This awareness-level qualification introduces learners to:

• What asbestos is, its properties and why it was widely used in construction
• The main types of asbestos and their relative risks
• The serious health effects of asbestos exposure, including asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer
• Where asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are commonly found in buildings
• The legal framework, principally the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
• The duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises under Regulation 4
• How to recognise materials that may contain asbestos and avoid disturbing them
• The importance of the asbestos register and management survey
• Safe procedures and emergency actions following accidental disturbance
• Reporting requirements and the limits of work that may be undertaken without a licence

• Asbestos exposure remains a leading cause of work-related death in Great Britain. The health effects including asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer typically take decades to appear, which means exposure today can have consequences a working lifetime later.
• It is a specific legal requirement, not a general best-practice recommendation. Under CAR 2012, asbestos awareness training is mandatory for anyone whose work could foreseeably disturb the fabric of a building where asbestos-containing materials may be present.
• Most affected buildings look completely ordinary. Asbestos-containing materials were used so widely before 2000 that awareness is relevant across almost every trade and sector that touches an older building, not just specialist asbestos contractors.
• Awareness is the first line of defence. Recognising a potential asbestos-containing material before disturbing it is what prevents an accidental exposure incident in the first place.

• Foundation-level (Level 1) qualification suitable for anyone whose work could disturb building fabric
• Minimum of 4 hours' instructional contact time, designed for flexible short-course delivery
• Delivered entirely online through the Britsafe learning management system (LMS) no physical classroom attendance is required
• Course materials are provided digitally (soft copy) via the LMS
• Assessed via an online examination through the Britsafe Examination Management System (EMS), with a minimum pass mark of 70%
• Certification issued with an anti-counterfeit hologram security seal, available both as a physical copy and as a soft (digital) copy
• Covers identification, health risks, legal requirements, safe handling, disposal and emergency procedures
• Available fully online to learners in the UK and internationally

Knowledge developed:

• The properties, types and historical use of asbestos in UK buildings
• Health risks associated with asbestos exposure
• The legal framework under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
• Principles of asbestos management planning

Skills developed:

• Identifying materials that may contain asbestos before disturbing them
• Applying basic control measures to minimise exposure risk
• Following correct emergency procedures if asbestos is disturbed
• Knowing when and how to escalate a suspected asbestos finding

This Award is designed for anyone whose work could foreseeably disturb the fabric of a building, or who holds a wider responsibility for managing asbestos risk, including:

• Electricians, plumbers and heating engineers
• Joiners, plasterers and general builders
• Roofers and cladding installers
• General maintenance and facilities staff
• Renovation, refurbishment and demolition workers
• Health and safety officers and managers
• Facility and building managers with a duty to manage asbestos
• Surveyors and building inspectors
• Construction and project managers
• Small business owners engaging contractors to work on older buildings

No prior qualification in asbestos management is required this Award is intended as an accessible entry point into the subject.

There are no formal academic prerequisites for this Level 1 Award. It is open to learners aged 16 and above with a reasonable standard of spoken and written English, sufficient to engage with course materials and complete the assessment. No prior experience of asbestos management is assumed.

Course content is structured around progressive learning blocks covering understanding asbestos, identifying asbestos-containing materials, health risks and exposure prevention, legal requirements, safe handling and disposal, asbestos management plans, and emergency procedures.

Assessment is conducted through an online examination via the Britsafe Examination Management System (EMS). Learners must achieve a minimum score of 70% to pass. On successful completion, learners receive a certificate, available both as a physical copy and as a soft (digital) copy. Results and certificates are typically issued promptly following successful completion.

• A recognised, portable credential that satisfies a genuine legal training requirement
• Practical, applicable knowledge rather than purely theoretical content
• A flexible short-course format (minimum 4 hours) that fits around work commitments
• Protective knowledge relevant to almost any trade working on pre-2000 buildings
• A foundation for progressing into more specialist asbestos-related training

• Construction, renovation and refurbishment
• Demolition
• Facilities and building management
• Housing associations and social housing maintenance
• Education (schools and colleges in older buildings)
• Healthcare estates and facilities
• Local authority property and maintenance services
• Surveying and building inspection

Britsafe Qualifications UK Limited delivers this qualification fully online, making it accessible to learners across the UK and internationally without the need to attend a physical training centre. This gives the qualification relevance for multinational property, construction and facilities organisations building a consistent asbestos awareness standard across sites, and for learners anywhere seeking a credential with cross-border applicability.

Learners can apply this qualification directly to:

• Recognising materials that may contain asbestos before starting work
• Stopping work immediately if a suspected asbestos-containing material is disturbed
• Following correct emergency and reporting procedures after unintended disturbance
• Supporting an organisation's asbestos management plan
• Communicating asbestos risk clearly to colleagues and contractors
• Escalating suspected findings to the appropriate duty holder or competent person

This Award is best positioned as an early step within a broader asbestos and occupational health and safety development pathway. Learners often pair or follow it with qualifications in:

• Asbestos Management in Buildings
• COSHH Awareness and Risk Assessment
• Construction Health and Safety Essentials
• Understanding Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations
• Broader occupational safety and health diplomas for those seeking supervisory or specialist roles

• Level 2 qualifications in asbestos management for those with wider duty-holder responsibilities
• Specialist non-licensed asbestos work training for those undertaking limited, controlled asbestos-related tasks
• Broader health and safety management qualifications, including diploma-level study
• Professional membership pathways with relevant occupational health and safety bodies

1. What does this qualification cover?
It covers what asbestos is, how to identify materials that may contain it, the associated health risks, the legal requirements for managing asbestos, safe handling and disposal procedures, asbestos management plans, and emergency procedures if asbestos is disturbed.

2. Is asbestos awareness training a legal requirement?
Yes, for many trades. Regulation 10 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 requires employers to provide asbestos awareness training to employees whose work could foreseeably disturb asbestos-containing materials, and to those who supervise them.

3. Does this qualification allow me to remove asbestos?
No. This is an awareness-level qualification. It does not qualify a learner to carry out non-licensed or licensed asbestos removal work, both of which require separate, specific training and, for licensed work, an HSE licence.

4. Who needs this training?
Anyone whose work could foreseeably disturb the fabric of a building where asbestos may be present including electricians, plumbers, joiners, roofers, maintenance staff, and those with a wider duty to manage asbestos in a building.

5. Are there any entry requirements?
No formal prerequisites are required. Learners should have a reasonable standard of English and be aged 16 or above.

6. How long does the course take to complete?
The qualification has a minimum guided learning time of 4 hours, making it a compact, focused course suitable for short-course or induction-level delivery.

7. How is the qualification assessed?
Through an online examination via the Britsafe Examination Management System, with a minimum pass mark of 70%.

8. Is this qualification recognised internationally?
Yes. Britsafe Qualifications UK Limited delivers this qualification fully online to learners across the UK and internationally.

9. What materials are provided with the course?
Learners receive digital (soft copy) course materials via the Britsafe learning management system. The course is delivered entirely online; there is no physical classroom attendance or physical course material.

10. What happens after I pass the exam?
Successful learners receive a certificate from Britsafe Qualifications UK Limited, featuring an anti-counterfeit hologram seal for authenticity. The certificate is available both as a physical copy and as a soft (digital) copy.

11. How often should asbestos awareness training be refreshed?
Good practice guidance recommends that asbestos awareness training is refreshed at least annually, to keep knowledge current and reinforce safe working habits.