Asbestos Removal PPE: What You Need for Licensed, NNLW and Non-Licensed Work
Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012), work with asbestos falls into three categories: licensable work, notifiable non-licensed work (NNLW) and non-licensed work. Each carries different legal duties, and each needs the right respiratory protection and protective clothing.
If you are a demolition or refurbishment contractor, a builder, or a facilities team, this page explains the difference between the categories and shows the asbestos PPE we stock. When in doubt, always start with an asbestos survey and a written risk assessment before any work begins.
The three categories of asbestos work
Licensed work
Sprayed coatings (limpet asbestos), pipe lagging, loose fill insulation, asbestos millboard, and work on asbestos insulating board (AIB) that is not short duration. This work must be done by an HSE-licensed contractor. The ASB5 notification must reach the enforcing authority at least 14 days before work starts. It is an offence to carry out licensable work without a licence.
NNLW (notifiable non-licensed work)
Non-licensable jobs that still carry higher risk: removing asbestos cement sheets that are damaged or must be broken up, large-scale removal of textured coatings (Artex) by steaming or gelling, and short-duration AIB removal in refurbishment. No licence is needed, but you must notify the enforcing authority online before work starts, designate and sign the area, arrange medicals every 3 years and keep health records for 40 years.
Non-licensed work
Lower-risk tasks such as carefully removing intact asbestos cement sheets without breaking them, maintenance on floor tiles, bitumen roof felt and gaskets, and small-scale textured coating removal using dust-reducing methods. Controls still apply: damp the material, use the right RPE and disposable coveralls, and clean up and bag waste properly.
Which category is your job?
Work out the answer before you start, as part of your risk assessment. The deciding factors are:
- Material type. Sprayed coatings, pipe lagging, loose fill and AIB point to licensable work. Asbestos cement, floor tiles, textured coatings and bitumen usually do not.
- Friability. The easier a material crumbles to powder, the more likely fibres are released. Friable materials push the work into NNLW at least.
- Condition. Damage from fire, flood or age can move a normally non-licensed material into NNLW.
- Duration. Work on AIB or insulation that takes more than 1 hour per person, or 2 hours total in 7 days, is licensable.
If the material is unidentified, treat it as asbestos until a sample has been analysed. The HSE publishes free guidance on deciding whether work is licensable, and a full Asbestos Essentials toolkit for non-licensed work.
PPE and RPE for asbestos work
The basics apply to every category: dampen the material before disturbing it, wear the right protection, and decontaminate before leaving the area.
- Respiratory protection (RPE). FFP3 disposable respirators (EN 149, protection factor 20) are the minimum for most asbestos work. For longer or higher-exposure jobs use a half mask with P3 filters; licensed-scale work typically needs full face or powered protection. All RPE must be face-fit tested for each wearer.
- Protective clothing. Type 5 disposable coveralls with a hood (EN ISO 13982-1). Type 5/6 microporous suits are the standard choice for asbestos removal.
- Gloves and overshoes. Disposable nitrile gloves and boot covers or overshoes stop fibres travelling on skin and clothing.
- Waste bags. Asbestos waste must be double bagged in labelled asbestos waste bags, dampened, and disposed of through a licensed waste carrier.
Asbestos PPE from Colbrook
Everything below is in stock and available to order online, with next-day delivery options across the UK.
Need a full kit for your crew? Call 01236 755544 or request a quote and we will price a bundle for you.
Decontamination and waste
Get the sequence right. Remove overshoes and gloves first, then the coverall, turning it inside out as it comes off. RPE comes off last, outside the work area. Bag contaminated clothing and PPE as asbestos waste, never take it home, and never wash it with ordinary laundry.
Asbestos waste needs double bagging in clearly labelled asbestos waste bags. Keep the bags damp, seal them, and arrange collection by a licensed waste carrier. You should also keep a record of what was removed, from where, and when, and log any NNLW on your health register.
FAQs
Only for licensable work: sprayed coatings, pipe lagging, loose fill insulation, asbestos millboard, and AIB work that is not short duration. Everything else is non-licensed work with controls, and NNLW adds notification and medical duties.
NNLW is notifiable non-licensed work: non-licensable jobs such as removing damaged asbestos cement or stripping textured coatings on a large scale. You notify the enforcing authority through the HSE online notification form before work starts. There is no minimum notice period and you do not wait for permission; the form gives you a PDF copy to keep.
FFP3 (EN 149, protection factor 20) is the minimum for most asbestos work. For longer exposure use a half mask with P3 filters, and for licensed-scale work a full face mask or powered respirator. Every wearer must be face-fit tested, and we sell 3M fit test kits.
Yes. Workers doing NNLW need a chest examination and lung function test before starting, then at least every 3 years. The examination is done by a licensed medical practitioner at the employer's expense, and the certificate must be kept for 4 years.
Yes. FFP3 respirators, half masks and P3 filters, full face masks, Type 5 disposable coveralls, nitrile gloves, overshoes and labelled asbestos waste bags are all in our shop. Call 01236 755544 for bundle pricing for your crew.
Not sure which category applies to your job?
Talk it through with us, or read the full guide on the Colbrook blog.
Request a quote Call 01236 755544Related: Asbestos removal: licensed work vs NNLW explained and the full PPE range.
