Awareness only. This is not a licence, a survey or permission to remove asbestos. If you are not sure, stop.
Stop if it might be ACM
Do not drill, sand, scrape or sweep textured ceilings, bath panels, soffits, old tiles or unknown dusty material. You cannot tell by eye.
Where it turns up on our jobs
- Textured coatings on ceilings and walls (Artex and similar)
- Insulating board in panels, soffits, fire doors, boxing-in
- Cement sheet on garages, roofs and flues
- Floor tiles and bitumen adhesive
- Pipe lagging and old boiler cupboards
Assume it may be there in any building built or refurbished before 2000 until a survey says otherwise.
Never do these
No drill. No sandpaper. No broom. No household vacuum. Those spread fibres. Leave the material alone.
If you find it — or think you have
- Stop. Do not finish “this last hole”.
- Keep the customer and other trades out.
- Do not sweep up.
- Call your supervisor or a BMF director the same day.
The law we work to
Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, plus HSWA 1974. Licensed removal is outside BMF operative scope. A RAMS tick is not a medical, a licence or a refurbishment survey.
HSE asbestos essentials and the duty to manage guidance win if this page and a survey disagree.