Can asbestos be left in place?
Known asbestos-containing material can often stay in place when a competent assessment finds it in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed. HSE says this is usually safer than removal in that situation, but it still needs a live record, planned condition checks and controls before anyone works nearby. Damage, a change of use or planned alteration can change the decision.
When is leaving asbestos in place the sensible option?
Leaving asbestos in place is an active management decision, not a reason to forget it. For dutyholders in non-domestic premises and the common parts of multi-occupancy domestic buildings, Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 requires an assessment of the material's condition and the risk of exposure, followed by a written plan where asbestos is present or presumed present. HSE guidance says that asbestos-containing materials in good condition and unlikely to be worked on or disturbed are usually safer left in place and managed.
A competent assessment needs to consider the material's condition, where it is, who uses the area and whether routine maintenance or future building work could disturb it. You cannot make that decision from appearance alone, and you should not test or alter a suspected material yourself.
- The material is known or presumed and its location is recorded.
- It is in good condition and not exposed to likely disturbance.
- The current use of the area does not create a foreseeable need to drill, cut into or otherwise disturb it.
- Someone has responsibility for checking its condition and updating the records when circumstances change.
A decision can change
Good condition today does not settle the issue permanently. Water damage, a new route for services, a change in how a room is used or planned refurbishment can increase the likelihood of disturbance and trigger a fresh assessment.
Keep an asbestos register and management plan live
For a dutyholder, the asbestos register is the record of known and presumed asbestos-containing materials. HSE says it should record the material's type, location, amount and condition, the dates of inspection, its potential to release fibres if disturbed, and the likelihood of disturbance. The register should be updated at least annually as part of the management review, or earlier when the risk changes.
The register and an asbestos management plan do different jobs. The register records what is present and its current condition; the plan assigns responsibility, sets the monitoring schedule, controls work near the material and explains how information will be shared. HSE says the plan should be reviewed every 12 months or sooner if necessary.
- Name the responsible person and a deputy where appropriate.
- Record the condition-check date, the next review point and any actions taken.
- Keep the location information clear enough for maintenance teams and contractors to use before work begins.
- Update the record after a re-inspection, repair, removal, new survey information or a change in the building's use.
Records must match the building now
A historical survey report on its own does not show the current condition of a material or whether building work has changed the risk. The management record needs to reflect both.
Control planned work before it starts
Maintenance, installation and refurbishment can turn an otherwise manageable material into a risk if someone disturbs it. HSE requires dutyholders to give workers and contractors information about the location and condition of asbestos before they begin work on the fabric of a building. For planned work, HSE says this should happen as early as possible, including when the job is being quoted.
Check the live register before arranging work near a known or presumed material. If the planned work could affect it, a competent person may need to determine whether the available information is adequate or whether a further survey is required. A management survey helps identify and manage asbestos during normal occupation and maintenance, but it does not remove the need to assess intrusive planned work separately.
- Give contractors the relevant asbestos information before they price or start the job.
- Make the site-specific controls and emergency arrangements available to people who may disturb the material.
- Review the assessment when maintenance plans, access arrangements or room use change.
- Record the decision and any resulting action in the register and management plan.
Damage or an unexpected find changes the route
If work uncovers suspected asbestos or a known material appears damaged, stop the activity, keep people away from the area and seek competent advice. Do not continue on the assumption that a previous low-risk assessment still applies.
Leave, protect or remove: compare the management routes
The right route depends on the material, its condition, its location and the chance of disturbance. HSE's management guidance treats regular inspection as necessary for materials left in place and identifies repair, protection, sealing or removal as possible responses to damage. Asbestos encapsulation is a protection option for suitable material; it does not remove the need for a record, monitoring and controls around future work.
| Situation | Management route | What still needs to happen |
|---|---|---|
| Material is in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed | Leave it in place and manage it | Keep it in the register, schedule condition checks and give relevant information to anyone who may work nearby. |
| Material is in good condition but needs protection from foreseeable accidental damage | Consider repair, protection or encapsulation after competent assessment | Record the measure taken, continue condition monitoring and reassess before later building work. |
| Material is damaged, friable, likely to be disturbed or affected by planned works | Arrange a competent assessment to select repair, sealing, protection or removal | Update the risk assessment and determine the legal work category before any work begins; higher-risk work may require an HSE-licensed contractor. |
Encapsulation is management, not disposal
Sealing a suitable asbestos-containing material can reduce the chance of accidental damage, but the material remains in the building. Its location, condition and any future work near it still need managing.
