Blog

Types of asbestos surveys: management, refurbishment, and demolition explained

A UK guide to the two asbestos survey types defined in HSG264 — management surveys and refurbishment/demolition surveys.

Mark McShane

The duty to manage asbestos: registers, plans, and what Regulation 4 requires

A practical UK guide to the duty to manage asbestos under Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 — who the duty holder is, what the asbestos register and management plan contain, and...

Asbestos-containing materials in UK buildings: a reference guide

A material-by-material UK reference for where asbestos was used in buildings — cement, AIB, lagging, sprayed coatings, floor tiles, Artex, rope seals, and loose-fill.

What is asbestos? A UK guide to the mineral and its uses

A factual UK guide to what asbestos is — the six naturally occurring silicate minerals it covers, where it came from, why it was used industrially, and why it's now banned but still present in million...

What to do if you've been exposed to asbestos

Step-by-step UK guidance on what to do if you've disturbed asbestos or think you've been exposed — the immediate actions, decontamination, who to tell, when to see a GP, and what the law requires.

Asbestos exposure: risks, symptoms, and the timeline of harm

A factual UK guide to asbestos exposure — what counts as exposure, the four main diseases it can cause, the latency period, the smoking interaction, and what to do if you think you've been exposed.

Asbestos awareness: a complete UK guide

A comprehensive UK guide to asbestos awareness — what it means, why it still matters in 2026, the legal framework, the materials you'll encounter, who needs training, and what to do if asbestos is dis...

Who needs asbestos awareness training in the UK?

A clear guide to who legally needs asbestos awareness training under Regulation 10 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 — the trades affected, the three training categories, who arranges the tr...

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 explained

A plain-English guide to the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012) — what it covers, who it applies to, the key regulations (4, 5, 6, 10, 22), penalties, and the practical duties on employer...

The types of asbestos: minerals, colours, and risks explained

A UK-focused guide to the six types of asbestos — chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, and the three rarer minerals.

When was asbestos banned in the UK? The complete timeline

Asbestos was banned in the UK in two stages: blue and brown in 1985, white in 1999, with the full ban in force from 24 November 1999.

What does asbestos look like? A UK visual reference

A practical reference for what asbestos looks like in UK buildings, covering raw fibre, cement, insulating board, pipe lagging, sprayed coatings, Artex, floor tiles and more — with the honest caveat t...

Asbestos floor tiles: how to recognise them in UK homes

A practical UK guide to recognising asbestos floor tiles. Covers the 9-inch tile size signal, the black mastic adhesive risk, paper-backed tiles, and what the law allows you to do with them.