Highland Council commissions asbestos survey of 281 communal blocks after notice served by Health and Safety Executive

Highland Council is to carry out an asbestos survey of 281 communal buildings after being served an improvement notice by the Health and Safety Executive.

The survey will be completed in the next few weeks.

• Part of Highland Council headquarters to be demolished

The notice from the HSE to the council states: “You do not have appropriate arrangements for the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of the preventive and protective measures to manage asbestos within communal areas of multioccupancy domestic premises, in that you have failed to ensure that the communal areas of said properties have asbestos management surveys and where appropriate asbestos registers and management plans.”

A council spokesman said the local authority was working with the HSE regarding an Improvement notice issued in February 2025.

“It relates specifically to the management of communal blocks,” he said.

“Asbestos materials were a common building material used before 2000 and there are landlord duties on Highland to ensure that any suspected asbestos materials are managed accordingly.

“As per the HSE recommendation, Highland has commissioned asbestos surveys in all 281 communal blocks in its ownership.

“These will be completed in the next few weeks.”

The spokesman said that for the 83 independent surveys completed to date, 40 blocks had been found to have no asbestos present.

The other 43 blocks were suspected to contain some asbestos materials but the surveys had concluded that they were all in good condition and no remedial works were required.

They would, however, be inspected on a cyclical basis to ensure their condition was maintained.

The spokesman continued: “Highland will continue to work with HSE to ensure their recommendations around asbestos management are satisfied.”

Last year, the council announced part of its headquarters in Inverness would be demolished after asbestos was discovered.

Widespread use of asbestos in building materials stopped in the mid 1980’s when research and information connected working with asbestos and exposure to asbestos dust with certain chest and lung diseases.

Asbestos is only a health hazard if it is damaged or disturbed and the fibres are released into the air and inhaled.

Most asbestos in the home poses no risk to the people who live there.

No asbestos should be found in buildings constructed after the year 2000.

Highland Council carries out asbestos surveys before doing any major works in its houses such as installing new heating, if it suspects there is asbestos which may be disturbed when doing repairs and In common areas of blocks of flats.

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