L143: L143: Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012

What is L143?

L143 is the HSE's Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) and guidance for the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. It provides comprehensive guidance on managing asbestos in buildings and working safely with asbestos-containing materials (ACMs).

Asbestos was widely used in UK construction from the 1950s to the mid-1980s due to its fire resistance, insulation properties, and durability. Despite being banned in 1999, asbestos remains present in an estimated 500,000 non-domestic buildings and millions of homes. When disturbed, asbestos fibres become airborne and can cause fatal diseases including mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.

L143 brings together all the duties and requirements under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, explaining how to comply with the law and protect workers and building occupants from asbestos exposure.

Who Needs This Document?

L143 is essential reading for:

Dutyholders with responsibility to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises
Building owners and landlords of commercial, industrial, and residential properties
Property managers and facilities managers responsible for building maintenance
Employers whose workers may encounter asbestos during their work
Contractors undertaking refurbishment, maintenance, or demolition work
Licensed asbestos removal contractors carrying out licensable work
Surveyors conducting asbestos surveys and producing management plans
Architects and designers specifying work on buildings that may contain asbestos
Health and safety professionals advising on asbestos management
Training providers delivering asbestos awareness and competency training

Key Topics Covered

The Duty to Manage Asbestos

Regulation 4 places a legal duty on those responsible for maintenance and repair of non-domestic premises to manage asbestos. L143 explains this duty in detail:

Identifying dutyholders - who has the duty (owners, tenants, managing agents)
Locating asbestos - the requirement for asbestos surveys
Assessing condition - determining the risk from identified ACMs
Creating a management plan - documenting how asbestos will be managed
Providing information - sharing asbestos location data with those who need it
Monitoring condition - regularly checking ACMs remain in good condition
Reviewing the plan - keeping the management plan up to date

Asbestos Surveys

L143 covers the two main types of asbestos survey:

Management Survey:

Standard survey for normal occupation and maintenance
Locates ACMs that could be disturbed during routine activities
Should be in place for all non-domestic premises

Refurbishment and Demolition Survey:

Required before any refurbishment or demolition work
Fully intrusive - accesses all areas
Must be completed before work begins

Types of Asbestos Work

L143 distinguishes between different categories of asbestos work:

Licensed Work:

Work with asbestos insulation, asbestos coating, or asbestos insulating board (AIB)
Most higher-risk asbestos work
Requires an HSE licence and notification

Notifiable Non-Licensed Work (NNLW):

Short-duration work with certain asbestos materials
Requires notification to the HSE but no licence
Still requires competent workers and controls

Non-Licensed Work:

Lower-risk work with asbestos cement and other lower-risk materials
No notification required
Still requires training and appropriate controls

Control Measures

L143 provides detailed guidance on preventing and controlling asbestos exposure:

Prevention - avoiding work with asbestos where possible
Engineering controls - enclosures, extraction, wet methods
Respiratory protective equipment (RPE) - selection and use
Protective clothing - preventing fibre contamination
Hygiene facilities - decontamination procedures
Waste disposal - safe removal and disposal of asbestos waste

Training Requirements

All workers who may encounter asbestos must receive appropriate training:

Asbestos awareness training - for anyone who might disturb ACMs
Training for non-licensed work - for those undertaking asbestos work
Training for licensed work - comprehensive training for licensed workers
Refresher training - annual updates required

Health Surveillance and Medical Examinations

L143 explains when health surveillance and medical examinations are required:

Medical examinations for workers exposed to asbestos
Record keeping requirements
What happens if medical conditions are detected
Role of appointed doctors

Exposure Limits

The Control Limit for asbestos is 0.1 fibres per cubic centimetre of air, measured over a 4-hour period. L143 explains:

How exposure is measured
What the control limit means in practice
Requirements when exposure may exceed the limit
The hierarchy of control measures

Legal Status

L143 has special legal status as an Approved Code of Practice. The guidance within it represents what is considered good practice and compliance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. Following the ACOP provides a clear route to compliance.

If you are prosecuted for breaching the Regulations and it is shown you did not follow the relevant ACOP provisions, a court will find you at fault unless you can demonstrate you complied through equally effective means. Failure to follow L143 without documented equivalent measures puts you at significant legal risk.

Why It Matters

Asbestos remains the single greatest cause of work-related deaths in the UK:

The Human Cost

Over 5,000 deaths per year from asbestos-related diseases
Mesothelioma - around 2,700 deaths annually, with no cure
Asbestosis - progressive lung scarring causing disability and death
Lung cancer - asbestos exposure significantly increases risk
20-50 year latency - diseases appear decades after exposure

Who Is at Risk?

Construction workers undertaking refurbishment or demolition
Maintenance workers, plumbers, electricians, and heating engineers
Building managers and caretakers
Demolition workers
Any worker whose activities may disturb hidden asbestos

Consequences of Non-Compliance

For Individuals:

Fatal or life-limiting disease from exposure
Criminal prosecution and potential imprisonment
Personal liability for negligence

For Businesses:

Unlimited fines for regulatory breaches
Civil claims from affected workers (often exceeding millions of pounds)
Prohibition notices stopping work
Reputational damage and loss of contracts
Increased insurance premiums

Prevention Works

L143 provides the framework to prevent asbestos exposure:

Know where asbestos is located
Manage it effectively while in situ
Plan work carefully when disturbance is necessary
Use competent, trained workers
Apply appropriate controls

Practical Requirements Summary

Requirement	What L143 Says
Duty to manage	Know what asbestos you have and manage it safely
Asbestos survey	Get a management survey; get R&D survey before refurbishment
Management plan	Document how asbestos will be managed and by whom
Information	Tell workers and contractors where asbestos is located
Training	Ensure all who may encounter asbestos are trained
Licensed work	Use HSE-licensed contractors for high-risk work
Control measures	Apply appropriate controls for all asbestos work
Waste disposal	Dispose of asbestos waste at licensed sites

Common Asbestos-Containing Materials

Material	Common Locations	Risk Level
Asbestos insulating board (AIB)	Ceiling tiles, partition walls, fire doors	High
Sprayed asbestos coating	Steel beams, columns, ceilings	Very High
Lagging	Pipe insulation, boiler insulation	Very High
Asbestos cement	Roof sheets, gutters, water tanks	Medium
Floor tiles	Thermoplastic tiles, vinyl tiles	Lower
Textured coatings	Artex-type ceiling finishes	Lower

Further Resources

This page summarises the ACOP L143. For full legal compliance, obtain and read the complete document from HSE. This summary is not a substitute for professional advice or the full ACOP text.

L143: Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012