With Notifiable Non-Licensed Asbestos Removal (NNLW), employers must meet specific additional requirements. Contractors need to be thoroughly trained and competent and undergo medical surveillance every three years, with records kept for 40 years. 

With the latest HSE regulation introduced in 2012, some non-licensed works have to be carried out with the appropriate controls and require notification to the HSE. NNLW was established to address scenarios where non-licensed materials have an increased risk of fibre release during the removal process. This scenario occurs during removal when the material has become friable or damaged, and its matrix degraded. 

If the material is friable (easily crumbled or reduced to powder), it has a huge probability of releasing asbestos fibres when it is worked on, which poses a great risk for exposure. Any work that could disturb friable materials, such as asbestos pipe insulation, is considered NNLW. On the other hand, works that are likely to disturb the least friable materials, such as asbestos cement, are usually regarded as non-licensed work. 

Bonded in matrix refers to asbestos coated, contained, or covered with another material like plastic, cement, and paint. Materials of these types that are in good condition are considered as non-licensed work. However, in instances where there are significant damage and a massive possibility of fibre release, the work needs to be treated as NNLW. 

The most common type of Notifiable Non-Licensed Work includes large-scale removal work of asbestos textured coating that uses steaming or gelling. It also includes removing damaged or broken asbestos cement products, or in some cases, when the removal is likely to damage the cement sheeting, therefore releasing a significant amount of asbestos fibre-containing dust.