Asbestos on Irish Construction Sites: What Contractors Must Do Before Starting Work
Asbestos is still present in thousands of Irish buildings. This guide explains what contractors must do before starting work on any building that may...
# Asbestos on Irish Construction Sites: What Contractors Must Do Before Starting Work **Slug:** asbestos-construction-sites-ireland-contractor-duties **Category:** HSA Compliance **Meta description:** Asbestos is still present in thousands of Irish buildings. This guide explains what contractors must do before starting work on any building that may contain asbestos, and the legal duties that apply. **Focus keyword:** asbestos construction sites Ireland contractor duties --- Asbestos was widely used in Irish construction from the 1950s through to the late 1990s. It was used in insulation, roofing, floor tiles, ceiling tiles, pipe lagging, fire protection, and a wide range of other applications. Despite being banned for use in new construction since 2000, asbestos remains present in a very large number of existing buildings across Ireland, and it continues to pose a significant health risk to construction workers who disturb it without adequate precautions. Mesothelioma, the cancer caused by asbestos exposure, has a latency period of 20 to 50 years. Many of the workers currently being diagnosed with mesothelioma in Ireland were exposed to asbestos during construction work in the 1970s and 1980s. The risk is not historical: workers who disturb asbestos today without adequate precautions may develop mesothelioma decades from now. This article explains the legal framework governing asbestos in Irish construction, the duties that apply to contractors before starting work on any building that may contain asbestos, and the practical steps required to manage the risk. --- ## The Legal Framework The primary legislation governing asbestos in Ireland is the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos) Regulations 2006, as amended by the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos) (Amendment) Regulations 2010. These Regulations implement EU Directive 2003/18/EC and apply to all work that may expose workers to asbestos. The Regulations set out: - The duties of employers before commencing work that may disturb asbestos - The control limit for airborne asbestos fibres (0.1 fibres per cubic centimetre, averaged over four hours) - The requirements for risk assessment, notification, and health surveillance - The training requirements for workers who may be exposed to asbestos - The requirements for personal protective equipment and respiratory protective equipment --- ## The Duty to Survey Before Starting Work The most important duty for contractors working on existing buildings is the duty to survey the building for asbestos before starting any work that may disturb it. This duty applies to all work on buildings constructed before 2000, because asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) may be present in any such building. The survey should be carried out by a competent person before work commences. The purpose of the survey is to identify the presence, location, and condition of any ACMs in the areas where work is to be carried out, so that the contractor can plan the work to avoid disturbing them or, where disturbance is unavoidable, to put in place the appropriate control measures. There are two types of asbestos survey: **Management survey:** A management survey is carried out to identify ACMs that could be disturbed during normal occupation and maintenance of the building. It is the baseline survey that should be in place for any building that may contain asbestos. **Refurbishment and demolition survey:** A refurbishment and demolition survey is required before any work that will disturb the fabric of the building, including refurbishment, fit-out, and demolition. This type of survey is more intrusive than a management survey and involves sampling and testing of materials that may contain asbestos. Before starting any refurbishment or demolition work on a building constructed before 2000, the contractor should request a copy of the existing asbestos management survey from the building owner or client. If no survey exists, or if the survey does not cover the areas where work is to be carried out, a refurbishment and demolition survey should be commissioned before work commences. --- ## The Duty to Check the Asbestos Register Many buildings have an asbestos register, which is a record of the location and condition of ACMs identified in previous surveys. Before starting work on any building, the contractor should ask the building owner or client whether an asbestos register exists and, if so, request a copy. The asbestos register is not a guarantee that all ACMs have been identified. Surveys can miss ACMs, particularly in areas that were inaccessible at the time of the survey. The contractor should treat the register as a starting point, not as a definitive record. --- ## The Duty to Notify the HSA Before commencing work that involves the removal of asbestos or work that is likely to disturb asbestos, the employer must notify the HSA. The notification must be made at least 14 days before work commences (or as soon as practicable in an emergency) and must include: - The name and address of the employer - The location of the work - The type of asbestos involved - The quantity of asbestos - The activities and processes involved - The number of workers involved - The start date and expected duration of the work - The measures taken to limit workers' exposure The notification is made using the HSA's online notification system. --- ## The Duty to Prepare a Risk Assessment and Work Plan Before commencing work that may disturb asbestos, the employer must prepare a written risk assessment and work plan. The risk assessment must identify the ACMs that may be disturbed, assess the risk to workers, and specify the control measures required. The work plan must describe how the work will be carried out safely, including the methods to be used, the PPE and RPE required, and the decontamination and waste disposal procedures. --- ## Licensable and Non-Licensable Work The Asbestos Regulations distinguish between licensable and non-licensable work with asbestos. **Licensable work** includes work involving asbestos insulation, asbestos insulating board (AIB), and asbestos coatings, as well as any work where the exposure to asbestos is not sporadic and low intensity. Licensable work may only be carried out by contractors who hold a licence from the HSA. The licence application process requires the contractor to demonstrate that they have the competence, equipment, and procedures required to carry out asbestos removal safely. **Non-licensable work** includes work involving asbestos cement, asbestos floor tiles, and other lower-risk ACMs, where the exposure is sporadic and low intensity. Non-licensable work may be carried out by any contractor, provided they have the necessary training and equipment. In practice, most contractors on Irish construction sites will encounter asbestos cement (in roofing sheets, gutters, and downpipes) and asbestos floor tiles. These are non-licensable materials, but they still require careful management to avoid releasing fibres. --- ## Training Requirements Workers who may be exposed to asbestos must receive adequate training before commencing work. The training must cover: - The properties of asbestos and its effects on health - The types of products and materials likely to contain asbestos - The operations that could result in asbestos exposure - The control measures required to minimise exposure - The safe working practices, including the use of PPE and RPE - The decontamination and waste disposal procedures - The emergency procedures Training records must be kept and must be available for inspection by the HSA. --- ## What to Do if You Discover Asbestos Unexpectedly If asbestos is discovered unexpectedly during construction work, the work must stop immediately in the affected area. The area should be cordoned off and access restricted. Workers who may have been exposed should be informed and decontamination procedures should be followed. The discovery should be reported to the PSCS and, if the building is occupied, to the building owner or manager. A competent asbestos surveyor should be engaged to assess the ACM and advise on the appropriate course of action before work resumes. --- If you need help with asbestos risk assessments or advice on managing asbestos on your construction project, Safety Check can assist. [Contact us](/contact) for practical guidance from a consultant with over 24 years of construction safety experience.