ABICS Closure Q and A

13/10/2010 : go back

1. What will happen to the individuals who are in the process of applying for ABICS?

ABICS has a three stage application process with fees payable at the start of each stage. Anyone who is in the process of applying for ABICS will be reimbursed all staged application fees paid to date in full. BOHS will contact all applicants directly and endeavour to reimburse these fees within four weeks of the date of this formal contact.

2. Will those individuals who have already achieved ABICS certification be able to continue to use the certification commercially as a demonstration of competence, and for how long?

All ABICS certified individuals may continue to cite their certification as evidence of competence at the time of issue, and BOHS will provide confirmation of ABICS attainment, where requested. However, as the Scheme has closed and is not being maintained, it will no longer hold UKAS accreditation and individuals will not be monitored and therefore, unfortunately, confirmation of ABICS attainment cannot and will not imply that it is a current certification.

3. Will those who have already achieved ABICS certification be eligible for any reimbursement of fees paid?

Yes. All individuals who have already achieved ABICS certification will be reimbursed their application fees in full. As with candidates who are currently in the process of applying, BOHS will contact them individually and endeavour to reimburse the fees within four weeks of the date of this formal contact.

4. How can individual surveyors who don’t work for UKAS accredited organisations now demonstrate competence, as recommended in HSE’s guidance HSG 264: Asbestos, the Survey Guide?

Unfortunately, following the closure of ABICS, there are no personal certification schemes now available, therefore individual surveyors can only demonstrate their competence through attainment of the basic asbestos surveying qualification, P402 ‘Buildings Surveys and Bulk Sampling for Asbestos’, demonstration of refresher training, and presentation of a CV which establishes length of experience and provides testimonials/references. BOHS reiterates that HSE guidance only recognises P402 as a basic minimum requirement for asbestos surveyors; it does not, on its own, demonstrate competence or experience.

5. Who made the decision to close ABICS?

Whilst ABICS has always been run by an independent Management Committee, comprising representatives from across the industry, it was originally set up by BIOH, which merged with BOHS in January 2003 and became the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene, a part of BOHS. ABICS has been funded in full by BIOH/BOHS from the start. It was therefore the trustees (the Council) of BOHS who took the difficult decision to close ABICS, based on an assessment of its viability.

6. When and why was the decision made to close ABICS? It has become clear that, despite the support of the Health and Safety Executive [HSE], the cooperation with UKAS, and the high level of initial interest from individual surveyors that ABICS has always generated, a voluntary certification scheme is not viable in the extremely competitive environment of asbestos surveying. Without a mandatory requirement built into legislation, the clear need for personal certification which was behind the scheme in the first place (and which BOHS continues to believe remains valid), has simply not translated into an adequate demand in the form of actual applications from surveyors or specifications from dutyholders to make it either workable or financially viable. This decision was finally taken on 4 October 2010.

7. Who can I contact for further information?

If you are a surveyor in the process of applying, or have already been awarded ABICS certification, we will contact you directly. However, if you have an immediate query which you don’t feel has been answered here, please contact Charlotte Collis, ABICS Administrator, charlotte.collis@bohs.org, 01332 250710.