The asbestos duty to manage: what the law actually requires
Last reviewed 22 August 2026
Do I need an asbestos survey for my business premises?
Yes, in practical terms. Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 places a duty to manage asbestos on whoever is responsible for a non-domestic building. It does not say "get a survey" in those words. It requires you to find out whether asbestos is present, record what you find, assess the risk and put a written plan in place to manage it. For most buildings constructed before 2000, that means a survey, because you cannot record what you have not looked for.
How often
Survey once, then keep the register and management plan under review
There is no fixed statutory re-survey interval. The duty is continuous: the record has to be kept up to date and the plan reviewed when the building, its use or its condition changes.
Who it binds
Everyone who owns, occupies, manages or has responsibility for non-domestic premises, regardless of business size or whether anyone is employed. Offices, shops, warehouses, factories, schools, churches, leisure centres and the common parts of residential blocks are all covered.
Where the duty comes from
The short version
Next
Sources
Every claim above is checked against the primary text, and the date is the day we last opened it.
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1
The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
legislation.gov.uk Primary text read and checked Checked 22 August 2026
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2
Managing and working with asbestos: the duty to manage
Health and Safety Executive Primary text read and checked Checked 22 August 2026