ACS Asbestos Measurement & Testing

ACS Asbestos Measurement & Testing Ltd is a specialist asbestos testing and surveying company operating as part of the ACS Risk Group of Companies, which has been delivering health, safety, and environmental services from Glasgow, Scotland since 1978. With nearly five decades of continuous operation, ACS is among the founding pioneers of professional asbestos risk management in the United Kingdom, having been one of the first organisations in the country to receive accreditation from the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) for asbestos testing and surveying. The company serves a broad client base spanning commercial property owners, housing associations, local authorities, contractors, and insurers across Scotland and the wider UK.

At the core of ACS's offering is a comprehensive suite of asbestos measurement and testing services governed by UKAS accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025, the internationally recognised standard for testing and calibration laboratory competence. All analytical work is conducted in strict accordance with HSE Document HSG248, Asbestos: The Analysts' Guide, which sets out the definitive technical requirements for sampling, fibre counting, analysis, and clearance procedures in the UK. ACS analysts are enrolled in the RICE (Reference Inspection of Collected Elements) and AIMS (Asbestos in Materials Scheme) proficiency schemes, providing independent external verification of analytical accuracy and consistency across the organisation.

ACS conducts four distinct types of asbestos surveys aligned with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012): Management Surveys, which locate and assess the condition of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in occupied premises; Refurbishment Surveys, undertaken before renovation works to identify all ACMs in affected areas; Demolition Surveys, providing a complete and intrusive census of ACMs prior to building demolition; and Re-Inspection Surveys, reassessing previously identified ACMs over time to check for deterioration or damage. Each survey type produces a detailed asbestos register and risk assessment report, enabling duty-holders to implement appropriate management and remediation actions in full compliance with CAR 2012.

Asbestos air monitoring and four-stage clearance certification represent a critical technical specialty for ACS. The company undertakes background and personal air sampling using membrane filter techniques and phase-contrast optical microscopy (PCOM) fibre counting, following the WHO and RICE counting methodology. During and after licensed asbestos removal, ACS provides the independent analytical clearance testing required at Stage 3 of the four-stage clearance procedure, verifying that airborne fibre concentrations have fallen below the clearance indicator of 0.01 fibres per cubic centimetre (f/cm³) before an enclosure is reoccupied. This independent testing role is legally mandated under CAR 2012 Regulations 20 and 21, and ACS's UKAS ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation fulfils this statutory requirement.

Beyond air monitoring, ACS undertakes bulk asbestos material sampling and analysis, characterising fibre type and quantifying asbestos content in suspect building materials, including all six regulated fibre types: chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite. The company also offers full asbestos project management services, encompassing the interpretation of survey findings, scoping and tendering of removal contracts, on-site supervision, and final clearance testing. This end-to-end capability allows clients to engage ACS as a single point of accountability for an entire asbestos remediation programme, from initial identification through to confirmed safe reoccupation.

ACS has developed a nationally recognised Expert Witness and Legal Services practice led by its CEO, Professor Roger Willey, who has provided expert witness opinion in more than 500 asbestos-related illness and death legal cases. This capability positions ACS as a credible technical authority in litigation involving asbestosis, mesothelioma, pleural plaques, and related occupational diseases. The company's expert witness reports and courtroom testimony are used by claimants, defendants, and insurers alike, underpinning its reputation for analytical rigour and objectivity in high-stakes legal proceedings throughout the UK.

Complementing its measurement and testing work, ACS holds UKATA (UK Asbestos Training Association) approved status and delivers a comprehensive programme of face-to-face and online asbestos training courses — including asbestos awareness, non-licensed work, licensed operative categories, and duty-to-manage — from its dedicated ACS Training Suite in Glasgow. For over 30 years the company has provided specialist services to the social housing sector in Scotland in partnership with EVH (Employers in Voluntary Housing), and also delivers contaminated land assessments, fire risk assessments compliant with BSI PAS 79, and broader health and safety management systems. Shortlisted in two categories for the ASCP UK Safety and Compliance Awards, ACS is a credentialed, multi-disciplinary environmental and safety services partner for any organisation requiring rigorous asbestos measurement, regulatory compliance, and authoritative technical support.