Asbestos, identified, managed and controlled.
Independent asbestos management and consultancy for building owners, managing agents, dutyholders and contractors — helping you meet your legal duties, protect the people in your buildings and plan any removal work safely.
If your building was built before 2000, asbestos could be present.
Asbestos was widely used in UK construction until it was fully banned in 1999. It can be found in ceiling tiles, pipe lagging, boiler rooms, floor tiles, textured coatings, roof sheets and much more. In good condition and left undisturbed, it is often safer to manage it where it is — but once damaged or disturbed, it releases fibres that can cause serious, fatal diseases.
Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, whoever is responsible for maintaining or repairing non-domestic premises has a legal duty to manage asbestos. Meridian Environmental helps you understand that duty and puts a practical, proportionate system in place to meet it.
Complete asbestos support, from survey to clearance.
Whether you manage one building or a whole portfolio, we give you a clear picture of your asbestos risk and the plan to control it.
Duty to Manage Support
Helping dutyholders understand their responsibilities and putting in place a practical system to manage asbestos across their premises.
Asbestos Surveys
Arranging the right type of survey for your building — management or refurbishment & demolition — and reviewing the findings with you in plain English.
Registers & Management Plans
Producing and maintaining your asbestos register and written management plan, so everyone knows where asbestos is and how it's controlled.
Re-inspections & Monitoring
Scheduled condition checks of known asbestos materials, keeping your register up to date and flagging any deterioration early.
Removal Project Management
Writing removal specifications, tendering the work, checking contractor competence and licensing, and appointing the right contractor.
Removal Works Oversight
Monitoring removal works on your behalf — checking enclosures, controls and procedures follow the agreed plan of work.
Air Monitoring & Clearance
Coordinating independent analysts for air monitoring and four-stage clearance, so areas are only reoccupied once they're confirmed safe.
Awareness & Contractor Control
Making sure staff and contractors who could disturb asbestos have the right awareness training and check the register before starting work.
Incident Response Advice
Fast, practical advice if suspected asbestos has been disturbed — what to do immediately, how to make the area safe and what comes next.
Which survey do you need?
There are two main types of asbestos survey, set out in HSE guidance HSG264. Choosing the right one depends on what you plan to do with the building.
Management Survey
Locates, as far as reasonably practicable, any asbestos that could be damaged or disturbed during normal occupation, routine maintenance and minor works.
- Forms the basis of your asbestos register
- Minimally intrusive — the building stays in use
- Assesses the condition of materials found
- Required to meet the duty to manage
Refurbishment & Demolition Survey
Locates all asbestos, as far as reasonably practicable, in the areas where refurbishment, fit-out or demolition work will take place, so it can be removed first.
- Required before refurbishment or demolition work
- Fully intrusive — may involve breaking into structures
- Areas usually need to be vacated
- Informs the removal specification and programme
A clear, proportionate approach to asbestos.
Review
We look at your buildings, how they're used, what information you already hold and what works are planned.
Survey
We arrange the right survey for each building and review the findings, so you know exactly what's present, where and in what condition.
Plan
We prioritise the risks and produce your asbestos register and management plan — deciding what can be safely managed in place and what needs action.
Act
Where removal, encapsulation or repair is needed, we specify and tender the work, appoint the contractor and oversee it through to clearance.
Monitor & Review
We carry out re-inspections, keep your register and plan current, and make sure the right people have the information they need.
The legislation and guidance we help you meet.
Asbestos is one of the most heavily regulated hazards in UK buildings. We help you meet the key requirements, including:
Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
The main law on asbestos, including Regulation 4 — the duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises.
HSE L143 — Approved Code of Practice
"Managing and working with asbestos" — the HSE's code of practice and guidance on the Regulations.
HSG264 — Asbestos: The Survey Guide
HSE guidance on management and refurbishment & demolition surveys, and what a good survey report should contain.
HSG227 — Managing Asbestos in Premises
HSE guidance for dutyholders on how to manage asbestos, including registers and management plans.
HSG248 — Asbestos: The Analysts' Guide
HSE guidance on air monitoring and the four-stage clearance process following asbestos removal.
Hazardous Waste Regulations
Asbestos waste is hazardous waste and must be packaged, transported and disposed of correctly, with consignment records.
This is a summary for general information only. Requirements depend on your premises and the work planned — we'll confirm exactly what applies to you.
Asbestos support for
Common asbestos questions
Could my building contain asbestos?
Any building built or refurbished before 2000 could contain asbestos. It was used in hundreds of products, from insulation and ceiling tiles to floor tiles, cement roof sheets and textured coatings. The only way to know for certain is a survey with samples analysed by an accredited laboratory.
Who is the "dutyholder"?
The dutyholder is whoever has responsibility for maintaining or repairing non-domestic premises — usually the owner, landlord, tenant or managing agent, depending on the lease or contract. The duty also applies to the common parts of domestic buildings, such as shared hallways and plant rooms. Where responsibility is shared, everyone involved must cooperate.
Does all asbestos have to be removed?
No. Asbestos in good condition that is unlikely to be disturbed is often safer left in place and managed — recorded in your register, labelled where appropriate and checked regularly. Removal is usually needed where materials are damaged, deteriorating or in the way of planned works.
How often should asbestos be re-inspected?
Known asbestos materials should be checked regularly to make sure their condition hasn't changed. Many dutyholders re-inspect every 6–12 months, with higher-risk materials checked more often. We'll recommend a schedule based on the condition and location of the materials in your buildings.
What should I do if asbestos is accidentally disturbed?
Stop work immediately, get everyone out of the area, close it off and stop anyone entering. Don't try to clean up any debris yourself. Then get specialist advice on assessment and decontamination — contact us and we'll help you take the right next steps.
Do I need a new survey before refurbishment work?
Usually, yes. A management survey isn't designed to find all asbestos hidden in the fabric of the building. Before refurbishment, fit-out or demolition, a refurbishment & demolition survey of the areas affected is needed so any asbestos can be dealt with before work starts.
Not sure where you stand on asbestos?
Talk to us for clear, independent advice on your duties and your next steps.