Robin to present at the Global Asbestos Forum 2025 — exploring how AI is transforming the asbestos industry

It's time for the next Global Asbestos Forum and asbestos software Alpha Tracker is a sponsor with Robin, Kim & Catherine all attending.  AI will be the theme - and so we asked AI to create the text and images for this post!

Start Software’s CEO Robin will be speaking at the Global Asbestos Forum 2025 in Bergen, Norway, next month.

Robin's hair is this grey - AI got it spot-on

One of the themes this year is Artificial Intelligence, and Robin will be showcasing a number of real-world AI tools we’ve developed alongside asbestos software Alpha Tracker to help asbestos professionals work faster, safer, and smarter.

From automating data capture to intelligent risk assessment and report QC (checking the quality of final asbestos reports), these innovations are already saving analysts and surveyors hours each week — and Robin will be demonstrating them live on stage.

“AI isn’t for tomorrow,” says Robin. “It’s solving everyday problems for asbestos consultants right now — and this session will show exactly how.”

The Global Asbestos Forum is an annual gathering of industry leaders, researchers, and technology innovators from around the world. It’s a brilliant opportunity to connect, learn, and see how the asbestos industry is evolving with the help of new technology.

📅 When: 13 & 14 November 2025
📍 Where: Bergen, Norway
🎟️ Registration: https://www.globalasbestosforum.org/conference/

If you work in asbestos consultancy, compliance, or technology, this is one event you shouldn’t miss.

Alpha Tracker specialists Kim & Catherine will also be at the conference showing some of the new AI features.  Come and find them on the asbestos software Alpha Tracker exhibition stand.

Kim & Catherine? Not sure! But at least it's our stand (it's actually Judy)

Book your place now and see how AI is already reshaping asbestos management for the better.  You'll also get to visit the wonderful Bergen, Norway!

Alpha Tracker at the Global Asbestos Forum, Bergen

Release 41.6 is going down a storm! The release notes and release video are now available

Alpha Tracker Release 41.6 is now reaching client servers and our Alpha Tracker Cloud.  More than 400 improvements have made it into this release, including some important security enhancements and the new Australian risk scoring algorithm.

We've finished the Release Notes document and highlights video, too.

Click to watch the Release 41.6 Highlights video on YouTube

Product Manager Jack's Top 10 Highlights are these:

1. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is introduced in this release, adding an optional extra layer of security by requiring a second step to verify your identity when signing in.  In other words, you'll need your phone as well as your user name & password
   
   
2. As another security feature, individual passwords can be set for MDS and managed from within Alpha Tracker and Alpha Tracker Mobile.  This will increase security for your asbestos surveyors
   
   
3. The Lab Sample Exchange feature is launched, enabling easy sending of sample data to Alpha Tracker labs and returning of analysis results and certificates
   
   
4. AI summaries have been introduced on various screens
   
   
5. The new risk assessment scoring method for the Australian regulations is now available and you can switch it on for individual clients
   
   
6. Changes to milestones allow for the Project Type on a project changing and for No Access to Site not to register as data received in the project
   
   
7. We've made it easier to control permissions for Client Portal logins
   
   
8. There are additional controls managing who can edit diary appointments
   
   
9. It is now even easier to close a batch of projects helping you to keep your database tidy
   
   
10. A new tab on Project Types lets you easily see which qualifications are required for a Project Type if you use the Staff Training Matrix.

Read the Highlights document and Release Notes here: https://alpha-tracker.co.uk/latest-release

You can watch the highlights video on YouTube here or by clicking below:

Our Asbestos Re-inspection webinar is available on YouTube and our website

Our 18th(!) Alpha Tracker webinar is now available to watch on YouTube and our website.

Jack talking about the "push" asbestos re-inspection process

Kim, Robin & Jack explain the recommended ways to undertake asbestos re-inspections in Alpha Tracker. Learn the back-office and site processes involved and the key choice between the office-led "push" method and the surveyor-led "pull" process.

Click the video above or watch at alpha-tracker.co.uk/webinars.

Register to watch our upcoming webinar about risk assessments here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4mflGyntTMaIFbtInEPNbw

Welcome TRAC Associates - our latest Alpha Tracker asbestos consultancy

It's great to have some of the asbestos surveyors from TRAC Associates here today, working with Alpha Tracker Specialist Kim in our training suite.  TRAC are here to learn basics of the Alpha Tracker asbestos software including how to complete asbestos surveys using our site data capture app.

