Making your school safer

Yes. Accurate Consulting holds accreditation under two categories on the Ministry of Education Accredited List of Suppliers: Asbestos Consultants and IANZ Accredited Laboratories. This means we are authorised to provide schools with the full independent service, from initial survey and testing through to air monitoring, management plans, and clearance certification. You can verify our current status at any time by downloading the latest list from the Ministry of Education website.

Yes. New Zealand schools are now required to use suppliers from the MoE Accredited List for any asbestos-related work. This covers consultants, testing laboratories, and removal contractors. If you are unsure about any supplier you currently use, check the latest list directly on the MoE website or contact asbestos.management@education.govt.nz.

Under our MoE accreditation as both an Asbestos Consultant and an IANZ Accredited Laboratory, we provide schools with asbestos surveys, on-site testing and air monitoring, laboratory sample analysis, asbestos registers and management plans, independent oversight of removal projects, and clearance certificates. We also offer staff awareness training for school boards and property teams. We do not carry out physical removal. That sits with your licensed removal contractor, but we manage the full assessment and oversight process from first survey through to final clearance.

No. Accurate Consulting does not carry out asbestos removal. We are accredited under the Asbestos Consultants and IANZ Accredited Laboratories categories, which covers assessment, testing, and oversight. Physical removal must be carried out by a licensed removal contractor holding their own MoE accreditation. By law, the LAA issuing a clearance certificate must be financially independent from the removal contractor. That is exactly how we work.

These are three distinct roles and it helps to understand each one. An asbestos surveyor inspects buildings to identify and document asbestos-containing materials before any work begins. This is a separate phase that happens before removal is ever considered. A Licensed Asbestos Assessor (LAA) is an independent party contracted on behalf of the school to oversee removal works, conduct air monitoring, and issue the clearance certificate confirming the site is safe. The LAA must be financially independent from the removal contractor. A removal contractor carries out the physical work of removing or encapsulating asbestos. Accurate Consulting staff are qualified to act as both surveyors and Licensed Asbestos Assessors, but never as the removal contractor.

From 1 April 2026, all Licensed Asbestos Assessors working on Ministry of Education sites must hold a Class A licence, regardless of whether the asbestos being removed is Class A or Class B. This is a higher standard than applies to non-school sites. Members of Accurate Consulting team hold Class A LAA licences, which is one of the requirements for our inclusion on the MoE Accredited List.

The full list is published by the Ministry of Education and updated every six weeks as new suppliers are reviewed and confirmed. Because the list changes regularly, schools should always download the latest version directly from the MoE rather than relying on older copies. To verify a specific supplier’s current status or make enquiries about the scheme, contact the MoE at asbestos.management@education.govt.nz.

Before any construction, refurbishment, or demolition work, schools must have an asbestos refurbishment or demolition survey completed by a licensed asbestos surveyor. This is a distinct phase that happens before any removal contractor is engaged. It applies even to routine maintenance. The survey identifies asbestos-containing materials in the areas where work will take place and the results must be shared with all contractors before they begin. Accurate Consulting carries out refurbishment and demolition surveys and can turn these around quickly to avoid delays to planned works.

A management survey is carried out on buildings in normal day-to-day use. It identifies asbestos-containing materials that could be disturbed during routine activities and forms the basis of the school’s asbestos register and management plan. A refurbishment or demolition survey is more intrusive and is required before any building work begins, including routine maintenance. It identifies all asbestos-containing materials in the areas affected by the planned work. Schools need both over time: the management survey to maintain ongoing records, and the refurbishment or demolition survey before any project proceeds.

Friable asbestos can be crumbled or reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry. It is more likely to release airborne fibres and poses a greater health risk, requiring more stringent removal controls. This is classified as Class A removal. Non-friable asbestos is bound in a solid matrix, such as asbestos cement sheeting, and is less likely to release fibres when handled carefully. This is classified as Class B removal. Both types require a licensed removalist and an independent Licensed Asbestos Assessor for air monitoring and clearance.

