Asbestos Management Plans

An asbestos management plan is the document that sets out how asbestos-containing materials in a building will be managed safely.
The duty to manage asbestos falls on the person responsible for maintaining non-domestic premises under Regulation 4 of the CAR 2012.
The plan is based on an asbestos survey that identifies the location, type, condition, and risk assessment of all ACMs in the building.
The plan must describe how ACMs will be monitored, maintained, repaired, encapsulated, or removed based on their condition and risk.
Anyone who may disturb ACMs during their work, including contractors, must be informed of the locations and condition before starting.
The asbestos register is part of the plan and must be available to all persons working on or maintaining the building.
ACMs in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed can be safely managed in place — removal is not always necessary.
Re-inspection at regular intervals monitors the condition of ACMs and identifies any deterioration requiring action.
The plan must include emergency procedures for accidental disturbance or damage to known ACMs in the building.
All workers entering buildings with known ACMs must receive asbestos awareness training before starting their activities.

Legal duty	Regulation 4 of CAR 2012 places a legal duty on building managers to identify and manage asbestos — failure is a criminal offence.
Protect workers	Contractors entering buildings without being informed of ACM locations disturb asbestos unknowingly — the plan prevents this.
Monitor condition	ACMs in good condition today can deteriorate over time — regular re-inspection catches changes before fibres are released.

Do

Don't

Ensure the building has a current asbestos survey identifying all ACMs present.
Prepare a management plan describing how each ACM will be managed going forward.
Make the asbestos register available to everyone working on the building.
Inform all contractors of ACM locations before they start any work in the building.
Re-inspect ACMs at the intervals specified in the management plan.
Label known ACMs where appropriate to warn workers of their presence.
Provide asbestos awareness training to everyone who may encounter ACMs.
Include emergency procedures in the plan for accidental ACM disturbance.
Review and update the plan when ACMs are removed, encapsulated, or conditions change.
Cooperate with the duty holder by following the management plan requirements.

DON'T occupy or maintain buildings without a current asbestos management plan.
DON'T rely on old surveys — ensure the asbestos survey is current and comprehensive.
DON'T restrict access to the asbestos register — it must be available to all workers.
DON'T allow contractors to start work without informing them of ACM locations.
DON'T skip re-inspections — ACM condition can deteriorate without visible warning.
DON'T assume unmarked materials are safe — check the register before disturbing anything.
DON'T allow workers into buildings with ACMs without asbestos awareness training.
DON'T ignore accidental ACM damage — follow the emergency procedure immediately.
DON'T treat the management plan as a static document — update it when conditions change.
DON'T remove ACMs in good condition unnecessarily — managing in place is often safest.

See also: Asbestos Awareness | Asbestos Types and Where Found

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