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Is Asbestos Awareness Training a Legal Requirement?

If you work in construction, maintenance, refurbishment, demolition, or any trade where you may come into contact with older buildings, you’ve probably asked yourself: Is asbestos awareness training a legal requirement?

The short answer is yes. For many workers, it is a legal requirement.

Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, employers have a legal duty to ensure that anyone who could be exposed to asbestos during their work receives appropriate asbestos awareness training. This helps protect workers from one of the UK’s biggest occupational health risks and ensures businesses remain legally compliant.

In this guide, we’ll explain who needs asbestos awareness training, what the law says, who doesn’t require it, and how TVCTA can help you stay compliant.

What is Asbestos Awareness Training?

Asbestos Awareness Training teaches workers how to:

  • Recognise asbestos-containing materials (ACMs)
  • Understand the health risks of asbestos exposure
  • Identify where asbestos is commonly found
  • Avoid disturbing asbestos during work
  • Know what to do if asbestos is accidentally damaged
  • Understand their legal responsibilities

It is important to remember that asbestos awareness training does not qualify someone to remove asbestos. Instead, it helps workers recognise potential dangers and prevent accidental exposure.

At TVCTA we offer a fully online Asbestos Awareness Training course.

online asbestos awareness training completed on a laptop

Is Asbestos Awareness Training required by law?

Yes.

Regulation 10 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 requires employers to provide suitable information, instruction and training to employees who are liable to be exposed to asbestos during their work.

This includes workers who may disturb the fabric of buildings constructed before asbestos was banned in the UK.

Employers who fail to provide adequate training could face:

  • Prosecution
  • HSE enforcement action
  • Significant fines
  • Increased liability if an employee is exposed to asbestos

Providing asbestos awareness training is therefore not simply best practice, it’s an essential part of meeting your legal responsibilities.

Who needs Asbestos Awareness Training?

Many people assume asbestos training only applies to specialist removal companies.

In reality, it applies to a huge range of trades.

Workers who commonly require asbestos awareness training include:

  • Electricians
  • Plumbers
  • Carpenters
  • Joiners
  • Builders
  • Roofers
  • Painters and decorators
  • Heating engineers
  • Gas engineers
  • Maintenance operatives
  • Demolition workers
  • Surveyors
  • Site supervisors
  • Facilities maintenance teams

If your work involves drilling, cutting, installing, refurbishing or maintaining buildings built before 2000, asbestos awareness training is highly likely to be required.

electrician working on a building site
roofer working on a building site

Why is asbestos still such a risk?

Although asbestos was fully banned in the UK in 1999, millions of buildings still contain asbestos-containing materials.

Common locations include:

  • Ceiling tiles
  • Pipe insulation
  • Floor tiles
  • Roof sheets
  • Boiler cupboards
  • Textured coatings
  • Wall panels
  • Soffits
  • Garage roofs

Many commercial, industrial and domestic properties built before 2000 may still contain asbestos.

The danger occurs when asbestos fibres become airborne after materials are drilled, sanded, broken or disturbed.

Inhaling these fibres can lead to serious illnesses including:

  • Mesothelioma
  • Lung cancer
  • Asbestosis
  • Pleural thickening

This is why asbestos awareness training remains a legal requirement across much of the construction industry.

What does Asbestos Awareness Training cover?

A recognised UKATA-approved course typically includes:

  • The history and uses of asbestos
  • Types of asbestos
  • Health effects of exposure
  • Where asbestos is commonly found
  • Current asbestos legislation
  • Employer and employee responsibilities
  • Emergency procedures
  • Safe working practices
  • Avoiding accidental disturbance of asbestos

At TVCTA, the UKATA Asbestos Awareness E-Learning Course is designed to meet the requirements of Regulation 10 and can be completed online at your own pace.

Our Asbestos Awareness E-Learning Course is fully online and can be completed fully at the convenience of the participant. However, you can check out our course calendar to see what other courses we have coming up!

Does Asbestos Awareness Training expire?

Although UK legislation doesn’t specify an exact expiry date, refresher training is recommended regularly, particularly where legislation, working practices or job roles change.

Many employers choose to refresh asbestos awareness training every 12 months to demonstrate ongoing competence and maintain compliance.

Is online Asbestos Awareness Training accepted?

Yes.

Provided the course meets the requirements of the Control of Asbestos Regulations and is delivered by an approved provider such as UKATA, online asbestos awareness training is widely accepted across the construction industry.

TVCTA offers a flexible online learning option, allowing delegates to complete training around their work commitments.

Why choose TVCTA for Asbestos Awareness Training?

TVCTA supports construction businesses across the Thames Valley with affordable, high-quality health and safety training.

Benefits include:

  • UKATA-approved training
  • Fully online learning
  • Same-day digital certification
  • Expert support
  • Competitive member pricing
  • Access to a wide range of construction training courses

Alongside asbestos awareness, TVCTA also offers:

  • SMSTS
  • SSSTS
  • First Aid
  • Manual Handling
  • Working at Height
  • PASMA
  • Abrasive Wheels
  • Plant Training
  • CSCS-related training

You can see all the courses we have to offer here!

Yesterday our Group Training Officer Paul Bayley spoke to a group of construction students at New meaning Training https://newmeaning.training/ in High Wycombe The talk was about opportunities in the Construction Industry and how to approach full time employment. He believes the talk was well received as he has been asked to carry out the same presentation at their workshops in Reading. New Meaning Training are always looking for employers who take on apprentices to contact them even if you can give a talk on your company and the industry in general.
Three people attending an asbestos awareness course with TVCTA. They are weating hard hats and masks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is asbestos awareness training mandatory?

Yes, if your work could foreseeably expose you to asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, your employer must provide suitable asbestos awareness training.

Does asbestos awareness training allow me to remove asbestos?

No. Awareness training only teaches you how to identify and avoid asbestos. Licensed asbestos removal requires additional specialist training and certification.

Who pays for asbestos awareness training?

Employers are legally responsible for ensuring employees receive appropriate training where required.

Can I complete asbestos awareness training online?

Yes. UKATA-approved online courses provide a flexible and recognised way to meet legal requirements.

Stay compliant with TVCTA

Asbestos remains one of the UK’s most significant workplace health risks, particularly in construction and property maintenance.

Ensuring your workforce has appropriate asbestos awareness training isn’t just about meeting legal requirements, it’s about protecting lives, reducing risk and creating safer working environments.

TVCTA’s UKATA Asbestos Awareness E-Learning Course provides an easy, affordable and fully compliant way for employers and individuals to stay up to date with current legislation.

Whether you’re a sole trader, site supervisor or construction business managing multiple employees, investing in asbestos awareness training is an investment in safety, compliance and peace of mind.

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