UK trade-and-hazard guidance by the Riskora Editorial Team
No pre-2000 building can be demolished in the UK without a current Refurbishment & Demolition (R&D) asbestos survey under HSG264. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 categorise asbestos work into licensed (high-risk insulation, lagging, sprayed coatings), notifiable non-licensed (NNLW — short-duration disturbance of friable AIB) and non-licensed (cement sheeting, vinyl tiles in good condition). RAMS that do not classify the works against this framework will fail competent review and may trigger an HSE prohibition notice.
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Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
Regulations 5, 7 and 8
Survey, assessment and plan of work for any work liable to expose persons to asbestos. Licensed contractor required for any work on the highest-risk materials.
HSG264 Asbestos: The Survey Guide
Sections 6-8
Refurbishment & Demolition surveys are intrusive, sample every suspect material, and must be current at the time of demolition (typically within 12 months).
HSG247 Asbestos: The Licensed Contractors' Guide
All
Detailed control measures for licensed asbestos work, including enclosures, decontamination units, air monitoring and clearance certification.
Every UK RAMS reviewer applies the hierarchy of controls in the order below. Defaulting straight to PPE is the single most common reason a RAMS fails review.
1. Eliminate
Remove all asbestos-containing materials before demolition begins, by a licensed or non-licensed contractor as appropriate.
2. Substitute
Where ACMs cannot be removed pre-demolition (rare), demolition method must be modified to prevent fibre release — soft-strip rather than ball-and-chain.
3. Engineering controls
Negative pressure enclosures for licensed work. H-class vacuums for cleaning. Damp-down spray for any suspected disturbance.
4. Administrative controls
R&D survey on site before any work. Plan of Work approved by HSE (14-day notification for licensed work). Trained operatives only (UKATA / IATP for non-licensed; ARCA / IATP licensed for licensed).
5. PPE (last line)
Disposable Type 5 coveralls, FFP3 RPE (face-fit tested), gloves, boots without laces, decontamination unit on site.
Submitting a demolition RAMS without naming the R&D survey reference and date. The first thing any competent reviewer or HSE inspector asks for is the survey — RAMS that don't cite it are presumed non-compliant.
An illustrative extract structured for principal-contractor review. Site-specific facts must be substituted and checked by a competent person.
R&D survey (ref Asbestos Co Ltd 2026/PRJ/0117 dated 14 February 2026) identifies AIB ceiling panels (Room G02, G03), cement gutter and downpipe (external), and vinyl floor tiles (G05). Licensed asbestos removal contractor (Approved Asbestos Ltd, HSE licence ref AL/12345) will remove AIB panels under negative-pressure enclosure with 14-day HSE notification submitted on 1 April 2026. Cement sheeting and vinyl tiles will be removed by our trained UKATA-certified operatives under non-licensed controls. Site clearance certificate (4-stage) required from the licensed contractor before mechanical demolition commences.
Daily walk-through by site supervisor checking enclosure integrity. Air monitoring (UKAS-accredited analyst) at frequencies set by HSG247. Decontamination unit logbook signed at every entry/exit. Operative face-fit test certificates on file.
Can a demolition contractor remove asbestos themselves?
Only non-licensed materials (cement sheeting, vinyl tiles in good condition) under proper UKATA training and full controls. Licensed materials (insulation, lagging, AIB, sprayed coatings) require an HSE-licensed contractor and 14-day notification.
How long is an R&D survey valid for demolition?
There is no statutory expiry but most principal contractors treat 12 months as the upper limit. Surveys older than 12 months should be re-validated by re-inspection of the building before the works begin.
Is air monitoring required for non-licensed asbestos work?
Personal monitoring is good practice; reassurance air sampling at the completion of the works is recommended though not strictly required for non-licensed work. Licensed work has mandatory monitoring at frequencies set in the Plan of Work.
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