Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Key definition

Asbestos definition

What does Asbestos mean? In legal practice, asbestos refers to a group of naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals present in many pre‑2000 buildings and industrial installations; when disturbed, they release respirable fibres that can cause serious illness, including mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer and pleural thickening. The term is used across health and safety, construction, property and personal injury. It is defined in legislation: in Great Britain by the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, in Northern Ireland by the Control of Asbestos Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012, and in Ireland by the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos) Regulations 2006–2010. Key legal features include...

Asbestos surveys and the duty to manage: legal requirements, dutyholders, survey types, and compliance for non-domestic premises and common parts

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Practice notes

Legal Requirements

It is legally assumed that any non-domestic premises—and the shared areas of domestic buildings—finished before 2000 contain Asbestos, so an asbestos survey is generally required. Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, SI 2012/632, the dutyholder must undertake a suitable and sufficient assessment to determine whether asbestos is present in non-domestic premises and in the common parts of domestic premises. A suitable and sufficient assessment is also required before any construction, Maintenance, demolition, or other activity that could disturb asbestos is undertaken.

What is a 'suitable and sufficient assessment'?

According to the Approved Code of practice and Guidance, paragraph 113, ‘everything that can reasonably be done must be done’ to establish the presence of asbestos. This means you should:

systematically review all obtainable documentation about the premises
carry out, so far as reasonably accessible, a comprehensive inspection of the interior and exterior—the thorough inspection will usually take the form of a survey
check every part of the premises, including warehouses, yards, sheds, outbuildings, underfloor services, ducts, corridors, vertical risers, ceiling voids, storerooms, and external runs of pipes...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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