Asbestos

A non-friable asbestos removal licence is required to remove more than 10sqm of non-friable asbestos.

A friable asbestos removal licence is required to remove any amount of friable asbestos.

SafeWork NSW recommends that you contact a licensed asbestos professional to assess or remove any amount of asbestos.

Descriptions of various asbestos professionals

Competent person

A competent person is someone who has acquired through training or experience the knowledge and skills of relevant asbestos removal industry practice and holds the following:

• a certification in relation to the specified VET course for asbestos assessor work, or
• a tertiary qualification in occupational health and safety, occupational hygiene, science, building, construction or environmental health

Asbestos assessor

Asbestos assessor licenses are required to provide air monitoring and clearance certificates in relation to friable asbestos removal work.

Clearance certificates must be issued by independent asbestos assessors for all friable asbestos removal work before a site can be reoccupied.

For non-friable asbestos removal work, clearance certificates may be issued by either a competent person or an asbestos assessor.

Asbestos removal supervisor

For licensed asbestos removal work, there must be a nominated supervisor present whenever Class A (friable asbestos) removal work is carried out. A nominated supervisor must be present or readily available to attend the site when Class B (non-friable asbestos) removal work is being carried out.

What does it mean to be independent when issuing a clearance certificate?

A clearance inspection is required at the completion of all licensed asbestos removal work, prior to reoccupation.

They can only be undertaken by a person who is independent of the asbestos removal work and who has acquired the relevant training or experience to undertake the work.

Persons undertaking asbestos clearance inspections MUST ensure they are independent of the asbestos removal work which means:

• they did not undertake the work, and,
• they are not involved in the business or undertaking that carried out the work.

If there is potential for a perceived conflict of interest you should consider that they are not independent.  For example if the person is a relative, friend or there is an ongoing working relationship then this would not be deemed independent.

Types of asbestos

Friable asbestos

Friable asbestos is asbestos in a powder form or that can be crumbled, pulverised or reduced to a powder by hand pressure when dry.

Non-friable asbestos

Non-friable asbestos is material containing asbestos fibres reinforced with a bonding compound. It is also known as bonded asbestos and can be found in products such as asbestos cement sheeting commonly used in building materials between 1940’s to the late 1980’s.

Common locations of asbestos

If you’re renovating or working on a home or building built before the late 1980s, it may contain asbestos.

Asbestos materials were commonly used in flooring, kitchens, bathrooms, as well as roofs, ceilings, walls and more. There is no known safe minimum level of exposure.

Use the asbestos finder to see what products might contain asbestos and where they are commonly located.

If you think it’s asbestos, treat it like it is and call a licensed asbestos professional to help you assess it and remove it.

Asbestos sampling and testing

The only way to be certain that something contains asbestos is to have a sample tested in a laboratory. Treat all suspected asbestos as asbestos until test results confirm otherwise.

All asbestos testing should be done by a National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accredited facility. NATA accreditation is formal recognition that the facility produces reliable technical results.

A list of NATA accredited facilities is available on the NATA website.

It is strongly recommended that you use a licensed professional to collect samples of suspected asbestos for testing.

Asbestos registers and asbestos management plans

Asbestos register

If your workplace was built before 31 December 2003 or if asbestos has been identified at the workplace, you must keep a register that outlines:

• when the asbestos was found
• where it is located
• what type of asbestos it is
• what condition it is in.

You must also:

• make the register available to anyone likely to be exposed to asbestos,
• keep it up to date
• pass it on to anyone who takes over management or control of the workplace.

Asbestos management plan

If asbestos has been identified at your workplace, you must prepare and maintain an asbestos management plan, regardless if the asbestos is naturally occurring or manufactured.

Your plan must include:

• reference (or a link) to the asbestos register, and signage and labelling
• safe work procedures and control measures
• incident and emergency procedures
• consultation arrangements, responsibilities and training details of workers undertaking asbestos removal or asbestos related work.

You must review the plan at least every five years or when:

• requested by a health and safety representative (HSR)
• asbestos is removed, disturbed, sealed or enclosed.

The plan must be available to anyone involved in work at the workplace.

Asbestos in its natural form can be blue (crocidolite), brown (amosite), green (anthophyllite tremolite and actinolite) or white (chrysotile, tremolite and actinolite). Known as Naturally Occurring Asbestos or NOA, it’s found in some rocks, sediments and in soils in various regions of NSW and is not easily identified.

If covered and left undisturbed, NOA is not considered dangerous. However, if disturbed and microscopic fibres become airborne or settle on clothing or equipment and can be inhaled, NOA can cause incurable diseases including malignant mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis.

