Asbestos that is in good condition and left alone is often managed safely for years. What changes it is usually small: a bit of paint lifting, a tile worn at a doorway, a new hole for a cable. Each one is easy to miss when you walk past it every day, which is why comparing against last year’s photo and notes matters.
Monitoring would involve a visual inspection, looking for signs of disturbance, scratches, broken edges, cracked or peeling paint and debris.
HSE, HSG227, Appendix 5
1. Paint or sealant lifting
Sealed insulating board and coatings are often painted to protect them. When that paint cracks or peels, the surface underneath is exposed. Caught early, a reseal is usually all it needs.
2. Floor tiles worn through at doorways
Vinyl floor tiles take the most wear where people turn or trolleys roll. A tile that was “good” last year can be worn at one edge this year. Covering it is often the simplest fix.
3. New holes and fixings
Data cabling, shelving and signage all bring new fixings. A drilled hole in a ceiling tile or a cable pushed through boxing is a change to the item, and it should be recorded and checked.
4. Damaged boxing and enclosures
Where asbestos is boxed in, the boxing is what protects it. Gaps, broken panels and removed covers are checked as carefully as the material itself.
5. Labels that have gone
HSE notes that labels can get dirty, covered up or fall off. A missing label means the next contractor may not know the item is there.
What happens next
Every change goes onto your updated register with a photo, a new score and an action with a date. If you would like a re-inspection of your own register, call 020 3386 1854.
