Asbestos awareness training is for workers whose normal work could foreseeably disturb asbestos, and those supervising them. Entering an older building alone does not trigger that training level. This guide explains Great Britain’s Regulation 10 duty; Northern Ireland has corresponding separate regulations.

This page answers the practical question — does this apply to me? — and corrects a couple of persistent misunderstandings about which category of training is needed for which work, and how often refresher training has to happen.

Regulation 10 of CAR 2012 places the duty on the employer. It says that every employer must make sure their employees are given adequate information, instruction, and training where those employees are, or might be, exposed to asbestos in their work, or where they supervise such employees.

The supporting Approved Code of Practice (L143) is more specific about who this means in practice. It says that asbestos awareness training should be given to "employees whose work could foreseeably disturb the fabric of a building and expose them to asbestos, or who supervise or influence the work". That's the working test: if a normal day of your job could plausibly involve drilling into a wall, lifting a ceiling tile, running cabling through a floor void, or working on the fabric of a pre-2000 building, you're in scope.

Employers must provide adequate information, instruction and training for relevant employees. Self-employed workers also need the appropriate knowledge and competence for their work; workers must cooperate with the precautions provided.

The three categories of training

Diagram of the three asbestos work categories A, B and C

HSE distinguishes awareness, non-licensable work and licensable work. “Category A”, “B” and “C” are common industry labels for these levels, rather than category names written into CAR 2012:

Category A — Asbestos awareness. Helps workers recognise situations where asbestos may be present and avoid disturbance. Appearance cannot confirm asbestos, and awareness alone does not prepare someone to work on it.

Category B — Non-licensed work training. For workers who will deliberately disturb lower-risk asbestos materials — drilling holes through asbestos cement, lifting bonded floor tiles, removing small areas of textured coating. Covers safe work practices, control measures, personal protective equipment, and waste handling. Notifiable non-licensed work (NNLW) sits within this category and carries additional medical surveillance and notification requirements.

Category C — Licensable work training. For the higher-risk work requiring a licensed contractor. The licensing decision depends on all the relevant exposure, material and task criteria, not simply a course label or time limit.

Awareness alone is insufficient for planned disturbance. Even a small task needs an appropriate risk assessment, job-specific training, equipment and controls; decide separately whether licensing or notification is required.

Which trades typically need Category A awareness training

HSE identifies many building and maintenance trades as potentially needing awareness training. The examples below are not a statutory checklist: assess the actual work, including supervisory roles.

  • General building and maintenance workers
  • Electricians and electrical engineers
  • Plumbers and pipefitters
  • Gas engineers and heating engineers
  • Joiners and carpenters
  • Painters and decorators
  • Plasterers
  • Roofers
  • Demolition workers (Category A as a foundation; many will need Category B or C on top)
  • Heating and ventilation engineers
  • Telecoms and IT installers — anyone running cabling through structures
  • Alarm and security system installers
  • Shopfitters
  • Surveyors and architects who inspect older buildings
  • Facilities and estates staff
  • Caretakers and site managers
  • Fire and security risk assessors
  • Asbestos removal contractors (as a baseline, before specialised training)
  • Refurbishment project managers
  • Building services engineers

Supervisors and managers of any of the above also need awareness training, because the duty under Regulation 10 extends to those who supervise or influence the work. A site manager who never picks up a tool but directs the work of people who do is in scope.

Trades that need Category B (non-licensed work)

Category B notifiable non-licensed asbestos work

If the work goes beyond "might encounter" into "will deliberately disturb", awareness training isn't enough. Examples of jobs that need Category B training as a minimum include:

  • Removing bonded asbestos floor tiles and the associated mastic adhesive
  • Drilling into asbestos cement for fixings or service penetrations
  • Removing small areas of textured coatings (Artex)
  • Working on or removing asbestos cement gutters, downpipes, or soffits
  • Limited AIB work only where the risk assessment establishes that all conditions for non-licensed work are met; duration alone is insufficient

Notifiable non-licensed work — a subset of Category B — also carries additional duties: notification to the enforcing authority, medical surveillance for workers, and detailed record-keeping. Removing paper-backed asbestos floor tiles is one of the most common examples of NNLW.

Trades that need Category C (licensed work)

Category C licensed asbestos removal work

Most higher-risk asbestos work requires a licensed contractor and competent, appropriately trained workers. Examples include:

  • Removal of asbestos lagging from pipes, boilers, or calorifiers
  • Removal of sprayed coatings (limpet) from structural steel
  • Work on AIB that meets the licensing criteria, considering exposure and the full task rather than duration alone
  • Removal of loose-fill asbestos insulation

Category C training is normally delivered as a multi-day course with practical assessment, not online.

Who arranges the training

The employer. That's the position under Regulation 10, and it doesn't change because the training is online or the workforce is small.

