Asbestos Glossary of Terms
Showing 30 of 30 terms
ACM, Asbestos-Containing Material
General
A material containing asbestos. Examples include some cement sheets, insulating boards, floor tiles, textured coatings, thermal insulation and gaskets. CAR 2012 does not set a general 1% asbestos-content threshold for this definition.
ACoP, Approved Code of Practice
Regulatory
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.
AIB, Asbestos Insulating Board
Materials
Asbestos insulating board is a board product used for purposes including fire protection, insulation and partitions. Most work on AIB is licensable, but limited exceptions can apply where the legal criteria are met. Material, condition and task must be assessed; appearance alone cannot identify AIB.
Amosite, Amosite (Brown Asbestos)
Materials
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.
Amphibole asbestos, Amphibole Asbestos
Materials
The amphibole group of asbestos minerals includes amosite, crocidolite, anthophyllite, tremolite and actinolite. All asbestos types are hazardous; a product’s colour or appearance cannot establish its fibre type.
CAR 2012, Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
Regulatory
The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 govern work with asbestos in Great Britain. They cover identification, assessment, control of exposure, training, work categories, monitoring and other duties. Northern Ireland has separate regulations.
Chrysotile, Chrysotile (White Asbestos)
Materials
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.
Clearance certificate, Four-Stage Clearance Certificate
Surveys & Testing
A Certificate for Reoccupation is the project record used where specified licensed asbestos enclosure work goes through the four-stage clearance process. It relates to the defined licensed work area and the handback conditions recorded for that project; it is not a universal certificate after every asbestos task.
Control limit, Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL) for Asbestos
Surveys & Testing
The GB control limit is 0.1 fibres per cubic centimetre, averaged over four hours. It is not a safe exposure level or a clearance criterion. The 0.6 fibres per cubic centimetre figure over ten minutes is used when assessing whether exposure is sporadic and of low intensity; it is not a separate general short-term control limit. Exposure must be prevented or reduced as low as reasonably practicable.
Crocidolite, Crocidolite (Blue Asbestos)
Materials
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.
DCU, Decontamination Unit
Removal
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.
Duty holder, Duty Holder (Regulation 4 CAR 2012)
Regulatory
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.
Encapsulation, Asbestos Encapsulation
Removal
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.
FFI, Fee for Intervention
Regulatory
HSE’s Fee for Intervention is a cost-recovery scheme that may apply when an inspector identifies a material breach of health and safety law. Check HSE’s current published rate and scope; this glossary does not quote a verified current hourly charge.
Friable asbestos, Friable Asbestos
Materials
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.
HSE, Health and Safety Executive
Regulatory
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.
L143, Managing and Working with Asbestos (HSE ACoP L143)
Regulatory
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.
Licensed work, Licensable Asbestos Work
Removal
Asbestos work that must be carried out by a contractor holding the appropriate HSE asbestos-removal licence. Confirmed sprayed asbestos coatings and asbestos thermal insulation such as pipe lagging use this route, and most AIB removal is also licensable. The exact work category depends on the material, condition and task.
Mesothelioma, Malignant Mesothelioma
Health
A cancer affecting the lining of organs, most often the lining around the lungs. It is strongly associated with asbestos exposure. Diagnosis, treatment and individual prognosis require specialist medical advice.
NNLW, Notifiable Non-Licensed Work
Removal
Notifiable non-licensed work is still non-licensed asbestos work, so it does not require an HSE asbestos-removal licence, but additional notification, medical-surveillance and record-keeping duties apply. Whether a task is NNLW depends on the material, condition and work method rather than a simple product list.
PCM, Phase Contrast Microscopy
Surveys & Testing
Phase contrast microscopy is one analytical method used for counting fibres in air samples. The appropriate sampling, counting method and interpretation depend on the purpose of the test and the competent analyst or laboratory provider for that instruction.
PPE, Personal Protective Equipment
Removal
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.
Refurbishment survey, Refurbishment and Demolition Survey (R&D Survey)
Surveys & Testing
A refurbishment survey is an intrusive survey route used where planned refurbishment will disturb building fabric and existing asbestos information is not adequate for the affected areas. The survey scope should match the planned work. The competent survey provider and any sampling/laboratory route are confirmed for the individual instruction.
Reg 4, Regulation 4: Duty to Manage Asbestos
Regulatory
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.
RPE, Respiratory Protective Equipment
Removal
Respiratory protective equipment is selected from the job-specific risk assessment, work category and expected exposure. The required type, fit testing and use arrangements depend on the task and competent work plan; a glossary entry should not be used as a PPE prescription for asbestos work.
Serpentine asbestos, Serpentine Asbestos
Materials
TEM, Transmission Electron Microscopy
Surveys & Testing
Transmission electron microscopy is a high-resolution laboratory technique capable of identifying individual fibre types. Whether TEM is appropriate depends on the purpose of the analysis and the named laboratory provider; it is not presented here as the universal final test for every clearance project.
UKAS, United Kingdom Accreditation Service
Regulatory
The United Kingdom Accreditation Service is the UK national accreditation body. For asbestos work, accreditation is function- and scope-specific: verify the named laboratory, inspection or analyst provider and the relevant scope for the instruction instead of treating UKAS as a generic company badge.
UKATA, United Kingdom Asbestos Training Association
Regulatory
UKATA is an asbestos-training association and training evidence is individual- and course-specific. A UKATA certificate is not an HSE asbestos-removal licence, survey accreditation or blanket company certification. Shujaudin Mohammadi holds verified UKATA NL01 Non-Licensed Asbestos Operative training, valid to 5 February 2027.
Waste consignment note, Hazardous Waste Consignment Note
Removal
A record that may form part of the applicable hazardous-waste movement process for asbestos. The exact document, responsible parties and retention duties depend on the waste movement and applicable regime. Customers should receive the legally required paperwork for the actual job rather than a universal document bundle promised on every project.
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