HSE Opens Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 Review Surveys

HSE Asbestos Review Gathers Evidence From Workers And Surveyors

The first survey seeks experience from workers and businesses that may work with or disturb asbestos-containing materials. HSE specifically points to construction workers and other trades. It wants evidence about awareness, access to information and training, and practical challenges when asbestos could be present before work begins.

The second survey addresses asbestos surveyors. It asks about the difficulties involved in identifying asbestos-containing materials, conducting surveys and communicating information that enables dutyholders and others to manage risk effectively.

This is a statutory review evidence exercise. It is separate from HSE's recent consultation on legislative and guidance proposals, which closed on 9 January 2026, although HSE says evidence collected during that consultation will also be used. Organisations should not describe the new surveys as a reopened consultation or as draft legislation.

Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 Duties Remain Unchanged

The surveys do not amend CAR 2012, create a new exposure limit or delay existing duties. Dutyholders for non-domestic premises must continue to identify and manage asbestos risks, keep relevant information current and ensure people who may disturb asbestos receive appropriate information.

Employers must still assess work that could expose employees to asbestos and use competent support where required. Survey reports remain one input to risk management, not a substitute for checking whether information is suitable for the planned work.

HSE's bulletin also reminds building dutyholders to keep asbestos management plans up to date. The legal position therefore remains active while the regulator reviews how the regime performs.

What Organisations Should Submit And Review

Respondents should provide concrete examples of missing or inaccessible surveys, uncertain material descriptions, training gaps, refurbishment surprises, inconsistent survey quality and failures to pass information from building owners through contractors to workers. Surveyors can add evidence about access constraints, sampling decisions, caveats and client expectations.

The review may expose a recurring handover problem across property and manufacturing supply chains. Asbestos information can lose detail when sites change owner, contractors rotate or maintenance systems are migrated. Businesses should test whether a worker can retrieve location-specific information at the point of work, not merely whether a policy exists centrally.

Facilities managers, procurement teams and principal contractors should review survey scopes, registers, permit-to-work controls, contractor competence and record retention now. Any changes to law or guidance would require a later official step.

Summary

CAR 2012 remains unchanged while HSE gathers evidence about how the regime works in practice. Workers, businesses and asbestos surveyors should submit site-level examples through the appropriate survey before 11:59 pm on 16 September 2026, while continuing to maintain existing asbestos-management controls.