UKATA Asbestos-Containing Materials (ACMs) in Buildings 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under CAR 2012 Regulation 4, if the presence of asbestos in a material cannot be confirmed, what approach must the duty holder take?
- Assume the material is asbestos-free until proved otherwise
- Presume the material contains asbestos unless evidence shows it does not (Correct answer)
- Seal off the building until laboratory results are received
- Commission a visual inspection only and update records annually
Correct answer: Presume the material contains asbestos unless evidence shows it does not
Where the presence of asbestos cannot be confirmed by evidence or sampling, the duty holder must presume the material contains asbestos and manage it accordingly.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of an asbestos register in a building?
- To record all maintenance works and contractors entering the building
- To document the location, type, condition, and risk of all known or presumed ACMs (Correct answer)
- To list all employees who have received asbestos awareness training
- To record the dates on which asbestos removal works were completed
Correct answer: To document the location, type, condition, and risk of all known or presumed ACMs
The asbestos register is a record of all known or presumed ACMs in a building, including their location, type, extent, condition, and associated risk assessment, enabling safe management.
Question 3: How should the condition of an asbestos-containing material be assessed during a management survey?
- By removing a sample and sending it for laboratory analysis
- By using a moisture meter to detect deterioration
- By visual inspection assessing damage, surface condition, and likelihood of disturbance (Correct answer)
- By conducting air monitoring for asbestos fibres in the vicinity
Correct answer: By visual inspection assessing damage, surface condition, and likelihood of disturbance
Condition assessment during a management survey is carried out visually, scoring factors such as surface damage, delamination, water damage, and the likelihood of the material being disturbed.
Question 4: What is the key difference between a management survey and a refurbishment and demolition (R&D) survey?
- A management survey tests air quality; an R&D survey tests material samples
- A management survey is non-intrusive; an R&D survey is fully intrusive to locate all ACMs before major works (Correct answer)
- A management survey is only required for domestic properties
- An R&D survey only covers asbestos cement products
Correct answer: A management survey is non-intrusive; an R&D survey is fully intrusive to locate all ACMs before major works
A management survey is non-intrusive and designed to manage ACMs in normal occupancy, whereas an R&D survey is intrusive and aims to locate all ACMs, including those in hidden voids, before refurbishment or demolition.
Question 5: If asbestos floor tiles are found to be in good condition and are unlikely to be disturbed, what is usually the most appropriate management action?
- Arrange for immediate removal by a licensed contractor
- Leave them in place, record them in the register, and monitor their condition (Correct answer)
- Seal them with industrial epoxy resin immediately
- Close the entire floor to all personnel
Correct answer: Leave them in place, record them in the register, and monitor their condition
ACMs that are in good condition and not at risk of disturbance are best managed in place, with their location recorded and condition monitored periodically, as removal itself can create greater risks.
Question 6: Who is qualified to take samples of suspected asbestos-containing materials for laboratory analysis?
- Any trained in-house maintenance worker using a standard DIY kit
- A trained asbestos surveyor or licensed asbestos contractor (Correct answer)
- The building owner or facilities manager
- A general health and safety officer
Correct answer: A trained asbestos surveyor or licensed asbestos contractor
Sampling must only be performed by trained and competent personnel such as UKAS-accredited asbestos surveyors or licensed contractors, as incorrect sampling can release fibres and cause contamination.
Question 7: Which of the following pieces of information must be recorded about an ACM in the asbestos register?
- Colour of the material only
- Location, type, extent, condition, and risk assessment (Correct answer)
- The date the building was constructed
- Only the name of the surveyor who found it
Correct answer: Location, type, extent, condition, and risk assessment
The asbestos register must contain sufficient detail — location, material type, extent/quantity, condition, and a risk assessment — to enable safe management and inform others working in the building.
UKATA Asbestos-Containing Materials (ACMs) in Buildings 2
Under CAR 2012 Regulation 4, if the presence of asbestos in a material cannot be confirmed, what approach must the duty holder take?