What is the correct method of reviewing an Asbestos Report, i.e. once the report has been completed by a trained and certified person, can it be reviewed by a Health & Safety Manager if nothing has changed or does it need to go back to the the certified person.

My believe is that if there has been no changes I should be able to review it, what does everyone else think?

Hi Kevin

I don't think there is a single answer to your question.

As WatsonD says things can change from one year to the next and you are faced with multiple variables to consider which include:

1. How much confidence the "Health and Safety Manager" and anyone else has in the adequacy of some Asbestos survey report - presumably a "Management" survey.

I have seen plenty of asbestos survey reports which are not worth the paper they are printed on!!

2. How competent the "Health and Safety Manager" is to do a review.

No two health and safety professionals have identical qualifications, experience etc so one might be capable of doing a review in most cases, another might be entirely out of their depth. Competence is on some sort of continuum which will be different for different topics and it might be OK for someone to stretch their competence if they don't jump too far beyond their comfort zone. 

3. How much potential there is for conditons to have deteriorated year on year.

"How long is a piece of string".

I'm no expert but sufficiently competent to read a report and decide what the recommendations are and take the correct action. You may be a little nervous because there are no recommendations or requirements but you can usually trust the Surveyor.

You do need to be very careful because the HSE (or whoever?) take this very seriously.

Good luck.