Less than one percent of land in NSW is believed to contain NOA within 10 metres of the ground’s surface. NOA veins are scattered around the state, mostly west of the Great Dividing Range.

Map of where NOA is located in NSW

Only testing by a National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) accredited laboratory, of a sample collected by a competent person, can confirm the presence of asbestos in any workplace including in building materials or in its natural forms in the environment.

Any work or activities that could disturb affected earth, rocks, and soils creates a potential risk. This is because disturbing NOA can release asbestos fibres into the air, which could be inhaled or contaminate clothing and equipment.

A suite of guidance material has been developed to assist those in areas where NOA may be present – see links below

• Asbestos Management Plan Guide
• NOA Fact Sheets

James Hardie Legacy Sites

The Environment Protection Authority is working with the City of Parramatta Council and other state government authorities including SafeWork NSW, to re-assess the risk of contamination at properties around the Parramatta local government area where James Hardie may have disposed of asbestos waste materials.

For more information see James Hardie asbestos waste contamination on the NSW EPA website

Loose-fill asbestos

Loose-fill asbestos was sold as ceiling insulation In the 1960s and 1970s by a company trading as Mr Fluffy.

While most properties impacted were located in the ACT, some properties in NSW were identified as containing this type of insulation.

In December 2014, the NSW Government offered a package for affected home-owners in response to the issue of loose-fill asbestos insulation in NSW homes.

For more information see Loose Fill Asbestos Insulation on the Fair Trading website

Less than 10sqm of asbestos removal

Asbestos awareness training must be provided to workers who are who are carrying out asbestos removal work of less than 10m2 and/or workers who are at risk of being exposed to asbestos while on the job i.e. electricians, plumbers, bathroom and kitchen renovators

The training must be relevant to the task and must cover:

• asbestos identification
• safe handling of asbestos
• suitable control measures

Greater than 10sqm of asbestos removal or friable asbestos removal

To remove more than 10sqm of non-friable asbestos or any amount of friable asbestos workers must complete the specified VET course before carrying out asbestos work.

If you're a worker who supervises asbestos removal, there is additional training you also need to do.

See Training below for more information.

The PPE you will need prior to commencing asbestos removal is listed below and should be worn in this order:

1. Disposable asbestos coveralls rated type 5, category 3 (allow one or two sizes larger for ease of fit)
2. Steel – capped rubber-soled work shoes or gumboots with no laces or
3. Disposable overshoes that have an anti-slip sole for placement over work shoes
4. Single use disposable nitrile or latex gloves (nitrile is preferred as they are stronger)
5. Face Mask
   • Non- Friable asbestos work - P2 class, negative pressure respirator
   • Friable asbestos work – P3 class, full face respirator
6. Protective eye-wear (if not wearing a full face mask)

You must get fit tested to ensure your mask fits correctly with proper seals to prevent exposure to asbestos.

When wearing respiratory protection, you need to be clean shaven to ensure a proper seal between your face and mask to protect you from breathing in asbestos fibres.

Asbestos workers with beards, stubble or facial hair, should use a continuous flow positive pressure respirator.

For more information on PPE see the SafeWork Australia video

Employers are required by law to provide health monitoring to workers who are at risk of being exposed to asbestos while on the job, prior to commencing asbestos removal work or ongoing asbestos related work. This includes licensed asbestos removalists and assessors who are wearing full personal protective equipment.

Health monitoring should also be provided to workers at regular intervals (at least once every two years) after the worker commences asbestos-related work where there is a risk of exposure to asbestos.

You must be licensed to remove asbestos, except if removing 10 square meters or less of non-friable asbestos. SafeWork NSW recommends using a licensed asbestos removalist to remove any amount of asbestos.

Mutual recognition of asbestos licenses

SafeWork NSW mutually recognises asbestos licence holders that have an equivalent licence granted under a corresponding WHS law, and that is being used in accordance with the terms and conditions under which it was granted.

Mutual recognition of demolition licenses

SafeWork NSW does not mutually recognise other jurisdictions demolition licenses. The entity may apply for a NSW Demolition Licence.

All asbestos removal work must be carried out safely in accordance with health and safety legislation.

Find more information here about applying for asbestos licences including links to applicant guide and application forms.