Yes. Before any asbestos removal work begins at a school, the licensed removalist is required under the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016 to prepare an Asbestos Removal Control Plan (ARCP). This document sets out how the removal will be carried out, including the method of removal, decontamination procedures, waste disposal arrangements, PPE requirements, emergency planning, air monitoring, and site clearance. Schools should submit the ARCP along with a completed MoE checklist to the Ministry’s Health and Safety team for review before work commences. Accurate Consulting can help you understand what the plan should cover and review it on your behalf.

Yes. The licensed asbestos removalist is required to notify WorkSafe at least five working days before any asbestos removal work begins. This is a legal requirement under the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016 and applies regardless of the size or type of removal. Schools should confirm that their removalist has submitted this notification before work starts.

Generally, no. The MoE’s requirements state that asbestos removal should not be carried out during school hours. If there is a specific rationale for doing so, this must be documented in the Asbestos Removal Control Plan and approved accordingly. Higher-risk Class A removal involving friable asbestos is always scheduled outside school hours, typically during holidays or weekends. Accurate Consulting can advise on what is appropriate for each project as part of our independent oversight role.

Air monitoring is required for all asbestos removal works in a school, regardless of the class, size, or type of removal. Monitors must run before, during, and after the removal work. The air monitoring must be carried out by a Licensed Asbestos Assessor who is financially independent from the removal contractor. From 1 April 2026, that LAA must also hold a Class A licence for all MoE sites. Accurate Consulting provides independent air monitoring as part of our standard school removal oversight service.

As the party legally responsible for health and safety at the school, the board and principal are responsible for communicating asbestos removal to everyone who may be affected. This includes staff, students through their parents and whanau, regular visitors such as cleaners and tradespeople, and any third-party occupiers using the site. The MoE also requires that neighbours within the school’s immediate vicinity are notified before works commence. If you need help with community communications, your MoE Property Advisor can assign a Communications Advisor to assist you.

No one can return to the affected area until a clearance certificate has been issued by an independent Licensed Asbestos Assessor. The LAA carries out a visual inspection and air monitoring following removal to confirm the area is safe to reoccupy. Accurate Consulting issues clearance certificates as part of our independent oversight role, and we work to clear sites as efficiently as possible once removal is complete.

In the event of asbestos contamination, all soft items such as carpets and curtains that can retain fibres must be destroyed as contaminated waste. They cannot be cleaned and reused. Hard surface items with easily wipeable surfaces, such as chairs and tables, may potentially be decontaminated and cleared for reuse, but only once an independent Licensed Asbestos Assessor has confirmed they are safe. Accurate Consulting can advise on the appropriate response to contamination events and manage the clearance process.

No. High-pressure water blasting must never be used on asbestos-containing materials. It can disturb asbestos fibres and spread them through the environment, creating a serious health risk. Under the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016, using high-pressure water spray or compressed air on asbestos-containing materials can result in infringement fines of up to $9,000, or fines of up to $30,000 on conviction. The MoE recommends using a soft brush with water instead. If in doubt, contact Accurate Consulting before undertaking any cleaning work on surfaces that may contain asbestos.

Yes. Drilling and cutting into asbestos-containing materials must be avoided wherever possible. You should not drill holes through eaves, flues, or vents, and never cut into asbestos cement sheeting. If an occasional hole is unavoidable, mask the area with tape, use a non-powered drill, and wear appropriate PPE. For any significant work, engage a licensed removalist to remove the affected sheet and replace it with a non-asbestos material. Always check your school’s asbestos register before any maintenance work to confirm whether materials in the work area are known or presumed to contain asbestos.

Transparency is the most effective approach. Being able to show that your school is using MoE accredited suppliers, that independent air monitoring is in place, and that clearance certificates have been issued by a Licensed Asbestos Assessor with no connection to the removal contractor gives parents and boards something concrete to point to. Accurate Consulting can help you prepare plain-language summaries alongside the technical documentation: something suitable for a board meeting and something suitable for a school newsletter, so your community understands what is being done and why it is safe.

The cost of managing or removing asbestos safely is treated as part of the project costs. If asbestos removal causes a significant budget overrun on a planned project, assistance may be available through the MoE and schools should speak to their Property Advisor. Accurate Consulting can help scope removal works accurately upfront so costs are understood before the project begins, reducing the risk of unexpected budget pressure.