The TRAC asbestos consultants with Kim

TRAC Associates specialises in identifying and managing asbestos risk for commercial and public-sector clients across the UK. With decades of combined experience, their team works confidently across a wide variety of buildings and operational environments — from schools and hospitals to complex redevelopment projects.

They are known for delivering high-quality services under demanding operational conditions and tight commercial timescales, always remaining responsive to their clients' priorities without compromising on safety or quality.

With strong technical competencies, sector-specific qualifications, and deep construction industry experience, TRAC Associates is often engaged from the early design stages of complex projects through to the safe removal of asbestos. Their involvement helps reduce risk and supports informed decision-making at every phase of a redevelopment scheme.

Their services include detailed asbestos surveying, real-time air monitoring, and strategic risk management consultancy — all aimed at helping clients remain compliant, protected, and in control.

Core Services:

• Asbestos Surveying – Accurate identification of asbestos-containing materials.
• Air Monitoring – Ensuring environmental safety during and after asbestos works.
• Risk Management – Strategic support to manage and mitigate asbestos risks across the built environment.

We are delighted to be working with TRAC and supporting their growth through the use of Alpha Tracker.

Free asbestos re-inspection webinar next Wednesday at 12:00 noon

Would you like to know more about how Alpha Tracker can manage your asbestos re-inspections?

Join Kim and team on our free Zoom webinar on Wednesday 16 June at noon.

Join Kim and team for our asbestos re-inspections webinar

We'll be covering:

• different ways you can create a re-inspection in Alpha Tracker
  
  
• how to send data immediately to a surveyor already on site
  
  
• how to mark data to be sent at a future time - so-called "pending" re-inspections
  
  
• how surveyors can manage their own re-inspections, saving you admin time
  
  
• how to (re)send re-inspection items to a handset at any time
  
  
• the Client Portal view of re-inspected data
  
  
• how the Alpha Tracker Mobile app works in conjunction with desktop Alpha Tracker

We'll be taking questions during the webinar, too, so ask anything you want!

Click to register: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hyxOLc2oR8efyXiOmJiyvw

Watch the recordings of all our Alpha Tracker webinars: https://alpha-tracker.co.uk/webinars

Support Desk performance - June 2025

Our Support Desk team in June resolved 761 tickets across all of our software systems.  We helped... 

• asbestos surveyors (Alpha Tracker)
• water hygiene technicians (Alpha Tracker)
• legal advisors and will writers (Alpha Legal/Legacy Portal)
• ecological consultants (ecoScribe)
• CleanUpBritain supporters (RoadVlog)
• and many, many more!

Here's Dan & Lucas helping a caller earlier today:

Dan & Lucas (pretending to answer the phone)

97.4% of callers were happy with their ticket response in June, let's hope that Lucas's caller will be another happy customer when we look at July's statistics!

There's a new Alpha Tracker Mobile app in the app stores

We've been improving performance within Alpha Tracker Mobile.  The most noticeable change is that signing off reports is now much quicker for asbestos surveyors.

Visit https://alpha-tracker.co.uk/alpha-tracker-mobile for more info

Your team will receive the update automatically on their Apple and Android devices.

Robin's interview with Paul King from Flow Mobile Surveying is up on YouTube. Take a look to see how we are joining forces to build the Lab Sample Exchange

If you've got an asbestos lab, watch this YouTube recording of an interview between Flow Mobile's Paul King and our director Robin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4vo4Iv4dfw

Paul King (Flow Mobile Surveying) and Robin Bennett (Alpha Tracker)

The Lab Sample Exchange feature that we have built will be a game-changer for Alpha Tracker labs wanting to work more closely Flow Mobile Surveyors (or Alpha Tracker asbestos surveyors!).

Watch the full video to learn more (especially about grey hairs...!).

Speak to your Alpha Tracker Account Manager to find out more about the Lab Sample Exchange and how it can benefit your asbestos lab and surveying team.

Kim has been delivering Alpha Tracker training sessions and clinics this week. Can we help you, too?

Kim has been on the road this week, delivering advanced Alpha Tracker training to established users, and running a troubleshooting clinic for a new client.

I couldn't find a picture of Kim "in action", so this headshot will have to do!

