Tyne Asbestos Removal Ltd provides UKAS-accredited asbestos surveys across Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, Durham, Northumberland, and throughout the North East. Our qualified surveyors identify, assess, and document asbestos-containing materials to help you comply with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and protect building occupants.
Management Asbestos Surveys
A Management Survey (formerly Type 2 survey) is the standard survey for occupied buildings where asbestos materials will remain in place and be managed. Required under Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, it identifies the presence, location, and condition of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) that could be damaged or disturbed during normal occupancy or maintenance. Our surveyors inspect all accessible areas including ceiling voids, service ducts, and plant rooms. Samples of suspected materials are collected and sent to UKAS-accredited laboratories for polarized light microscopy (PLM) analysis. The survey report includes photographs, locations, material assessments, risk ratings (using the HSG264 material assessment algorithm and priority assessment), and a comprehensive asbestos register. Management surveys are ideal for landlords, duty holders, facilities managers, and business owners who need to fulfill their duty to manage asbestos.
Refurbishment & Demolition Surveys
Refurbishment and Demolition (R&D) Surveys (formerly Type 3 surveys) are intrusive surveys required before any refurbishment or demolition work begins. Regulation 5 of CAR 2012 mandates that R&D surveys must be completed to identify all ACMs in the area where work will take place. These surveys are fully intrusive and destructive—we access all areas of the structure including behind walls, above ceilings, under floors, within service risers, and inside building cavities. The building should be unoccupied during the survey. Our surveyors systematically sample and test all suspected materials to provide absolute certainty about asbestos presence. The report provides contractors with exact locations of all asbestos so removal can be planned before refurbishment or demolition proceeds. R&D surveys prevent costly project delays, protect workers from unknowing asbestos exposure, and ensure legal compliance for construction projects.
UKAS-Accredited Laboratory Analysis
All asbestos samples collected during surveys are analyzed by UKAS-accredited laboratories in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards. Laboratories use polarized light microscopy (PLM) with dispersion staining to identify asbestos fiber types (chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite, anthophyllite) and determine the percentage of asbestos present. For complex samples, laboratories may use additional techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or X-ray diffraction (XRD). UKAS accreditation ensures reliable, legally defensible results. Laboratory certificates are included in survey reports and provide definitive confirmation of asbestos presence, type, and concentration. Turnaround times are typically 3-5 working days for standard analysis, with rush services available for urgent projects.
Asbestos Registers & Management Plans
Following a Management Survey, we produce a comprehensive asbestos register documenting all identified and presumed ACMs within the property. The register includes material descriptions, locations (with reference to floor plans), photographs, condition assessments, material assessment scores, priority assessment scores, and recommendations for management or removal. We also prepare Asbestos Management Plans setting out procedures for managing identified asbestos, including monitoring schedules, maintenance protocols, emergency procedures, and information distribution to contractors and occupants. The management plan helps duty holders comply with Regulation 4 (duty to manage asbestos) and provides a framework for ongoing asbestos management. Registers and plans are provided in both PDF and editable formats and can be updated following re-inspections or removal works.
Re-Inspection & Monitoring
Asbestos materials left in place must be re-inspected regularly to monitor their condition and ensure they remain safe. HSG227 (Asbestos: The Survey Guide) recommends re-inspection intervals based on material condition and risk—typically annually for materials in good condition, more frequently for damaged or high-risk materials. Our re-inspection service involves visual examination of previously identified ACMs, updated condition assessments, revised risk ratings, updated photographs, and amendments to the asbestos register. Re-inspections are quicker and less expensive than initial surveys as we know exactly where to look. They provide ongoing assurance that asbestos is being managed safely and help demonstrate compliance with duty-to-manage obligations if inspected by the HSE.
Duty to Manage Compliance
Under Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, the duty holder (usually the building owner or person with maintenance responsibility) must manage asbestos in non-domestic premises. This duty requires: taking reasonable steps to find asbestos materials, presuming materials contain asbestos unless proven otherwise, assessing the condition and risk of asbestos materials, preparing an asbestos management plan, taking action to manage risks, reviewing and monitoring the plan regularly, and providing information to anyone who might disturb asbestos. Our Management Surveys and ongoing support help duty holders fulfill these legal obligations. Failure to comply with the duty to manage can result in HSE enforcement action, improvement or prohibition notices, and potential prosecution with unlimited fines.
