When do I need a licence to work with asbestos?

Regulation 2 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, defines licensable work with asbestos:

• where the exposure to asbestos of employees is not sporadic and of low intensity
• the risk assessment cannot clearly demonstrate that the control limit will not be exceeded
• on asbestos coating
• on asbestos insulating board or asbestos insulation for which the risk assessment:

• demonstrates that the work is not sporadic and of low intensity
• cannot clearly demonstrate that the control limit will not be exceeded
• demonstrates that the work is not short duration work

Regulation 8 requires an employer to be granted a licence in order to undertake licensable work with asbestos.

This means that an employer must hold a licence granted by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) before undertaking higher risk work with asbestos, as defined above.

You will also need a licence to carry out work which is ancillary to licensable work with asbestos, such as putting up a scaffold to provide access for licensable work where it is foreseeable that the scaffolding activity is likely to disturb the asbestos.

Important: We will only grant a licence to those who plan to do work that requires a licence. Although you may not need a licence to carry out other work with asbestos, you will still need to make sure that you comply with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 to prevent exposure to asbestos.

Please note: It is an offence to carry out licensable work without a licence and you could be prosecuted.