Use re-inspection to spot a change in condition
Condition checks should follow the monitoring schedule in the management plan and should take place sooner when something changes the risk. HSE says the register should be updated after regular inspections, repairs, removal, newly surveyed areas and changes in the likelihood of disturbance. A re-inspection provides a structured way to revisit recorded materials and update the information used to manage them.
If you notice cracking, impact damage, loose material, water damage, damage to a protective covering or a change in access, do not touch it or attempt a repair yourself. Keep people away from the affected area and obtain competent advice, because the original assessment and the work category may no longer apply.
- Compare the current condition with the previous record rather than relying on memory.
- Update photographs, location details, condition notes, actions and review dates where appropriate.
- Reassess material where planned works, changed occupancy or new services make disturbance more likely.
- Make current information available to the people who need it, including contractors and emergency services where the duty to manage applies.
Some work needs a licensed route
Work involving pipe lagging, sprayed coatings, loose-fill insulation or higher-risk asbestos insulation board may require an HSE-licensed contractor; the correct category depends on the material, its condition and the work method. HSE's licensing guidance explains that the decision is risk-based, so no material should be treated as automatically non-licensed in every situation.
Diamond's route for asbestos left in place
Diamond Asbestos Services handles non-licensed asbestos work. Where an assessment shows that material or planned work may require an HSE licence, including higher-risk asbestos insulation board, sprayed coatings or pipe lagging, Diamond refers the work to an HSE-licensed asbestos contractor rather than presenting it as non-licensed work.
Where a material needs confirming, visual appearance is not enough. Samples can be analysed by a UKAS-accredited laboratory; UKAS explains that its ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation covers asbestos bulk-material identification as well as other asbestos-testing activities. This provides a separate route for confirmation before an asbestos-management decision is recorded.
- Non-licensed work is assessed and managed in line with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and applicable HSE guidance.
- Potentially licensable work is referred to an HSE-licensed contractor.
- Laboratory analysis, where needed, is described as analysis by a UKAS-accredited laboratory, not as accreditation held by Diamond Asbestos Services.
Keep the route proportionate
Managing material in place can be appropriate when the assessment supports it. The decision should change when the condition, planned work or likelihood of disturbance changes.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Often, yes. HSE says asbestos-containing material in good condition and unlikely to be worked on or disturbed is usually safer left in place and managed. That does not mean ignoring it: keep its location and condition recorded, schedule checks and review the decision when planned work, damage or a change of use could increase the risk. HSE management-plan guidance
Sources and further reading
- 1. Health and Safety Executive. Write your asbestos management plan and monitor it Accessed 24 September 2026.
- 2. Health and Safety Executive. Make a register and assess the risk Accessed 24 September 2026.
- 3. legislation.gov.uk. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, Regulation 4: Duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises Accessed 24 September 2026.
- 4. Health and Safety Executive. Provide information to anyone who might disturb asbestos Accessed 24 September 2026.
- 5. Health and Safety Executive. Non-licensed work with asbestos Accessed 24 September 2026.
- 6. United Kingdom Accreditation Service. Laboratory Accreditation | Asbestos testing Accessed 24 September 2026.
- 7. Health and Safety Executive. Legislative and guidance proposals for the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 Accessed 24 September 2026.
- 8. Health and Safety Executive. HSE's policy position on Great Britain's asbestos control limit Accessed 24 September 2026.
- 9. Society of Radiographers. SoR joins independent asbestos task force in seeking national register Accessed 24 September 2026.