Commercial Asbestos Management Survey | Walthamstow, East London

Commercial Asbestos Survey Completed in Walthamstow

Asbestos Surveys Essex was recently instructed to carry out an asbestos management survey at two adjoining commercial retail units in Walthamstow, East London. The survey was commissioned by the property owner to identify the presence of any asbestos containing materials (ACMs) within the premises and to ensure compliance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
Both shops were fully occupied and operating as retail businesses throughout the inspection. The client required a professional asbestos survey before arranging future maintenance works and to ensure that staff, contractors and visitors were protected from the potential risks associated with asbestos. Our experienced asbestos surveyor completed the inspection in accordance with HSG264: Asbestos: The Survey Guide, carrying out a systematic inspection of all accessible areas within both commercial properties.

The Property

The survey covered two adjoining ground floor retail premises located in Walthamstow, East London. Each unit consisted of a customer sales area, rear stockroom, staff kitchen facilities, office space and toilet accommodation.

Due to the age of the buildings, there was a reasonable likelihood that asbestos containing materials could still be present within the original construction or later refurbishment works. Materials commonly encountered within commercial premises of this age include textured coatings, asbestos insulating board (AIB), vinyl floor tiles, cement products and insulation materials.
The purpose of the asbestos management survey was to identify any accessible asbestos containing materials that could be disturbed during normal occupation, maintenance or repair activities.

Carrying Out the Survey

Before work commenced, the scope of the survey was discussed with the client and access arrangements were confirmed. As both retail units remained open during the inspection, the survey was carefully planned to minimise disruption to the businesses while maintaining a safe working environment. A systematic room-by-room inspection was undertaken throughout both shops.

Every accessible area was visually examined, including ceilings, walls, service cupboards, storage rooms, electrical meter cupboards, kitchen areas, toilet facilities and other building elements where asbestos containing materials are commonly found.

Where necessary, inspection equipment including powerful LED lighting, mirrors and step ladders was used to inspect concealed or difficult-to-access areas. The overall condition of suspect materials was assessed throughout the inspection, noting any evidence of damage, deterioration or previous repairs.

Ceiling Textured Coating Sampling

One of the primary materials requiring investigation during the survey was the textured decorative coating applied to ceilings throughout both commercial units. Textured coatings installed before the late 1990s can sometimes contain chrysotile (white asbestos), making laboratory analysis essential before any maintenance or refurbishment work is undertaken.
Representative samples were therefore carefully taken from the ceiling textured coatings within both shops.

Each sampling location was lightly wetted before a small sample was removed using controlled techniques designed to minimise fibre release. Every sample was individually sealed within double sample bags, uniquely labelled and recorded against the relevant room location.

Once each sample had been obtained, the exposed area was sealed using an appropriate encapsulating sealant to leave the ceiling in a safe condition. All sampling debris and disposable materials were collected and disposed of in accordance with recognised asbestos sampling procedures. The samples were submitted to a UKAS accredited laboratory for asbestos identification using polarised light microscopy.

Survey Findings

The asbestos management survey successfully inspected all accessible areas agreed within the survey scope. The ceiling textured coatings were identified as suspect asbestos containing materials and representative samples were obtained for laboratory analysis.

Alongside the textured coatings, the remainder of the accessible building materials were visually inspected and their condition recorded. Any suspect materials identified during the survey were included within the asbestos register together with their condition, accessibility and recommendations for ongoing management.

Where asbestos containing materials remain in good condition and are unlikely to be disturbed, removal is not normally necessary. Instead, they can often be safely managed through periodic inspections, accurate asbestos registers and suitable management procedures.
This approach helps commercial property owners remain compliant while avoiding unnecessary removal costs.