Asbestos

Asbestos identification, a health and safety check

The asbestos diagnostic consists of searching the materials and products of a building for the presence of asbestos fibres. Long used for its insulating qualities and fire resistance, asbestos proved dangerous: inhaling its fibres is recognised as carcinogenic. The survey aims to protect occupants as well as anyone likely to work on the property.

Which properties are targeted?

The diagnostic concerns buildings and homes whose building permit was issued before 1 July 1997, the date from which the use of asbestos in construction was banned. A building more recent than this cut-off is, in principle, not concerned by the survey.

When is it required?

An asbestos report is mandatory when a concerned property is sold. For the common areas of buildings and certain premises, an Asbestos Technical File, or DTA, must also be kept up to date by the owner. A reinforced survey is likewise required before certain works or a demolition.

What the assessor inspects

The operator visually examines materials likely to contain asbestos and takes samples, analysed in a laboratory, where necessary. Attention focuses in particular on:

• Sprayed coatings, thermal insulation and suspended ceilings
• Floor tiles and their adhesives
• Ducts, pipework and casings
• Roofs, cladding and fibre-cement sheets
• Old renders, mastics and joints

How the intervention proceeds

The duration varies with the surface area and complexity of the building. The assessor must be able to reach every space, including cellars, lofts and technical rooms. When a sample is taken, the final result depends on the laboratory analysis time. Having any previous survey to hand makes the work easier and helps track materials already identified.

What the report covers

The report precisely locates the materials identified, states whether or not they contain asbestos, and assesses their condition. Where asbestos is present, it sets out the measures to take: periodic monitoring of the materials, containment or removal work depending on the level of deterioration observed.

What is its validity?

When the report concludes there is no asbestos, its validity is in principle unlimited. Be careful, though: reports produced before 2013 must be redone, because the survey criteria have since changed. Where asbestos is present, no fixed validity applies, but periodic monitoring of the condition of the materials is required.

The risks of a neglected survey

Selling without a valid asbestos report exposes the owner to penalties and to liability, particularly if fibres are discovered after the transaction. Beyond the legal aspect, an incomplete survey places a real health risk on occupants and on the tradespeople working on the property.

What makes the price vary

The fee depends on the surface area, the age and complexity of the building, the number of samples possibly needed and the location. Grouping the asbestos survey with the other mandatory diagnostics in the sale file usually helps reduce the overall cost.

Frequently asked questions

Is an asbestos diagnostic needed to rent out?

The report is not handed to the tenant, but the owner must keep available the information from the asbestos file for the relevant areas. For a sale, on the other hand, the report is indeed mandatory.

Does the presence of asbestos prevent a sale?

No. A sale remains possible; the buyer is informed of the presence and condition of the materials and is responsible for organising monitoring or the appropriate work.

Must I remove the asbestos immediately?

Not necessarily. Asbestos-containing material in good condition and undamaged may simply be monitored. Removal becomes a priority when the material deteriorates or when works affect it.