survey before starting work?
For any building built or last refurbished before the year 2000, you should assume asbestos may be present until a suitable survey says otherwise. A refurbishment and demolition survey is needed before refurbishment or intrusive work in the affected area, and the survey findings feed directly into the risk assessment. Working on a pre-2000 building without survey information is one of the most common and serious asbestos failures.
What is the difference between licensed and non-licensed asbestos work?
Higher-risk work, such as most work with sprayed coatings, asbestos insulation and asbestos insulating board, must be carried out by a contractor licensed by the HSE. Lower-risk work, such as certain short-duration tasks and work with asbestos cement in good condition, can be non-licensed, though some of it is still notifiable (NNLW). This template supports the assessment for non-licensed work; licensed work must go to a licensed contractor.
Who can complete an asbestos risk assessment?
The assessment must be completed by someone competent to do it, which means adequate training, knowledge and experience of asbestos risks and controls. Anyone liable to disturb asbestos at work also needs asbestos awareness training as a minimum under CAR 2012, with additional training required for anyone actually carrying out non-licensed asbestos work.
What should I do if I find suspected asbestos during work?
Stop work immediately, keep everyone away from the area, prevent the spread of any debris or dust, and report it to the site manager or duty holder. Work must not restart until the material has been identified by sampling or presumed to contain asbestos and the risk assessment and controls have been updated to deal with it.
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