Getting an Asbestos Register Compiled
An asbestos register is produced as the output of a management survey carried out by a UKAS-accredited inspection body. The surveyor inspects your building, samples suspect materials, and delivers a written report that records every asbestos-containing material (ACM) — its location, type, and condition. That report is your register, and it must be kept up to date and shared with contractors before any work on the premises.
Is This Service a Legal Requirement?
Yes, for most non-domestic buildings. Under CAR 2012 Regulation 4, duty holders must assess whether ACMs are present in their premises, maintain a written record (the register), and draw up a management plan. Failing to maintain an asbestos register in a non-domestic building is a criminal offence under UK law.
Who Must Have One?
- All non-domestic premises (offices, factories, warehouses, schools, hospitals, shops)
- Common parts of residential blocks (staircases, boiler rooms, roof spaces)
- Any building where the duty holder does not have full documentation confirming it is asbestos-free
Private owner-occupied dwellings are exempt, but a register is still best practice before any renovation work.
What an Asbestos Register Must Contain
| Required Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Precise description and floor plans |
| Type of material | e.g. pipe lagging, ceiling tile, floor tile |
| ACM type | e.g. chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite or 'presumed' |
| Extent and quantity | Area or length of material |
| Condition | Good, fair, poor — assessed per HSG264 |
| Risk assessment score | Priority score from material assessment algorithm |
| Management recommendation | Monitor, encapsulate, or remove |
| Date of survey | When the assessment was carried out |
| Date of next review | Must be updated when condition changes |
Asbestos Management Plan
Alongside the register, duty holders must also create and implement an asbestos management plan — a document describing how ACMs will be managed, monitored, and reviewed over time. The plan must include inspection schedules, procedures for informing contractors, and actions to be taken if a material’s condition changes.
How to Get an Asbestos Register
- Commission a management survey from a UKAS-accredited inspection body
- The surveyor completes the site inspection and sends samples to an accredited lab
- You receive a written survey report — this is your asbestos register
- Keep the register on site and share it with all contractors before work begins
- Review and update it whenever ACM condition changes or new areas are surveyed