Asbestos Refurbishment School Survey

Project: Asbestos Refurbishment Survey

Location: Sutton, Surrey

Date of Survey: 01/07/2025

1. Introduction & Project Scope

An intrusive Asbestos Refurbishment Survey was conducted at a school in Sutton, Surrey, in accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. The survey was commissioned as a prerequisite for a planned major refurbishment project.

The primary objective of the survey was to locate and identify, as far as reasonably practicable, the presence and extent of any asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in the areas scheduled for refurbishment. The planned works include:

• The removal and replacement of all external windows.
• The removal and replacement of designated internal and external doors.
• The installation of a new comprehensive fire alarm system, including wiring, sensors, and control panels throughout the building.

The survey was fully intrusive and involved destructive inspection techniques where necessary to access all structural elements and cavities affected by the proposed works.

2. Survey Methodology

The survey was carried out in a systematic manner, covering all accessible areas impacted by the refurbishment plans. This included, but was not limited to:

• Window Frames & Sills: Inspection of areas around and behind existing window frames, including surrounding wall cavities, sills, and panelling.
• Door Sets: Examination of door frames, architraves, and surrounding partitions.
• Ceiling Voids & Wall Cavities: Accessing ceiling voids and wall cavities along the proposed routes for the new fire alarm system cabling and component installation.
• Riser Cupboards & Service Ducts: Intrusive inspection of service risers and ducts that will be utilised for the new systems.

Samples of materials suspected of containing asbestos were taken and sent to a UKAS-accredited laboratory for analysis.

3. Key Findings

The survey identified the presence of the following asbestos-containing materials within the scope of the planned refurbishment works:

• Asbestos Insulating Board (AIB):
  • Panels below window sills in the main hall and several classrooms on the ground floor.
  • Header panels above doorways in the main corridor.
• Textured Coatings (Artex):
  • Ceilings in the staff room and library were found to contain chrysotile (white) asbestos within the textured coating.
• Asbestos Cement:
  • External soffit boards along the main building’s roofline.
  • Panels to the boiler room door.

4. Conclusion & Recommendations

The survey successfully identified several asbestos-containing materials that will be disturbed by the upcoming refurbishment works. It is a legal requirement that these materials are addressed before any refurbishment work commences to prevent the uncontrolled release of asbestos fibres.

The following actions are recommended:

1. Licensed Asbestos Removal: All identified Asbestos Insulating Board (AIB) must be removed by a licensed asbestos removal contractor under fully controlled conditions prior to the removal of windows and doors.
2. Non-Licensed Removal: The textured coatings and asbestos cement products can be removed by a competent non-licensed contractor, following appropriate safety procedures. However, given the school environment, using a licensed contractor for all removal works is recommended to ensure the highest level of control.
3. Environmental Monitoring: Air monitoring should be conducted during all removal works to ensure control measures are effective. A four-stage clearance, including a visual inspection and air test, must be completed by an independent analyst following the removal of licensed materials before the areas can be reoccupied for refurbishment.
4. Report Distribution: The full asbestos survey report must be provided to the principal designer and all contractors involved in the refurbishment project.

The successful management of the identified asbestos is critical to ensuring the health and safety of all staff, students, and contractors and to maintaining regulatory compliance throughout the project.