Asbestos survey
Asbestos survey before works
Planning works on a building that may contain asbestos? An asbestos survey before works is mandatory before any intervention. It protects contractors and occupants, secures your site and prevents work stoppages. RITMODiag, a certified operator, carries out the survey and delivers a report you can act on right away.
What is an asbestos survey before works?
An asbestos survey before works identifies, before a project starts, all asbestos-containing materials and products located within the scope of the works. It is essential to protecting the workers who will operate on the building.
This obligation stems from the French Labour Code (articles R.4412-97 onwards) and the decree of 16 July 2019, which requires a prior survey before any operation liable to release asbestos fibres. For buildings, the survey follows the NF X46-020 standard.
As asbestos has been banned in France since 1 January 1997, any building whose construction permit was filed before 1 July 1997 is concerned. In practice, asbestos must be investigated as soon as an intervention affects older structures.
An obligation that falls on the client
It is up to the client (project owner, owner, building manager, company…) to have the survey carried out before starting the works, and then to pass it on to the contractors involved. The Asbestos Technical File (DTA) alone is not enough.
Without a survey, the site may be suspended by the labour inspectorate, your civil and criminal liability is engaged, and you face significant extra costs: work stoppage, emergency asbestos removal, and inexcusable fault if an employee is exposed.
Which works and buildings are concerned?
The survey is required before a wide range of operations on buildings constructed before July 1997:
- Renovation, refurbishment or extension of a dwelling, building or commercial premises.
- Maintenance, upkeep or upgrading works (electricity, plumbing, heating, ventilation).
- Drilling, cutting, removal of partitions, floors, suspended ceilings or joinery.
- Roofing, façade, insulation or renovation works.
- Work on buried networks, pipes and technical structures.
Survey before works vs other asbestos reports
| Report | When | Scope | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asbestos report before sale | Sale of a dwelling | Accessible materials (lists A and B) | Inform the buyer |
| DTA (asbestos technical file) | Collective buildings and public premises | Common areas, kept up to date | Monitoring and information |
| Survey before works (RAAT) | Before a project | Area affected, with sampling | Protect the workers |
| Survey before demolition (RAAD) | Before demolition | Entire building, exhaustive | Protect and manage waste |
How does the survey work with RITMODiag?
Project analysis
We review the nature of the works, the plans and the scope of the intervention to target the areas and materials to sample.
On-site survey
Our certified operator inspects the building and takes samples, including destructive investigations suited to the operation, so that no area is left uncertain.
Sampling and analysis
Suspect samples are analysed by a COFRAC-accredited laboratory to confirm or rule out the presence of asbestos.
Survey report
You receive a report pinpointing the asbestos-containing materials, ready for use by the contractors and project manager to organise removal or protective measures.
Why the survey before works is essential
Protect the workers
Inhaling asbestos fibres causes serious diseases. The survey makes it possible to adapt protection and working methods.
Secure your liability
A client who omits the survey engages their criminal liability and risks a finding of inexcusable fault.
Avoid work stoppages
Discovering asbestos mid-project halts the site and generates extra costs. The survey anticipates the risk.
Manage waste properly
Identifying asbestos upstream allows waste removal and traceability through approved channels.
Frequently asked questions about the asbestos survey before works
Is the survey mandatory for small works?
Yes. As soon as an intervention could release asbestos fibres in a building predating July 1997, the survey is mandatory, even for one-off works such as drilling or removing a covering.
Is my DTA enough to start the works?
No. The Asbestos Technical File covers common areas but not the precise scope or the destructive investigations required before works. A survey specific to the operation is still necessary.
Who must order the survey?
The client: project owner, owner, building manager or company behind the works. They must pass the report to the contractors before starting.
What happens if asbestos is found?
The report locates the materials concerned. Depending on the case, a specialist firm carries out removal, or protective measures and suitable working methods are put in place before the works.
How long is the survey valid?
The survey is specific to an operation and its scope. New works in a different area or changes to the building require a new survey.
Do you respond quickly?
Yes, our certified operators intervene at short notice in Normandy and the surrounding area. Contact us for a quote and an intervention date.
A project coming up on an older building?
Our certified operators carry out your asbestos survey before works and deliver a usable report quickly.