Asbestos Glossary of Terms

Any material or product that contains more than 1% asbestos by weight. ACMs include asbestos cement sheets, asbestos insulating board (AIB), asbestos floor tiles, artex textured coatings, asbestos lagging, and asbestos gaskets. The 1% threshold is set by CAR 2012 and the HSE's Approved Code of Practice L143.

Guidance issued by the HSE that has special legal status. The ACoP for asbestos is L143 — 'Managing and working with asbestos: Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012'. While an ACoP is not law, failure to follow it can be used as evidence of non-compliance in court proceedings. The L143 ACoP provides detailed guidance on all aspects of CAR 2012.

A semi-rigid board manufactured from asbestos and other materials, used extensively in UK construction from the 1950s to the 1980s. AIB was used for fire protection, thermal insulation, and acoustic insulation in partition walls, ceiling tiles, soffits, and around heating systems. It typically contains 15–40% amosite (brown asbestos) or chrysotile (white asbestos). AIB is classified as a high-risk ACM and its removal requires an HSE licence.

An amphibole asbestos mineral, also known as brown asbestos. Amosite was the second most commonly used form of asbestos in the UK, after chrysotile. It was used primarily in asbestos insulating board (AIB), ceiling tiles, and pipe insulation. Amosite was banned in the UK in 1985. Its name is derived from 'Asbestos Mines of South Africa', where it was primarily mined.

A group of asbestos minerals characterised by their chain-like silicate structure and straight, needle-like fibres. Amphibole asbestos types include crocidolite (blue), amosite (brown), anthophyllite, tremolite, and actinolite. Amphibole fibres are generally considered more hazardous than chrysotile (serpentine asbestos) because they are more biopersistent — they remain in the lungs for longer. All amphibole asbestos types were banned in the UK in 1985.

The primary legislation governing all asbestos work in the UK. CAR 2012 came into force on 6 April 2012, implementing the EU Asbestos Worker Protection Directive 2009/148/EC. It contains 22 regulations covering the identification and management of asbestos, the three categories of asbestos work, training requirements, health surveillance, air monitoring, and waste disposal. Enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The most commonly used form of asbestos, accounting for approximately 95% of all asbestos used commercially. Chrysotile is a serpentine asbestos mineral with curly, flexible fibres, as opposed to the straight fibres of amphibole asbestos. It was used in asbestos cement products (garage roofs, shed cladding, corrugated sheets), floor tiles, artex textured coatings, and gaskets. Chrysotile was banned in the UK in 1999.

A certificate issued by an independent UKAS-accredited analyst after the successful completion of the four-stage clearance procedure following licensed asbestos removal. The four stages are: (1) visual inspection, (2) background air test, (3) aggressive air sampling, and (4) final air test to confirm that fibre levels are below the clearance criterion of 0.01 f/cm³. A clearance certificate is required before the enclosure can be dismantled and the area reoccupied.

The maximum permissible concentration of airborne asbestos fibres during licensed removal work, as set by CAR 2012. The primary control limit is 0.1 fibres per cubic centimetre (f/cm³) averaged over a four-hour period. A short-term control limit of 0.6 f/cm³ applies over any 10-minute period. These are not safe levels — they are the maximum permissible levels, and exposure should always be reduced to the lowest reasonably practicable level.

An amphibole asbestos mineral, also known as blue asbestos. Crocidolite is considered the most hazardous form of asbestos due to its thin, needle-like fibres, which penetrate deep into lung tissue and are highly resistant to the body's immune response. It was used in spray-applied insulation, pipe lagging, and some asbestos cement products. Crocidolite was banned in the UK in 1985.

A portable unit used by asbestos removal workers to decontaminate themselves and their equipment before leaving the controlled area. A DCU typically consists of three compartments: a dirty end (where contaminated PPE is removed), a shower, and a clean end (where clean clothing is put on). The use of a DCU is required for all licensed asbestos removal work.

Any person who has, by virtue of a contract or tenancy, an obligation of any extent in relation to the maintenance or repair of non-domestic premises. The duty holder is legally required to manage asbestos under Regulation 4 of CAR 2012. In practice, this is usually the building owner, the landlord, or the tenant where the lease places maintenance obligations on the occupier.

A method of managing asbestos in situ by applying a sealant or encapsulant to prevent the release of asbestos fibres. Encapsulation is used as an alternative to removal where ACMs are in good condition and are unlikely to be disturbed. It does not remove the asbestos — it seals it in place. Encapsulated ACMs must be included in the asbestos register and monitored regularly.

A cost recovery scheme operated by the HSE under the Health and Safety (Fees) Regulations 2012. Where the HSE identifies a material breach of health and safety law during an inspection or investigation, it can charge the duty holder for the time spent on the intervention. The FFI rate for 2024/25 is £166 per hour. FFI applies to asbestos-related breaches, including failure to comply with the duty to manage.

Asbestos that can be crumbled, pulverised, or reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry. Friable asbestos is the most hazardous form because it releases fibres easily when disturbed. Examples include asbestos lagging, asbestos spray coatings, and heavily deteriorated AIB. Non-friable asbestos (such as asbestos cement in good condition) is less hazardous because the fibres are bound within the matrix of the material.

