When is a test worth doing?

A test answers one question: does this particular material contain asbestos? It is the right step when you have found something you are unsure about and you are about to work near it, when a tradesperson has stopped work and asked, or when a material has been damaged and you need to know how to deal with it.

If the whole building needs checking, or you are about to refurbish, a survey is usually better value than testing items one by one. A single test result tells you about that one material, not about anything else in the building that happens to look similar.

Can you tell asbestos by looking at it?

No. Asbestos was mixed into cement, board, plaster, coatings, floor tiles, adhesives, textiles and more, and many of those products look exactly like modern ones that contain none. Age gives a clue, since any building built or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos, but only laboratory analysis gives an answer.

Common places to find suspect materials in homes include:

textured coatings on ceilings and walls
floor tiles and the black adhesive under them
boards in airing cupboards, around boilers and behind heaters
panels behind older fuse boxes
cement roof sheets, gutters, downpipes, soffits and flue pipes
old water tanks and pipe lagging

How is a sample taken?

A trained person dampens the material, removes a small piece with hand tools, and seals it in a labelled bag. The spot is then sealed or covered so no loose fibres are left. Expect them to wear protective equipment and to keep others out of the room while they work.

HSE advises that sampling should be done by someone suitably trained, and that if in doubt you should use a competent surveyor. Taking a sample yourself means disturbing the very material you are worried about, so think carefully before trying.

Who analyses the sample?

The analysis should be done by a laboratory accredited by UKAS to ISO/IEC 17025 for asbestos identification. Ask the specialist which laboratory they use, and check its accreditation on the UKAS website if you want certainty.

The result will normally say whether asbestos was detected and, if so, which type, such as chrysotile (white), amosite (brown) or crocidolite (blue). A result covers the sample taken. A similar-looking material elsewhere in the building may be different.

What should landlords and businesses do with the results?

If you are responsible for maintaining non-domestic premises or the shared parts of a block of flats, add every result to your asbestos register, whether asbestos was found or not. Record where the sample came from and keep the laboratory certificate with it. Contractors working in the building should see the register before they start, so a single test can save the same material being questioned again on every job. If a test finds asbestos, the next step is to decide whether to leave it, seal it or have it removed.

What is air testing?

Air testing measures asbestos fibres in the air, rather than identifying a material. It is used during and after removal work, after an accidental disturbance, and as reassurance monitoring.

After licensed asbestos removal, an independent analyst carries out a four-stage clearance, described in HSE's Asbestos: The analysts' guide, before the area is used again. That includes a visual inspection and air sampling, and ends with a certificate for reoccupation. The analyst should come from an organisation accredited by UKAS for this work, and should not be part of the removal contractor's business.

What if something has already been damaged?

Stop work, leave the room and close the door. Do not vacuum or sweep up dust or debris, because that spreads fibres. Keep others out and get advice before anyone goes back in. If a contractor caused the damage at work, they should stop and report it.

What should my enquiry say?

the postcode and the type of building
what the material is on or in, with a photograph if you can
roughly when the building was built or last refurbished
whether the material is intact or damaged
whether you need a single test, several tests or air testing

What happens once it is sent?

Sending an enquiry is free and commits you to nothing. Where a specialist covers your postcode, they agree the sampling and terms with you directly.

Who you will hear from

We pass your enquiry to one local asbestos specialist, if one covers your postcode. It is never sent to a list of companies. If nobody covers your postcode, we will tell you and will not pass your details on.