What is typically found in industrial buildings
Industrial sites built before 2000 commonly include asbestos cement roofing sheets and wall cladding, rainwater goods, fire-protection boards, pipe and boiler lagging, gaskets and rope seals in plant, electrical panels and arc chutes, insulation to ovens and flues, and floor tiles and bitumen products in offices and canteens. Warehouses and factories often have a long history of piecemeal alterations, so later extensions may use different materials from the original building.
Roofs are the largest single item. Asbestos cement sheets are often in sound condition but become brittle with age, and people have been seriously injured by falling through them. Surveys that include roof inspection should have access planned in advance, with edge protection and the right equipment.
The Port of Liverpool estate, the industrial areas of Bootle and Seaforth, Knowsley Industrial Park and the older yards on the Wirral all include sheds with cement roofs and cladding that need a roof-access plan before anyone goes up.
How the survey is approached
The survey follows HSG264. For a unit in normal use it will usually be a management survey. For re-roofing, re-cladding, plant replacement, strip-out or demolition, it needs to be a refurbishment and demolition survey scoped to the works. The surveyor will agree safe access to roofs and plant rooms in advance, and will need information about the site, including any restricted areas, live plant, and any previous surveys.
Large sites are surveyed in phases so that production and logistics can carry on. Out-of-hours and weekend working is often possible, and should be requested on the form.
A register your maintenance team can use
The output is an asbestos register covering the building fabric and services, with location plans, photographs, sample results and risk ratings. Maintenance staff and visiting contractors need to see it before they work, because they are the people most likely to disturb something. Many industrial sites keep a simple permit-to-work step that checks the register first.
If a material is deteriorating, such as a weathering roof with friable surfaces, the report will say what is recommended. Options range from monitoring and encapsulation to removal, which can include licensed contractors for some materials.
Multi-unit estates and landlords
Landlords of multi-let estates have duties for the common areas and structure they control, while tenants may hold duties for their own units. A single survey programme across the estate, with consistent reporting, makes it much easier to manage. Tell us about the number of units and the approximate floor area on the enquiry form.