One of the asbestos consultancy clients had asked to deliver a "gap analysis", to highlight areas of their business where Alpha Tracker could help to reduce admin and increase productivity.  One of Alpha Tracker's strengths is its flexibility, but that's also a challenge as our clients have choices about how much to implement and how to integrate it into their operations.

Kim, Catherine & Judy are all able to help you get the most out of your Alpha Tracker asbestos software.  For example:

• are you still running a separate CRM system (or spreadsheets) alongside Alpha Tracker?
  
  
• do you produce your quotations through Alpha Tracker or are you using another system?
  
  
• are site staff picking up their jobs from their phone calendars, or are you still emailing rotas?
  
  
• do you think you could make your scheduling team more productive through the use of FLS?
  
  
• are you using our latest features aimed at making surveyors more productive?
  
  
• are your asbestos templates perfect - or are you having to make manual amendments to documents?
  
  
• are invoices generated automatically from Alpha Tracker or are you still raising invoices manually in your accounts software?
  
  
• are your clients downloading their asbestos reports from your client portal, or are you still emailing PDFs (or printing and posting!).
  

Get in touch and have a chat.  We'd love to help you.

What a lovely goodbye from a long-standing Alpha Tracker user

One of our Alpha Tracker asbestos consultancies is winding up their surveying business because their lead surveyors are retiring.

We wish our client well in their retirement

We received this lovely email to thank us for our service:

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank the whole team at Start Software for your assistance in setting this system up for us, for fine tuning it to suit our needs and for the excellent support given throughout the 7 years we have been with you – I see our first payment to you was back in May’17!

It’s been a pleasure dealing with you all throughout this time, thank you."

We are truly blessed to have such lovely clients!

Welcome Lancashire County Scientific Services to the Alpha Tracker family!

Another Alpha Tracker asbestos consultancy is live.  This time it is Lancashire County Scientific Services!

Kim has spent the day training the asbestos surveyors and administrators

Lancashire County Scientific Services will be using asbestos software Alpha Tracker to survey buildings across the county for asbestos, analysing samples and producing asbestos reports for their internal and external customers.

Using a variety of handheld devices, asbestos surveyors will be capturing site data, taking photos and updating plans electronically, and then sending this over mobile data or WiFi - all with one click!  Once asbestos samples are analysed, reports will be produced automatically to match the current Lancashire County formats.  All asbestos reports in Alpha Tracker are created from custom templates to ensure that the output is perfect.

Can we help your asbestos consultancy to improve efficiency and the service you provide to your clients?  Get in touch!  We have demo slots available in May, and software trials are also available.  If you are switching from competitor systems, we can also offer healthy discounts during 2024.

Would you like some more training? RPP Asbestos are enjoying some extra training today

Alpha Tracker specialist Kim is at RPP today, delivering some additional asbestos surveyor training.

The asbestos professionals at RPP

Would you like some extra on-site training or support?  Get in touch!  We love to travel to see Alpha Tracker in action.

Release 38.5 of Alpha Tracker & the new Alpha Tracker Mobile are now available

We've just published two updates - Alpha Tracker Release 38.5 and an updated Alpha Tracker Mobile!

With 400+ improvements, you should really notice the difference. 

Here is the video to show you the changes:

Look out for better performance in the client portal and the ability for surveyors to choose their own data to reinspect - even from site!

You can upgrade by yourself or contact the support desk (UK or NZ/Aus) for help.

There's a new Alpha Tracker Mobile in the app stores

Jack has published an updated Alpha Tracker Mobile in the app stores so it's time to download and try the new features!

Download the latest Alpha Tracker Mobile

One of the most important new features is the ability for surveyors to choose the data they want to reinspect when on site.  The admin staff no longer need to "push" the data to a handset for reinspection, the surveyor can "pull" it instead (even allowing them to make their own selections from the available data).

Find Alpha Tracker Mobile for Android phones & tablets here, or Apple here.

Release 38 of Alpha Tracker - our biggest update *ever* - is rolling out to customers this week

We've finally wrapped up Alpha Tracker Release 38, our biggest update to asbestos software Alpha Tracker, ever!

You'll immediately notice that it is much faster to sign in compared to previous versions, and you'll notice that it looks cleaner and easier to navigate. 

