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colin_best  
#1 Posted : 20 July 2018 15:29:31(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
colin_best

Hello all,

I am preparing documents in preparation of a project my company will be working on. We are required to replace bathrooms and kitchens in 100's of properties falling under the social housing umbrella.

I have requested asbestos information form the client and they have informed me that they are only going to carry out R&D surveys on 10% of the properties. 

I don’t believe this is correct as there is no way of telling if one artex coating contains asbestos and another property will not.

What would you advise please.

Thanks in advance

peter gotch  
#2 Posted : 20 July 2018 15:55:32(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
peter gotch

Has the client explained the rationale behind their decision.

Could be that almost all the properties have in effect been subject to similar refurbishment programmes but that there are a few that have been bought such that other changes are likely.

So the starting point is a question to the client.

boblewis  
#3 Posted : 22 July 2018 10:23:07(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
boblewis

I have to say that it is rather odd to be performing refurb and demo surveys after a contract is let.  For the client he now has the comfort of being able to pin all responsibility on his contractor.  I always worked on the basis of 10% of each property type.  A straight 10% is always liable to sample bias issues.  If I were you I would want to start at a different place!!!!

RayRapp  
#4 Posted : 22 July 2018 18:57:29(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
RayRapp

It is permissible to adopt a sampling strategyfor domestic properties. The percentage should depend on a number of factors e.g. property archetypes, year of build, the number of properties in the sample, the results of recent surveys and previous surveys... 

You cannot arbitrarily nominate a percentage - there must be data to support your prognosis. For example, if it was twenty flats all in the same block, then I would expect at least 4 flats to be surveyed, which equates to 20%. However, it was a 100 houses of the same or very similar archetype, then 10 surveys would be realistic i.e. 10%.     

thanks 1 user thanked RayRapp for this useful post.
jodieclark1510 on 24/07/2018(UTC)
colin_best  
#5 Posted : 23 July 2018 09:58:09(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
colin_best

Thanks for all your replies.

If an operative comes across a potential ACM his training tells him to presume it is an ACM and stop work until it is tested.

Am I then to use the survey from a similar architectural building as it is NADIS if this survey says so?

I don’t feel that that is correct.

paul reynolds  
#6 Posted : 23 July 2018 10:51:34(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
paul reynolds

I am sure you are aware of HSG264 the survey guide issued by the HSE, however paragraph 67 really give the main essence in regards to percentage survey strategys in that the information needs to have consistency.

If this is adopted along with suitable operative training you should not run into too many issues, however be prepared to stop work if you find suspect that may have been covered as undertaking suveys in occupied properties prior to actually statring the works can be a night mare as residents do not like holes left in their kitchens & bathrooms.

RayRapp  
#7 Posted : 23 July 2018 16:51:03(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
RayRapp

Originally Posted by: colin_best Go to Quoted Post

Thanks for all your replies.

If an operative comes across a potential ACM his training tells him to presume it is an ACM and stop work until it is tested.

Am I then to use the survey from a similar architectural building as it is NADIS if this survey says so?

I don’t feel that that is correct.

If the asbestos survey states NAD or NADIS then that is what you have to trust. The R&D surveys should be quite explicit by identifying the actual area such as an artexed ceiling, door header, bath panel, etc. A proper survey will also list items which could be an ACM but has been tested NAD.

The last resort is finding suspicious material which has not been identified in the survey, in which case the operatives must cease work until the substance has been sampled. There is the potential for finding undetected ACMs even in a thorough survey.     

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