Is Recruitment the Root Cause of "Poor Quality" Surveys? Let’s take a look.

Consider a typical job advertisement for a Trainee Asbestos Surveyor:

• No experience necessary.

• GCSEs (or equivalent).

• Full UK driving licence & DBS check.

• Positive attitude and a willingness to learn.

• Flexibility to travel and work away when required.

  
  

Now, consider the requirements for a Senior Asbestos Surveyor:

• Minimum 5 years of experience in the role.

• BOHS P402, equivalent RSPH qualifications, or a Certificate of Competence (CoC).

• In-depth working knowledge of HSG264: Asbestos: The Survey Guide.

• Full UK driving licence & DBS check.

• Flexible approach to travel, out-of-hours working, and a strong work ethic.

  
  

The Disconnect:

The problem starts at the entry level. Trainee roles often target school or university leavers as a source of "cheap labour." However, these candidates frequently lack life skills, construction experience, or a trade background. They enter the industry with no fundamental understanding of how a property is built or which materials were used in different eras. Six months of basic training doesn't teach the "Built Environment"; it simply teaches them how to take a sample where they are told.

Surely, an understanding of construction and building fabric should be a mandatory pillar of any training programme.

The Senior Level "Tunnel Vision" Even at the Senior level, the focus remains exclusively on the P402 and asbestos-specific certifications. While the CoC is a high-level qualification, it is asbestos-based, not construction-based. Given that asbestos was primarily used as a building material, why is there such a massive void in construction knowledge?

The answer is simple: Large consultancies want "earning heads." They need staff who can hit the ground running to generate revenue. They prioritise a P402 and a few years of "time served" over a deep understanding of structural assembly.

The Role of UKAS This brings us to UKAS accreditation. UKAS doesn’t train surveyors; they audit against HSE publications. If the industry standards aren't demanding construction expertise, UKAS won't either.

The Solution We need to shift our perspective. Instead of focusing solely on UKAS accreditation as a badge of quality, we should focus on training new starters on how pre-2000 buildings were constructed—brick by brick. If you don't understand how a building is put together, you will never truly understand where the asbestos is hiding.