Logistics & Storage
Identifying and managing asbestos in warehouses, distribution centres, and storage facilities.
Types of Facilities
Warehouses
Large-scale warehousing facilities built before asbestos bans frequently contain ACMs in corrugated roofing sheets, wall cladding, insulation boards, and fire-resistant partitions, posing risks during reconfiguration or demolition works.
Logistics Centres
Modern logistics hubs often occupy repurposed industrial buildings where asbestos may be present in structural insulation, loading dock fire stops, conveyor system housings, and legacy electrical installations.
Dry Ports
Inland container terminals and dry port facilities constructed in the mid-20th century commonly used asbestos cement panels for office buildings, workshops, and customs processing areas, requiring surveys before any expansion or refurbishment.
Distribution Centres
High-throughput distribution centres often feature asbestos in roof sheets, thermal insulation for temperature-controlled zones, fire doors, and mechanical system lagging, especially in facilities dating from the 1960s to 1990s.
Silos & Grain Storage
Agricultural and industrial silos may contain asbestos in cement cladding, thermal insulation linings, gasket materials, and associated processing buildings, with particular risks during cleaning, repair, or decommissioning operations.
The Challenge
The logistics and storage sector operates within a vast built environment of warehouses, distribution hubs, and storage facilities, many of which were constructed during the peak decades of asbestos use. Corrugated asbestos cement roofing sheets were the material of choice for covering large-span industrial buildings due to their low cost, fire resistance, and durability. As these sheets age and weather, they become increasingly friable, releasing fibres during storms, maintenance activities, or routine operations such as roof-mounted equipment servicing.
Cold storage and temperature-controlled warehousing present particular challenges. Asbestos was extensively used as thermal insulation in refrigeration plant rooms, cold store wall panels, and pipe lagging for cooling systems. Loading bays and dock levellers in older facilities often incorporate asbestos-containing fire stops and insulation boards. As the logistics industry undergoes rapid modernisation and facility upgrades to accommodate e-commerce growth, the risk of disturbing these hidden ACMs during renovation projects is substantial.
Operators and facility managers must recognise that asbestos in logistics environments affects not only construction and maintenance workers but also the daily workforce operating within these buildings. Vibration from heavy goods vehicles, forklift operations, and mechanical handling equipment can disturb deteriorating ACMs in overhead roofing and wall panels, creating ongoing low-level exposure risks that require proactive management strategies.
Regulation in your country
In United States, asbestos was banned in 2024. Buildings constructed before 2024 may contain asbestos materials and require professional assessment before any renovation work.
View full regulation detailsCommon Asbestos-Containing Materials in Logistics & Storage
Warehouses, distribution centres, and storage facilities constructed before asbestos bans may contain it in the following locations and materials:
- Corrugated asbestos cement roofing sheets and roof ridge caps
- Wall cladding panels and exterior cement board facades
- Thermal insulation in cold storage rooms and refrigeration systems
- Fire-resistant partition boards and loading bay fire stops
- Pipe lagging and duct insulation in heating and cooling systems
- Insulating boards behind electrical switchgear and distribution panels
- Gaskets and seals in ventilation plant and air handling units
- Floor tiles and adhesive in office areas within warehouse complexes
- Soffit panels and fascia boards on canopy structures over loading docks
Services You Need
If you own or manage a logistics or storage facility that may contain asbestos, the following professional services are relevant:
Key Regulations
United Kingdom: The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 places a duty to manage asbestos on the duty holder of all non-domestic premises, including warehouses and logistics facilities. A management survey must be in place, and a refurbishment and demolition survey is required before any upgrade works. Licensed contractors must carry out removal of high-risk ACMs such as insulation and lagging.
European Union: Directive 2009/148/EC sets minimum requirements for worker protection during asbestos exposure. Individual member states transpose this into national law with varying requirements for building surveys, worker medical surveillance, and waste disposal procedures applicable to commercial and industrial properties.
United States: OSHA standards 29 CFR 1926.1101 (construction) and 29 CFR 1910.1001 (general industry) regulate asbestos exposure in logistics and storage facilities. EPA NESHAP regulations govern demolition and renovation activities, requiring thorough inspections and proper notification before any work that may disturb ACMs.
Australia: The Work Health and Safety Regulations require an asbestos register and management plan for all commercial and industrial workplaces. Safe Work Australia codes of practice mandate identification, risk assessment, and control measures. Each state regulator oversees licensing of removal contractors and disposal at approved facilities.
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