Our surveys follow HSG264 (Asbestos: The Survey Guide) methodology to ensure thorough, compliant asbestos identification and assessment.
Pre-Survey Planning
Before attending site, we review building information including age, construction type, previous survey reports (if available), and planned works. We liaise with the client to understand access arrangements, any areas of concern, and survey objectives. For occupied buildings, we coordinate access with minimal disruption. For R&D surveys, we confirm the building is vacant and utilities are isolated where necessary. Our surveyors arrive with appropriate sampling equipment, PPE, and intrusive access tools. We hold public liability insurance and our surveyors carry photographic ID and survey credentials.
Systematic Inspection & Sampling
Surveyors systematically inspect the building room-by-room, documenting all building materials and identifying suspected ACMs. We check common asbestos locations including ceiling tiles, floor tiles, textured coatings, pipe lagging, boiler insulation, soffits, guttering, roofing materials, wall panels, and fire doors. Representative samples (typically 2-3 cm²) are carefully collected using hand tools with water suppression to minimize fiber release. Each sample is labeled with a unique identifier, location description, and suspected material type. Samples are double-bagged in asbestos sample bags and transported to the laboratory in sealed containers. Sampling locations are photographed and recorded on floor plans. For presumed ACMs that cannot be safely sampled (e.g., inaccessible or too dangerous to disturb), we adopt a precautionary "assume and manage" approach.
Material & Priority Assessment
Once laboratory results confirm asbestos presence, we conduct material assessment and priority assessment in accordance with HSG264 Appendix 2. Material Assessment scores ACMs based on product type, extent of damage, surface treatment, and asbestos type (scores 2-12). Priority Assessment considers normal occupant activity, likelihood of disturbance, maintenance frequency, and location accessibility (scores 2-12). Combined Material Assessment + Priority Assessment scores (4-24) determine risk categories: Low (total score ≤10), Medium (11-16), High (17-20), Very High (21-24). These assessments guide recommendations for managing, encapsulating, or removing materials based on actual risk to building occupants.
Comprehensive Survey Reports
Survey reports are delivered within 5-7 working days and include: executive summary, survey limitations and exclusions, methodology statement, laboratory certificates, asbestos register with all identified/presumed ACMs, material and priority assessments, high-quality photographs with locations marked, floor plans showing asbestos locations (where available), recommendations for each material (manage in situ, encapsulate, remove), and management plan guidance. Reports are written for both technical and non-technical readers—contractors get the detail they need, clients get clear actionable advice. Reports comply with HSG264 standards and are accepted by HSE inspectors, insurers, and building control authorities. We provide reports in PDF and can supply additional copies or data in other formats on request.
Post-Survey Support
After delivering the survey report, we're available to answer questions, clarify findings, and provide further advice. We can recommend suitable licensed asbestos removal contractors for high-risk materials (or provide removal quotes ourselves as we're fully licensed). We offer asbestos awareness training for site personnel so they understand how to work safely around identified ACMs. Our team can help implement asbestos management plans, create asbestos warning labels and signage, and set up re-inspection schedules. If removal works are undertaken, we can update the asbestos register to reflect changes. We maintain survey records and can provide replacement copies of reports if originals are lost.
Specialist & Complex Surveys
We undertake surveys in challenging environments including industrial sites, schools, hospitals, listed buildings, and high-rise properties. For large or complex sites, we use barcode scanning and asset tagging systems to track thousands of individual ACMs. We conduct pre-acquisition surveys for property transactions, providing buyers with comprehensive asbestos information before purchase. Emergency surveys can be arranged at short notice for urgent situations such as unexpected asbestos discovery during works, building damage, or imminent demolition. We work closely with architects, structural engineers, and contractors to integrate asbestos survey findings into project planning and ensure all parties have the information needed to work safely.