The principle extends to the self-employed: a self-employed worker takes on the employer duty in relation to their own work. A sole-trader plumber working on commercial premises is legally responsible for their own asbestos awareness training, and they should be able to produce evidence of it if asked.

Contractors must coordinate and check the competence of those undertaking the work. A certificate can be part of the evidence, but is not proof of competence by itself; site information, the assessment and appropriate supervision also matter.

How often is refresher training actually required?

This is the most-asked and most-misunderstood question in the topic.

The HSE position, set out clearly on the HSE asbestos training page, is that there is no legal requirement to repeat an entire formal awareness refresher course every 12 months. What Regulation 10 requires is that training is "given at regular intervals" and "adapted to take account of significant changes" in the work. The form the refresher takes — a full course, a toolbox talk, an e-learning module, an in-house briefing by a competent supervisor — is for the employer to decide based on the risk and the workers' needs.

Many training providers issue certificates with a 12-month expiry. That's a provider policy, not a legal requirement. The expiry of a certificate doesn't automatically trigger a need for full retraining; it's a prompt to review whether refresher knowledge is needed.

Plan awareness updates from the actual training needs:

  • Provide suitable initial instruction before a worker undertakes a role liable to disturb asbestos
  • Refresh awareness when needed to maintain knowledge and address changes
  • Repeat or expand training where assessment shows gaps; there is no universal two- or three-year full-course rule
  • Keep records of all training, including refreshers and toolbox updates

HSE recognises e-learning as one possible method of delivering adequate awareness training. Delivery format alone does not establish that the training meets a worker’s needs.

What to look for in an accredited training provider

The legal test is adequate training delivered by a competent provider. HSE does not approve or endorse the providers it links to. Check relevant asbestos experience, syllabus, assessment and any separate employer requirements; examples of organisations and schemes include:

  • UKATA — an asbestos training association; check the specific provider and training level
  • IATP — an asbestos training association; check the provider’s relevant listing and scope
  • BOHS — offers asbestos qualifications for particular professional tasks
  • RoSPA — check the approval claimed for the particular course rather than assuming universal coverage
  • CPD — a course’s CPD status does not by itself prove job-specific asbestos competence
  • CITB — check any applicable construction training or scheme requirements separately

Select a provider with relevant practical experience and theoretical knowledge. Check that the training addresses the actual work. Accreditation or a certificate alone does not establish competence, and awareness training cannot substitute for training to disturb asbestos.

Frequently asked questions

Do I legally need annual refresher training?

HSE says there is no legal requirement to repeat an entire formal awareness course every 12 months. Refresher awareness is needed as necessary. Training for licensed and non-licensed asbestos work has different refresher guidance, including annual updates.

Is online asbestos awareness training valid?

Yes, for Category A. The HSE recognises e-learning as a viable delivery method for asbestos awareness, provided the course meets the requirements of Regulation 10 and the L143 syllabus. For Category B and C, in-person delivery with practical assessment is more common.

Does Category A training qualify me to work with asbestos?

No. Awareness helps you avoid disturbance and identify when to seek advice. Planned asbestos work needs additional job-specific training, competence and controls, and may need a licensed contractor.

Do supervisors and managers need training too?

Yes. Regulation 10 specifically requires training for those who supervise or influence the work of employees who might be exposed to asbestos. A site manager who never touches a tool still needs awareness training if they direct the work of people who do.

Do I need training if I'm self-employed?

Yes. The duty under CAR 2012 applies the obligations of both employer and employee to self-employed workers. A self-employed worker whose work could foreseeably disturb asbestos needs the relevant training.

How long does asbestos awareness training take?

The duration depends on content, delivery and training needs. Regulation 10 does not prescribe a universal course-hour minimum; check that the instruction is adequate for the actual role.

What's the difference between UKATA and IATP?

They are separate asbestos training associations. Check the specific member provider, training scope and employer requirements; an association name alone does not establish that a course is suitable for every job.

Do office workers in an old building need asbestos awareness training?

Generally no. Asbestos awareness training is for workers whose work could foreseeably disturb the fabric of the building. Routine office work — sitting at a desk, walking corridors — doesn't disturb the fabric. The exception is roles like facilities management, caretaking, or estate maintenance, where contact with the building's structure is part of the job.

If you're an employer or supervisor working out the training position for your team, the core legal text is set out in the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, with the duty to manage asbestos on the premises side covered separately in our guide to Regulation 4 and the duty to manage.

For workers and supervisors who need Category A training to meet the Regulation 10 duty, our Asbestos Awareness Course covers the syllabus required under L143 and provides a certificate on completion.

Sources & references

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Mark McShane
Mark McShane
Health & Safety Training Specialist, Online CPD Academy

Mark writes about workplace health & safety, asbestos awareness and accredited online training for Asbestos Awareness Course, part of Online CPD Academy.