The UK's national regulator for workplace health and safety. The HSE is responsible for enforcing the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and all other health and safety legislation. The HSE issues licences to asbestos removal contractors, publishes guidance and approved codes of practice, and investigates accidents and incidents involving asbestos. The HSE's website (hse.gov.uk) is the primary source of authoritative guidance on asbestos.

The HSE's Approved Code of Practice and Guidance for the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. L143 provides detailed guidance on all aspects of CAR 2012, including the duty to manage, survey types, risk assessment, control measures, and clearance procedures. While L143 is not law, failure to follow it can be used as evidence of non-compliance in court proceedings.

Work with asbestos that requires an HSE licence under Regulation 8 of CAR 2012. Licensed work includes the removal of asbestos insulation, asbestos insulating board (AIB), and asbestos coatings. It also includes any work where the control limit may be exceeded or where the exposure cannot be clearly characterised as sporadic and low intensity. Licensed work must be notified to the HSE at least 14 days in advance.

A rare and aggressive cancer of the mesothelium — the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma), or heart (pericardial mesothelioma). Mesothelioma is almost exclusively caused by asbestos exposure. It has a latency period of 20 to 50 years, meaning that people diagnosed today were typically exposed to asbestos in the 1970s and 1980s. There is no cure, and the median survival after diagnosis is 12 to 18 months. Approximately 2,700 people die from mesothelioma in the UK each year.

A category of asbestos work introduced by CAR 2012 that sits between licensed work and non-licensed work. NNLW includes work with asbestos cement, asbestos floor tiles, and other lower-risk ACMs where the exposure is sporadic and low intensity. NNLW must be notified to the HSE before work begins (no minimum notice period), and workers must undergo health surveillance. An HSE licence is not required for NNLW.

The standard analytical technique used for measuring airborne asbestos fibre concentrations during and after asbestos removal work. PCM counts all fibres above a certain size threshold, not just asbestos fibres. It is used to measure compliance with the control limit (0.1 f/cm³) and to perform background air tests during the four-stage clearance procedure. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is used for the final clearance test.

Protective clothing and equipment worn by asbestos removal workers to prevent exposure to asbestos fibres. PPE for asbestos work typically includes a disposable Tyvek coverall (Type 5/6), a half-face or full-face respirator with P3 filter, disposable gloves, and safety footwear. PPE is the last line of defence in the hierarchy of controls — engineering controls and work methods should always be used first to reduce exposure.

An intrusive asbestos survey required before any work that will disturb the fabric of a building — renovation, extension, or demolition. A refurbishment survey involves sampling and testing of materials in the areas to be disturbed, and is more invasive than a management survey. It is legally required before any notifiable or licensed asbestos work. The survey must be carried out by a competent surveyor, and the results must be made available to contractors before work begins.

The most significant provision of CAR 2012 for property owners and managers. Regulation 4 requires the duty holder of non-domestic premises to take reasonable steps to identify ACMs, assess their condition and risk, produce a written management plan, implement the plan, and review it regularly. Failure to comply is a criminal offence. The duty does not apply to domestic premises occupied by the owner, but does apply to the common parts of residential blocks.

A type of PPE that protects the wearer from inhaling airborne asbestos fibres. For licensed asbestos work, the minimum standard is a half-face respirator with P3 filter (FFP3), providing an assigned protection factor (APF) of 20. For higher-risk work, a full-face respirator with P3 filter (APF 40) or a powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) with P3 filter (APF 20) is required. RPE must be face-fit tested for each individual wearer.

A group of asbestos minerals characterised by their layered silicate structure and curly, flexible fibres. Chrysotile (white asbestos) is the only commercially significant serpentine asbestos. Serpentine asbestos fibres are generally considered less biopersistent than amphibole fibres, meaning they are cleared from the lungs more quickly. However, chrysotile is still classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the IARC and causes mesothelioma and lung cancer.

An analytical technique used for the final air test in the four-stage clearance procedure after licensed asbestos removal. TEM can identify individual asbestos fibre types and is more sensitive than PCM. The clearance criterion for TEM is 0.01 f/cm³ — ten times lower than the control limit. TEM analysis must be carried out by a UKAS-accredited laboratory.

The national accreditation body for the UK, appointed by the government. UKAS accreditation is required for laboratories carrying out asbestos analysis (including air testing and bulk sample analysis) and for inspection bodies carrying out asbestos surveys. UKAS accreditation provides assurance that the organisation meets internationally recognised standards of competence and impartiality. Always check that your asbestos surveyor and analyst are UKAS-accredited.

The leading asbestos training body in the UK. UKATA provides accredited training for asbestos awareness, non-licensed work, and licensed work. UKATA training is widely recognised as the industry standard for asbestos training in the UK. CAR 2012 requires all workers who may encounter asbestos to receive adequate training — UKATA-accredited training satisfies this requirement.

A legal document that must accompany all asbestos waste from the point of production to the point of disposal at a licensed hazardous waste facility. The consignment note records the producer, the carrier, the waste facility, and the quantity and type of waste. Both the producer and the disposal facility must retain copies for a minimum of three years. Failure to produce a consignment note is a criminal offence under the Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005.