The Project
AIB Solutions are currently on site in Saltney, Chester, carrying out the licensed removal of approximately 1,200m² of asbestos insulating board — a combination of ceiling panels and firebreak partitions throughout the building. It is one of the larger commercial AIB programmes we have been engaged on this year.
Asbestos insulating board (AIB) is a licensable material under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012). Its removal must be carried out by an HSE-licensed contractor under strictly controlled conditions. At 1,200m² spread across a live commercial building, the project has required careful upfront planning to ensure the work can progress methodically without disrupting the client's operations.
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Why This Work Requires a Licensed Contractor
AIB is a friable material. Unlike asbestos cement — where fibres are locked into a bonded matrix — AIB has a softer, more open structure that releases fibres readily when disturbed. It was widely used in commercial construction from the 1950s through to the mid-1980s, particularly for ceiling tiles, partition boards and firebreak panels, precisely because of its lightweight, fire-resistant properties.
That same structural characteristic is what makes its removal a controlled operation. Under CAR 2012, all licensable AIB removal requires:
- Mandatory notification to the HSE (ASB5) at least 14 days before work begins
- A detailed written plan of work covering the removal methodology, enclosure design and waste management procedures
- Full enclosure construction with air-lock entry systems
- Negative pressure units maintaining continuous negative pressure within the enclosure throughout the work
- Wet removal techniques to suppress fibre release
- Independent four-stage clearance air testing on completion of each enclosure
- A Certificate of Reoccupation before any area is handed back
There are no shortcuts available. The legal framework exists for good reason — and it is followed precisely on every licensed job we carry out.
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The Four-Phase Approach
With 1,200m² of AIB spread across a building that needed to remain partially operational, a single-enclosure approach was not viable. The programme has been structured into four separate enclosure phases, each covering a defined area of the building. Each phase follows the full licensed removal sequence — build, notify, remove, clear, certify — before the next phase begins.
Structuring the work this way means the client retains use of three-quarters of the building at any given time, the programme can progress steadily without pressure to rush any phase, and each section is independently certified clean before handback.
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Sampling, Waste & Documentation
Every sample collected on this project is sent to a trusted UKAS-accredited laboratory for analysis, with results returned within 24 to 48 hours and a legally valid analysis certificate issued. All asbestos waste is removed by a registered EA hazardous waste carrier to a licensed disposal facility, with full consignment notes issued for every load.
At the end of the programme the client receives a complete documentation package — plan of work, HSE notification records, waste transfer and consignment notes, laboratory analysis certificates, and a Certificate of Reoccupation for each phase. This documentation is essential for the client's compliance records and will be required for any future property transactions, planning applications or insurance purposes relating to the building.
Planning a Project That Involves Asbestos?
If you have a commercial or industrial building that requires asbestos removal ahead of refurbishment, sale or demolition — talk to us before you start. The earlier we are involved, the better we can structure the programme to fit around your project timeline and minimise disruption to your operations.
AIB Solutions cover Chester and the whole of Cheshire from our base in Newcastle-under-Lyme. See our Chester page for more detail on our coverage across the area, or our Cheshire page for county-wide coverage information.