It might take you a few moments to notice the "stars" on the menu items - these allow you to build your own personalised favourites bar at the top of the screen - a huge time-saver!

Click the "stars" on your favourite items to build your own menu bar 

Another amazing new feature is our map scheduling screen which is perfect for busy consultancies working with domestic surveys, in particular.

Our new Map Scheduling screen will even produce an optimised driving route for your surveyors!

 

Some of the other new features include:

• a completely rewritten Wallboard for income forecasting, see https://blog.start-software.com/2022/06/our-new-wallboard-will-be-available-in.html
  
  
• a new chain of custody feature for sample tracking using barcoded sample labels, see https://blog.start-software.com/2022/06/new-chain-of-custody-features-now-in.html
  
  
• faster quote production so that documents are produced in real-time with selectable templates and Ts&Cs 
  
  
• an improved invoice workflow, especially helpful to larger clients wanting to link to Xero and other online accounts packages
  
  
• new options for system deployment including IIS (for larger clients wanting better performance or integration with other Windows systems and networks, including single sign-on).

Watch out for our Release 38 video and the new release notes document, both coming next week.

New "chain of custody" features now in development for the July Alpha Tracker update

Tracking asbestos samples as they move from surveyor to lab reception, through the lab and then on to storage or disposal is an important aspect of any professional asbestos operation.

Our asbestos lab features (https://alpha-tracker.co.uk/3-improve-the-lab/) are tried-and-tested but have been lacking in this respect.

We're building new features into the summer (UK)/winter (Aus/NZ) 2022 Alpha Tracker update, Release 38, to really improve our lab features and make them best-in-class.  We expect to make this available in July.

Watch Judy show how to use our new "previous locations" and "previous samples" dropdowns in Tracker Mobile

Our asbestos data collection app Tracker Mobile can now show the surveyor all locations at a site that have already been surveyed, along with all previously-taken samples.  We posted a blog here about this long-anticipated new feature.

The surveyor can use this information as a time-saver and memory-aid - even pulling through useful information to a new room or cross-referenced sample.

Watch this introduction from Judy to see how to make the most of the new feature which available to all asbestos consultancies using Alpha Tracker.  You can watch the video, above, or click here: https://youtu.be/SanTmA6tnHE

New "template" feature coming soon to Alpha Draw

Thanks for all of the feedback following the release of our updated Alpha Draw site plan app which accompanies asbestos software Alpha Tracker.

Alpha Draw "template" option is coming next

One of the features requested is a "template" feature whereby a drawing can be saved by a surveyor as a blueprint for use in subsequent surveys.  We're adding that feature in now and expect it to be ready within a fortnight.

Is there anything else you'd like to see?  Get in touch!

Major Alpha Draw update now live - automatically colour-code sample tags, import drawings, new arrow tools, and more

Alpha Draw is Alpha Tracker's companion site plan drawing app.  We've been working hard the last month or two and a major update is now live on the web and on the Google and Apple app stores.

Some of the improvements on show in Alpha Draw

Here are some of the improvements you'll see:

• there are now 48 new arrows to use on drawings
  
  
• you can attach text to an arrow to highlight the issue being identified
  
  
• the surveyor can manually code-code sample tags as they are placed on the plan, and/or...
  
  
• ..admin staff can click one button to automatically colour-code sample tags based on the lab analysis
  
  
• any plan already saved in the Alpha Tracker project folder (for example, one provided by the client) can be used by the surveyor on-site.

You'll find the updated manual here: https://www.start-software.com/app/download/5815863577/Alpha+Draw+User+Guide+v1-1.pdf

Click to download the updated manual

This update is already live for all users of Alpha Draw - enjoy!

View previously taken samples! A new drop-down is available in Tracker Mobile

Another update to Tracker Mobile is available.  This is another really useful and important update, following on the heels of the "search" update we blogged about here.

An overdue update! View previously taken samples (and rooms) while surveying

We can now add drop-downs to Tracker Mobile forms to show previously used samples for information (or for use in cross-references/visually similar asbestos samples) and previously recorded rooms, too.  

This was possible before, of course, but only by saving the form the surveyor was working in and returning to the list of samples already taken - now it can be seen whilst the surveyor is recording the new item.  Much easier, much faster, and much more likely to ensure quality data is recorded!

If you would like the update, please contact our UK or Aus/NZ support desks and they will be able to update your Alpha Tracker system.