Published on: 09 November 2023
The use of asbestos surveyors and analysts as part of the legal duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises survey, forms part of HSE’s work to deliver the Government’s accepted recommendations from the Work and Pensions Select Committee following its inquiry into HSE’s approach to asbestos management.
HSE is gathering information to build a comprehensive picture of the scale of awareness, action and behaviours in the area of asbestos surveyors and analysts. The information they gather will help them to understand how any potential changes in these areas could improve the management of asbestos risk.
If you have commissioned the services of an asbestos surveyor or surveying organisation as part of the duty to manage asbestos or commissioned the services of an asbestos analyst (via an analytical organisation) where licensed asbestos removal activity has taken place across any part of your marine estates this survey is relevant to your business.
Readers may be aware that the Work and Pensions Select Committee (WPSC) published their inquiry report about HSE’s approach to asbestos management in April 2022 with a range of recommendations. The government response was published in July 2022, which confirmed the majority of the recommendations would be taken forward. These included:
- HSE to make it mandatory that all persons undertaking asbestos surveys are accredited by a recognised accreditation body
- HSE assesses the impact of making it a legal requirement for building owners or occupiers to commission accredited asbestos analysts to check asbestos work done on their premises and, by extension, making it illegal for asbestos removal contractors to do so.
HSE is now building its evidence base to inform how these recommendations are implemented. The marine industry’s participation in this survey will help the HSE to build evidence to inform this work.
Completing the survey
The survey should take no longer than 25 minutes to complete, depending on which questions are relevant to your marine setting.
The survey is entirely voluntary and anonymised additionally no information will be used for regulatory inspection purposes
To take part in the survey click here.
