School Asbestos Dutyholder and Governance Policy

This policy applies where asbestos-management responsibilities are shared between the employer, governing body, premises owner, academy trust, local authority or contractors. The applicable employer, premises owner and contractual arrangements for this school are recorded as [asbestos responsibility arrangements].

1. Policy objective

The school will maintain clear accountability for asbestos management by identifying the dutyholder, recording delegated functions, maintaining routes for escalation, allocating appropriate resources and reviewing whether the arrangements are being applied effectively.

2. Dutyholder and accountable governance body

The dutyholder for the premises is [asbestos dutyholder name]. The body or person providing governance oversight is [asbestos governance body]. Their respective responsibilities, authority and contact details must be recorded in the asbestos management plan (AMP) and communicated to relevant staff.

Where more than one organisation or contractor has a role, the school will record which party is responsible for the premises, the asbestos register, the AMP, work controls, contractor management, information sharing, emergency escalation and resources. Any boundary or gap between responsibilities must be escalated to [asbestos escalation role].

3. Delegation and contractual responsibilities

Delegation does not remove the need for clear oversight. Each delegated function must have a named role, defined authority, suitable access to relevant asbestos information and a route for reporting concerns to [asbestos accountable lead].

Contracts and service arrangements that may involve work in areas containing asbestos must identify the responsible organisation, the required information exchange and the escalation route before work is authorised. The applicable contractual controls are recorded as [asbestos contractual controls].

4. Information, instruction and training

Where employees or supervised workers may disturb asbestos during their work, the employer must ensure that they receive the correct level of information, instruction and training to enable them to work safely and competently without risk to themselves or others. This includes relevant agency, catering, premises, maintenance, teaching and voluntary staff where the condition applies.

The school will identify the roles covered by this requirement through [asbestos training needs process]. Supervisors of workers who may disturb asbestos must be included where the condition applies.

5. Asbestos register and asbestos management plan

Where the school uses an asbestos register and AMP, they will be reviewed at least annually. The review will confirm that the information is accurate and that the arrangements are being effectively applied.

Following the review, identified changes or shortfalls will be addressed. Changes to the asbestos register or AMP will be communicated to all staff.

The role responsible for coordinating this review is [asbestos register amp coordinator]. The review date and resulting actions will be managed through [asbestos review action process].

6. Escalation and stop-work arrangements

A concern about unclear responsibility, missing asbestos information, a change to the premises or work that may disturb asbestos must be reported to [asbestos escalation role]. The escalation route is [asbestos escalation route].

Work must not proceed under an unresolved responsibility or information gap where the school’s arrangements require escalation before authorisation. The person who can authorise continuation, suspension or further referral is [asbestos work authorisation role].

7. Resources and support

The accountable governance body will ensure that responsibility for identifying and requesting the resources needed to operate the asbestos arrangements is assigned to [asbestos resource lead]. Resource requests, constraints and decisions will be recorded through [asbestos resource process].

8. Monitoring effectiveness

The school will monitor whether responsibilities are understood, delegated functions are being performed, relevant staff have received the required information, instruction and training where the condition applies, and the asbestos register and AMP arrangements are being effectively applied.

Monitoring findings, identified shortfalls and corrective actions will be reported to [asbestos governance body] through [asbestos monitoring route]. Material changes to responsibilities, premises or contractual arrangements will be reflected in the AMP and communicated to all staff where applicable.

9. Review of this policy

This policy will be reviewed alongside the annual review of the asbestos register and AMP where those arrangements are in use, and sooner if responsibilities, premises, contractors or governance arrangements change. The reviewing role is [asbestos policy review role].