When managing asbestos in non-domestic buildings, clients, duty holders and contractors are often too fixated on how dangerous the asbestos containing material actually is.
But there’s another vital question: How likely is it to be disturbed?
If a high risk material has no chance of being disturbed, then the overall risk would be greatly reduced.
This is where the Priority Risk Assessment becomes essential.
What Is a Priority Risk Assessment?
A Priority Risk Assessment evaluates the likelihood of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) being disturbed, which in turn determines the risk of asbestos exposure.
It does not replace a Material Risk Assessment, instead, it works alongside it to give a complete picture of the risk.
A Priority Risk Assessment is especially useful in workplaces, schools, hospitals, and anywhere maintenance or refurbishment is likely.
Why Is This Important?
A high-risk ACM in a locked, unused room might pose far less danger than a lower-risk material in a busy corridor. This is where the priority risk score can change the management plan entirely, and sometimes, common sense matters more than the numbers.
Legal Obligations of a Priority Risk Assessment
The Approved Code of Practice and HSE Guidance set out how Priority Risk Assessments should be carried out and recorded as part of your asbestos register, a core requirement for legal compliance. Your asbestos register must list all identified or presumed asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) found during Asbestos Management or Refurbishment & Demolition Surveys.
A Priority Risk Assessment goes one step further than simply identifying the locations of asbestos. It helps you rank the risks. By assessing how likely each material is to be disturbed, it creates a clear, structured plan for managing asbestos safely and in the right order of urgency.
When would I need an Asbestos Priority Risk Assessment?
You’ll need a Priority Risk Assessment whenever asbestos is identified in your premises, particularly common in buildings constructed before 2000, when asbestos was still in widespread use across the UK.
Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations (CAR) 2012, a Priority Risk Assessment is required alongside a Material Risk Assessment. While the material assessment looks at how hazardous the material is, the priority score reflects how likely it is to be disturbed during normal occupation or maintenance.
An Asbestos Management Survey is typically the first step. If it identifies asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), you’ll need to create an asbestos register, including both a material risk score and a priority score for each entry.
Key triggers for a Priority Risk Assessment include:
- After an asbestos survey: to complete your asbestos register and plan appropriate actions.
- Before any refurbishment or maintenance work: to protect workers and occupants from exposure.
- In buildings with regular occupancy: schools, offices, retail units, and public buildings need ongoing monitoring.
- If you are the dutyholder under CAR 2012: you are legally responsible for assessing and managing the risk.
What Does a Priority Risk Assessment Include?
A priority risk assessment for asbestos considers four key factors to determine how likely materials are to be disturbed and how serious the exposure risk could be:
- Occupant Activity: What happens in the area?
Is it a quiet storeroom or a frequently used space? - Likelihood of Disturbance: How exposed or vulnerable is the ACM?
Is it on the floor, ceiling, or somewhere likely to be bumped or drilled? - Human Exposure Potential: How many people access the area, and for how long?
More people means a higher exposure risk. - Maintenance Activity: Are maintenance works likely in that area?
Are there cables, lights, or plumbing behind the ACM?
Each factor is scored between 0 (low) and 3 (high). To calculate the overall priority risk score, the occupant activity score is added to the three average scores for the likelihood of disturbance, human exposure potential and maintenance assessment.
This score gives a clearer picture of how likely asbestos is to be disturbed, helping you decide whether materials should be monitored, encapsulated, isolated, or removed. When combined with the material risk score, it forms the basis for making safe, informed decisions.
How Are Scores Used?
Once scored, you will be able to make decisions on how to deal with the asbestos containing materials which have been found. The ACMs can be categorised for action, including:
- 🟢 Monitoring
- 🟡 Encapsulation or labelling
- 🔴 Immediate removal or isolation
But remember, scores aren’t everything. Practical judgement still plays a critical role.
When Common Sense Beats the Score
Often a common sense approach should be adopted by the duty holder to check whether they believe the ACMs are likely to be damaged.
Here are two real-life examples we have encountered, that display why priority risk assessments aren’t foolproof without context:
Example 1: A Doorstop Could Have Saved the Artex
Asbestos-reinforced textured coating (Artex) was found damaged behind a frequently used door. A doorstop would have prevented the constant impact – something a score might not predict, but common sense would.
Example 2: Corridor in a School
An asbestos cement board was fitted to the bottom of a door on a circulation corridor. The board was in great condition, encapsulated, labelled and checked regularly. The corridor it sat on was only used for 10 minutes 3 times per day by children.
The score-based risk assessment showed no urgent action was needed.
However, direct observation showed constant contact from schoolbags and kids brushing past. It was clearly only a matter of time before the paint came off or the board was damaged, and asbestos fibres would be released.
In this case, we recommended immediate removal to prevent any further risk to the school children. The school accepted our recommendation to remove the ACM.
Is a Score-Based Risk Assessment Enough?
In reality, are score based priority risk assessments a useful tool or just another system added to documented assessments into an ever growing world of paperwork and compliance?
Priority Risk Assessments do provide a helpful framework. Having said that, they’re not foolproof. They should be used alongside:
- On-site experience
- Real-world observation
- Context-specific decision making
- Regular reinspection
In many situations, a low-risk material in a high-use area can present more danger than a high-risk material that is sealed, labelled, and untouched.
Priority Risk Assessments should never become just another tick-box exercise in a sea of paperwork. Used correctly, they help prevent exposure before it happens, but they must be backed by practical thinking.
If you’re responsible for asbestos management, don’t rely on scores alone. Walk the site, think logically, and act before damage occurs.
Need Help With Asbestos Management?
At Fibre Safe, we’ve carried out hundreds of detailed asbestos risk assessments across commercial, industrial, and educational settings. We combine professional insight with real-world experience to keep people safe.
From surveys and testing, to management and full removal and disposal, we’ve got you covered.
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Don’t take risks with asbestos. Contact Fibre Safe today for expert guidance, a free quote, or to book a consultation on 0800 458 4136 or send a message here.
