Case study - asbestos demolition survey

In March 2017, we were commissioned to conduct an Asbestos Demolition Survey at a school in Birmingham.

The survey was conducted by two of our most experience surveyors due to the nature of demolition surveys. Demolition surveys are technically more challenging than management surveys, as their purpose is to identify all ACM’s within a building, so they can be removed prior to demolition. Many building have been individually designed with their own layout and materials. There may have been numerous refurbishments and modifications since its original construction. Artificial floors, ceiling and walls may have been added to conceal ACM’s which may not have been updated on any building drawings. Therefore a management survey will not have accessed these areas. In addition, any structural locations behind concrete or between floors and walls, such as cavity walls would also not have been accessible.

During the survey, asbestos insulation board cladding was located to the support beams of one classroom area; all other cladding was found to be plaster board. In addition, some of the shallow ducts to the main building had been subjected to a removal programme in 2007/08. Despite the removal of all the thermal insulation and debris containing asbestos, the concrete floors still contained asbestos insulation board and asbestos cement shuttering. This originally was not removed as it would have affected the structure of the floors. The floor voids to the nursery block had also be subjected to a removal programme and environmental clean more than 20 years ago, however on further inspection asbestos debris was located to the pipework, floors and walls of the ducts.

On completion, all samples were analysed in our in-house laboratory and the final report was issued to the client in September 2017.

Our report formed part of the tender process for demolition contractors bidding for the demolition of the building.