Asbestos Removal
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral and was used extensively in Australia during the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's. The most popular forms of asbestos are:
- Insulation material such as pipe lagging
- Asbestos-cement fibro products
- Building insulation materials
- Sprayed-on fire-proofing and decorative material
One of the most commonly used building products in Australia from the 1940’s until late 1992 was fibro (fiber cement sheeting) an asbestos containing material (ACM). Fibro was used extensively for wall cladding and sheeting, ceilings, fencing and roofing material - commonly known as super six.
By the late 1950's, it became virtually standard practice for all large multi-storey buildings and many hospitals and schools to have asbestos sprayed on their steel girders for fireproofing. As a result many workers and even children in schools can be at risk from exposure to asbestos
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| Boiler lagging | Pipe Lagging |
DANGERS OF ASBESTOS
Asbestos is a category 1 carcinogen and presents an unacceptable level of health risk.
Asbestos is a hazardous material that poses risk to health by inhalation if the asbestos fibers become airborne and are inhaled. Asbestos fibers are made up of many very fine fibers, but the most dangerous ones are those naked to the visible eye, but which penetrate the deepest part of the lungs
There are three main types of asbestos:
- Crocidolite-blue asbestos
- Amosite-brown asbestos
- Chrysotile-white asbestos
Exposure to asbestos fibers is known to cause Mesothelioma - a deadly disease caused by inhaling the particles of dust as the asbestos degrades; eating away at the lining of your lungs and developing into a deadly cancer. It is known to cause diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, pleural plaques and pleural thickening
Asbestos should never be sawn, smashed, drilled, broken up, ground, filed or dumped in an area that is not certified.
LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES of OWNER/CONTROLLER of PREMISES
In the current environment, the presence of asbestos on site is becoming an increasing situation for property owners and property management. As the manager/owner of properties you have certain responsibilities with regard to safety on your premises - and this includes asbestos.
Per WorkCover: "Any asbestos cement product - such as roof sheeting which has been subjected to weathering, severely damaged by hail, heat/fire, other mechanical action or illegal water blasting is a friable asbestos product and an Asbestos Removal Contractor with an AS1 license is required for its removal".
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| Weathered Friable Asbestos Roof Sheeting | Asbestos wall cladding |
Who is classified as the controller of the premises?
As per the Code of Practice for the Management and Control of Asbestos in Workplaces [NOHSC:2018(2005)], the "person with control" may be:
- The owner of the premises
- A person who has under any contract or lease an obligation to maintain or repair the premises
- A person who is occupying the premises
- A person who is able to make decisions about work undertaken at the premises
- An employer at the premises
Persons with control of premises have a duty of care to:
- Develop, implement and maintain an asbestos management plan
- Investigate the premises for the presence or possible presence of asbestos containing material
- Develop and maintain a register of the identified or presumed asbestos containing material, including details on their locations, accessibility, condition, risk assessments and control measures.
- Develop measures to remove the asbestos containing materials or otherwise to minimize the risks and prevent exposure to asbestos
- Ensure the control measures are implemented as soon as possible and are maintained as long as the asbestos containing materials remain in the workplace