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The most common gaps in school asbestos management, and how to address them

Mar 31, 2026

The most common gaps in school asbestos management, and how to address them

Global Asbestos Awareness Week often focuses attention on the presence of asbestos in buildings. In schools, the conversation is usually more practical. Asbestos is not new. It is already part of the estate in many cases. The priority is not discovery, it is management. Most schools have an asbestos management plan in place. Many have surveys and registers. The challenge is not whether documentation exists, but whether it is current, understood and actively used. Across the sector, the same gaps tend to appear. None of them are unusual, and all of them are fixable.

Outdated or incomplete asbestos registers

An asbestos register should reflect the current reality of the site. In practice, registers can fall out of date following refurbishment works, minor alterations or changes in how spaces are used. Even small changes can affect risk. A wall that has been drilled, a ceiling tile replaced, or a service route altered can all change the condition or accessibility of asbestos-containing materials. The Health and Safety Executive is clear that duty holders must ensure information about the location and condition of asbestos is kept up to date and reviewed regularly, as set out in its guidance on managing asbestos in buildings (HSG264 Asbestos: The survey guide). Where this becomes a gap is when updates rely on memory or informal handover, rather than a structured process. What helps in practice is simple: – building register checks into planned maintenance routines – updating records immediately after any work that could affect materials – ensuring there is clear ownership of the register, not shared responsibility without accountability

Lack of day to day awareness among staff

Not every member of staff needs detailed technical knowledge of asbestos. However, a basic level of awareness is essential. In schools, risk often arises from everyday activity rather than major projects. Display boards being put up, equipment being installed, or ad hoc maintenance carried out without checking the register first. The Health and Safety Executive guidance on managing asbestos in schools (Managing asbestos in your school, 2017) makes clear that information should be shared with those who may disturb materials, including staff and contractors. A common gap is assuming that because a plan exists, awareness follows. In reality, awareness needs to be maintained: – clear, simple briefings for staff on what they need to know – visible prompts or reminders where appropriate – a culture where checking before work begins is standard, not optional

Contractor communication and control

One of the highest risk points in asbestos management is when external contractors are on site. Schools often work with a mix of regular and one-off contractors. Without a consistent process, there is a risk that asbestos information is not shared, understood or acknowledged before work starts. The legal duty is clear under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. Anyone liable to disturb asbestos must be given the relevant information before work begins. Where this can fall short is in the detail: – assuming contractors will ask, rather than ensuring information is proactively provided – relying on verbal briefings without records – not checking that contractors have understood and signed to confirm Strong practice is straightforward but consistent: – provide the asbestos register or relevant extracts before work begins – require written acknowledgement – stop work immediately if there is any uncertainty

Management plans that exist but are not used

Many schools have compliant asbestos management plans that meet requirements on paper. The issue is whether they are embedded in how the site operates. A plan that is only reviewed annually, or only referenced during audits, is unlikely to manage risk effectively. The Department for Education has emphasised the importance of active management in its guidance Managing asbestos in schools (2018), which sets out expectations for duty holders to implement and monitor arrangements, not simply document them. In practice, this means the plan should be a working document: – referenced when planning maintenance or changes to the site – used to guide decision making, not just to evidence compliance – understood by those responsible for implementing it

Moving from compliance to confidence

None of these gaps are about a lack of intent. They are usually the result of time pressures, competing priorities and the complexity of managing a live school environment. What makes the difference is not more paperwork, but better integration into daily routines. Asbestos management works best when it is treated in the same way as other operational responsibilities. Regular, visible and part of how decisions are made. This is where support, training and practical guidance matter. Not to increase burden, but to give clarity and confidence to those responsible. Through Schools Must Be Safe, NASPM continues to focus on the everyday application of risk management in schools. Because keeping people safe does not sit in a document, it sits in what happens on site, every day.

Sources:

Health and Safety Executive Managing asbestos in buildings (HSG264 Asbestos: The survey guide) https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg264.htm Health and Safety Executive Managing asbestos in your school 2017 https://www.hse.gov.uk/services/education/asbestos.htm Health and Safety Executive Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/632/contents/made Department for Education Managing asbestos in schools 2018 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asbestos-management-in-schools
National Alliance of School Premises Management
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