Reactive maintenance — the biggest single risk
A planned refurbishment surveyed correctly is a low-incident activity. The repeated source of asbestos incidents on managed estates is reactive maintenance: an out-of-hours plumber chasing a leak, a contractor moving a cable tray, an emergency electrician drilling a new fixing. The fix is procedural: a permit-to-work that cannot be issued without a check against the asbestos register, and a CAFM that surfaces register data when a work order is opened.
CAFM integration
At single-site scale, a paper register and a 5-day reinspection log work fine. At portfolio scale they do not. Best-practice FM integrates the asbestos register into the CAFM so that (a) every work order automatically returns any register entry within 1m of the work location, (b) every reactive contractor must accept the asbestos statement before mobilisation, and (c) every reinspection is scheduled and tracked alongside other PPM compliance.
Multi-site dashboards
An FM director with 200 sites needs a single dashboard answering five questions: how many sites have a current survey; what percentage of register entries have been reinspected this year; how many overdue actions exist; what is the residual remediation capital cost; and which contractor permits are open against asbestos-flagged areas. Without these five numbers an FM director cannot run an asbestos-safe portfolio.
Contractor onboarding
Every contractor mobilising on site should sign an asbestos awareness declaration, receive the site register extract for the area they are working in, and accept the permit-to-work conditions. Non-licensed asbestos workers must hold valid NNLW training; licensed contractors must hold an HSE licence (verified, not assumed). FMs who do this once at onboarding and again at every major mobilisation reduce incidents to near zero.
Printable checklist
Property & FM monthly governance checklist
- Asbestos register live in CAFM, accessible to help-desk
- Permit-to-work cannot be issued without register check
- Reactive contractors confirm receipt of register extract pre-mobilisation
- Monthly reinspection completion % reported to client
- Quarterly portfolio dashboard issued to FM director
- Annual contractor competency re-verification
- Emergency response SLA contracted (≤ 4 hr)
- Quarterly toolbox talk on asbestos awareness for site teams
Frequently asked questions
Is the FM the dutyholder or just the operator?
Usually the operator. The dutyholder is the person with control of the maintenance and repair contract — typically the freeholder or end-client. The IFM contract should make the boundary explicit; many do not.
What's the right cycle for reinspections across a managed portfolio?
12-monthly as a baseline. Step down to 6-monthly for any register entry in poor condition, in a high-traffic area, or undergoing planned works in the next 12 months.
Can our CAFM provider pull our register in automatically?
Yes for the major systems (Concept Evolution, MRI Concerto, Planon, FSI Concept). We supply registers in the standard exchange formats and can configure the integration as part of the survey instruction.