Find a licensed asbestos removalist or licensed asbestos assessor in your area

SafeWork NSW recommends that you should always engage a licensed asbestos professional if there is a chance that asbestos may be present.  If you are working with asbestos, you need to do the following:

1. have everything you need before you commence the job
2. wear Personal protective equipment
3. follow the asbestos removal process as outlined in the SafeWork Australia Code of Practice - How to safely remove asbestos
4. if drilling into asbestos use an LEV or a Class H HEPA vacuum
5. wrap and dispose of asbestos according to guidelines SafeWork Australia Code of Practice (how to safely remove asbestos)
6. decontaminate the area and yourself
7. dispose of asbestos at a waste disposal facility which is licensed to accept asbestos waste.

Find your nearest disposal site that is licensed to handle asbestos.

The use of certain tools and equipment on asbestos or asbestos containing material is prohibited.

The following should never be used:

• high-pressure water spray, jets, power or similar tools and instruments
• compressed air.

See full video on the dangers of pressure cleaning asbestos roofs

See condensed video on the dangers of pressure cleaning asbestos roofs

Controlled use allowed

High speed power tools such as angle-grinders, sanders, saws and drills or any other tools or equipment, such as brooms, that can cause the release of asbestos fibres into the air can only be used if:

• the tool/equipment is enclosed during its use; or
• the tool/equipment is designed to capture or suppress airborne asbestos and is used in accordance with its design; or
• the tool/equipment is used in a way that is designed to capture or suppress airborne asbestos safely.

Decontamination

All tools and equipment used during the asbestos removal process must be decontaminated before being removed from the asbestos removal area. Tools and equipment that can't be decontaminated should be double bagged and sealed in asbestos waste bags before removal.

The bags containing the tools or equipment must remain sealed until decontamination.

More information can be found in the How to safely remove asbestos – Code of Practice.

Although unlicensed removal of asbestos is permitted in certain circumstances, we always recommend engaging a licensed asbestos removalist to remove any amount of asbestos.

When can I remove asbestos?

Under the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017, an employer or self-employed person can conduct a limited amount of asbestos removal work or asbestos related work without a licence involving:

• the removal of non-friable asbestos-containing material if the area of asbestos-containing material to be removed does not exceed 10 square metres in total.

Obligations

If you do decide to remove less than 10sqm of asbestos yourself then before you start work you must:

1. Read and follow the Code of Practice – How to safely remove asbestos
2. Be aware and advise any workers of the health risks associated with exposure to asbestos
3. Undertake and provide any workers with asbestos awareness training
4. Undertake and provide health monitoring to any workers if work with asbestos is likely to be ongoing

If you are not willing or able to commit to any of the above obligations then you should engage a licensed asbestos professional.

See our video section under Resources for important asbestos messages.

Only registered training organisations (RTOs) with SafeWork approval can deliver asbestos removal, assessor or supervisor training in NSW. Asbestos licence applications will only be considered if training has been undertaken with a SafeWork approved RTO.

Businesses, employers and other PCBUs have a general duty to provide information, training and instructions to their workers. Asbestos removal work has specific training and licensing requirements.

If you are an employer or business (or other PCBU) who carries out removal work (or may have contact with asbestos), you must ensure that you and you workers complete asbestos awareness training.

If loose fill asbestos insulation or naturally occurring asbestos is likely to be found at a workplace, you must provide training in how to identify and manage the associated risks and hazards.

You must keep training records while the worker is carrying out the work and for five years after the worker finished. Training records must be readily accessible at the asbestos removal area.

Asbestos awareness training (less than 10sqm asbestos removal

Less than 10sqm of asbestos removal

Asbestos awareness training must be provided to workers who are who are carrying out asbestos removal work of less than 10m2 and/or workers who are at risk of being exposed to asbestos while on the job, for example, electricians, plumbers, bathroom and kitchen renovators.

The training must be relevant to the task and must cover:

• asbestos identification
• safe handling of asbestos
• suitable control measures.

Workers must complete the relevant VET course/s before carrying out asbestos work.

If you're a worker who supervises asbestos removal, there is additional training you'll need to do.

If you're a licensed asbestos removalist, you must also provide information and training to asbestos removal workers to make sure the work is carried out in accordance with the asbestos removal control plan. Contact us if you need more advice on asbestos removal control plans.

* Alternatively, a tertiary qualification in occupational health and safety or industrial hygiene or science of building construction or environmental health (diploma level and above)

Important to note for all licences

Pre-requisite for all above training is successful completion of Work health and Safety General Construction Induction course.

Completing the training above does not result in getting the relevant asbestos licence. Once training is complete, workers need to gain on-the-job experience before being eligible to apply for a licence.

Learn more about applying for an asbestos licence and the required experience.