Anyone who manages a non-domestic premises has a duty to manage that particular working environment, in order to fully protect others who work in the premises, or indeed use them in other ways from any risks to potential ill health that the exposure to asbestos causes.

These duties include;

• - take reasonable steps to find out if there are materials containing asbestos in non-domestic premises, and if so, its amount, where it is and what condition it is in;
• - presume materials contain asbestos unless there is strong evidence that they do not;
• - make, and keep up-to-date, a record of the location and condition of the asbestos containing materials - or materials which are presumed to contain asbestos;
• - assess the risk of anyone being exposed to fibres from the materials identified;
• - prepare a plan that sets out in detail how the risks from these materials will be managed;
• - take the necessary steps to put the plan into action;
• - periodically review and monitor the plan and the arrangements to act on it so that the plan remains relevant and up-to-date; and
• - provide information on the location and condition of the materials to anyone who is liable to work on or disturb them.