Your Guide to UK Asbestos Contractors, Surveyors & Analysts.
Asbestos management is a team effort, but not everyone plays the same role. For dutyholders and managers, understanding who’s who in the asbestos industry is essential to stay compliant, avoid conflicts of interest and keep people safe.
Here’s a quick guide.
Consultants
Who they are: Strategic advisors who act for the client, not the contractor.
What they do:
Help you understand your legal duties.
Write scopes of work.
Oversee asbestos management plans.
Provide site-specific training.
Manage projects and sometimes act as the dutyholder.
Why they matter: Consultants keep the process impartial, coordinated and legally watertight.
Surveyors
Who they are: Trained specialists who inspect buildings for asbestos.
What they do:
Carry out management surveys and refurbishment/demolition surveys.
Locate, identify and record asbestos-containing materials (ACMs).
Why they matter: Surveys form the foundation of your asbestos register and management plan.
Removal Contractors
Who they are: Licensed asbestos contractors.
What they do:
Carry out asbestos removal or remediation.
Follow the consultant’s scope of work.
Why they matter: They physically remove or remediate asbestos, but they must stay separate from survey and analysis roles.
Analysts
Who they are: Scientists, usually UKAS-accredited, who test samples and monitor air.
What they do:
Take and analyse material samples.
Conduct reassurance and background air tests.
Carry out the four-stage clearance procedure after removal.
Why they matter: Analysts provide independent evidence that asbestos has been identified or safely removed.
Trainers
Who they are: UKATA or equivalent accredited providers.
What they do:
Deliver asbestos awareness, non-licensed work and duty to manage training.
Tailor sessions for specific sectors, like hospitality.
Why they matter: Training makes the dutyholder competent, without it, compliance falls apart.
Regulators
Who they are: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in Great Britain.
What they do:
Enforce the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
Inspect workplaces and issue improvement or prohibition notices.
Why they matter: HSE sets the standard and ensures the industry stays accountable.
Final Word
Managing asbestos is not a one-person job. Consultants advise, surveyors diagnose, contractors deliver, analysts verify, trainers upskill and HSE enforces. Each role is different, and independence between them is vital.
Understanding who’s who in the asbestos industry means you can appoint the right people, ask the right questions and protect your people, property and reputation.
Want more advice?
👉 Book a session with our consultants and choose independence
Kusten Vorland Group stands for impartiality and expertise in asbestos management, giving clients reassurance and financial control over compliance.
