Asbestos

  • Before asbestos was banned in December 2003, asbestos was used in a range of industries, including the construction industry.

Asbestos use has been prohibited since December 2003. However, you may still find asbestos in older buildings and products such as:

  • fibrous cement sheeting, external cladding and vinyl tiles
  • flue pipes, drains, gutters, roofs, and roof insulation
  • electrical insulation, switchboards and meters 
  • brakes, clutches and gaskets.

Types of asbestos

Asbestos can be:

  • Friable - asbestos that is easily crushed into a powder. Friable asbestos has a higher risk of airborne fibres being released when it is handled. 
  • Non-friable (bonded) - asbestos that is mixed with cement or resin to keep fibres in place. However, non-friable asbestos can release airborne fibres if it gets damaged. 

Asbestos is dangerous to your health

Asbestos consists of many tiny fibres, which can get into the air when disturbed. You risk disturbing the asbestos fibres when working with asbestos containing materials (ACMs) such as during service, maintenance, refurbishment and demolition work.

Disturbing asbestos risks exposing people at your workplace, neighbouring businesses and the community to airborne asbestos fibres. Breathing in asbestos fibres can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. People rarely get symptoms of these diseases until 20 to 30 years after exposure.

The Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency has more asbestos health risks and safety and who to contact if it is in your workplace.

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PCBU duties
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Worker duties
  • Keep an asbestos register.
  • Have an asbestos management plan.
  • Train all workers who might work with or encounter asbestos in the identification, safe handling and suitable control measures for asbestos.
  • Provide and pay for asbestos health monitoring for workers who remove asbestos or undertake demolition work, or any other work where workers could be exposed to asbestos-related work.
  • If you suspect there is asbestos at the workplace, arrange for an assessment by a competent person to identify any asbestos present and if found, arrange safe removal by a licensed asbestos removalist.
  • You should use a label to mark where asbestos is, or may be, located to help workers stay safe.
  • Your PCBU has a duty to keep you and your workplace safe from risks associated with asbestos.
  • You also have a duty to take reasonable care of your safety and that of others in the workplace. If you think there is asbestos in your workplace, speak with your PCBU.
  • Comply with any reasonable instructions, policies and procedures given by your PCBU at the workplace.

Marking where asbestos is (and where it could be) helps workers stay safe.

Where reasonably practicable, you should use a label. For example, put a label in the electrical meter box showing:

  • the building has asbestos, and
  • where you keep the asbestos register.

If labelling is not possible, you may:

  • signpost the area with warning signs that comply with the Australian Standard AS 1319-1994. Signs should also be placed at all the main entrances to the work areas where asbestos is identified.
  • implement a permit-to-work system workers are made aware of the asbestos before they start working at the site.
  • make site plans available to all workers to indicate where asbestos is in the workplace.

Risk management

As a PCBU, you must identify, assess and control hazards in the workplace. You should always aim to eliminate risks. If that is not possible, you must minimise risks so far as is reasonably practicable. If there is asbestos in your workplace you must have an asbestos management plan.

Managing the risks of asbestos includes:

  • identifying asbestos and asbestos-containing material at the workplace.
  • recording identified material in an asbestos register.
  • assessing the risk of exposure to airborne asbestos.
  • eliminating or minimising the risks of asbestos by using control measures.
  • reviewing control measures to make sure they are working.

Asbestos registers

Your asbestos register records the type, condition, and location of asbestos at your workplace. You must:

  • maintain it to ensure the information in the register is up to date
  • ensure the asbestos register is kept at your workplace and accessible to any worker, health and safety representatives and other PCBUs who need to see it, and
  • give it to the next PCBU who takes over the management or control of your workplace.

If your workplace building, structure or plant was built after 31 December 2003 or if in Queensland built after 31 December 1989, and there is no asbestos and ACM identified or likely to be present, you are not required to have an asbestos register.

For more information and an example of an asbestos register download the Asbestos registers at the workplace guide.

Asbestos management plan

You must have an asbestos management plan if there is asbestos in your workplace. You must make the plan available to anyone who needs it. You must keep the plan up to date and review it regularly.
The management plan must include:

  • information about the identification of asbestos and ACM, for example a reference or link to the asbestos register for your workplace, and the locations of signs and labels 
  • how you will manage the asbestos and ACM, and why you made those decisions – for example, your safe work procedures and control measures
  • procedures for responding to and managing accidents, incidents or emergencies involving asbestos at the workplace, and 
  • information about consultation, responsibilities and training requirements for workers whose work involves asbestos.

The model Code of Practice: How to manage and control asbestos in the workplace includes more information on the requirements for asbestos management plans.

Labelling asbestos material at the workplace

Any areas of a workplace that contain asbestos and ACMs, including plant, equipment and components should have clear and visible signage and/or labels to show the presence and location of asbestos. This is to ensure asbestos is not disturbed without the correct precautions being taken.

If labelling is not possible, you may:

  • signpost the area with warning signs that comply with the Australian Standard AS 1319-1994. Signs should also be placed at all the main entrances to the work areas where asbestos is identified.
  • implement a permit-to-work system for workers such as plumbers, electricians and carpenters to ensure they are made aware of the asbestos before they start working at the site.
  • make site plans and asbestos register(s) available to all workers to ensure they know where asbestos is in the workplace.

The model Code of Practice: How to manage and control asbestos in the workplace includes examples of warning signs and labels.


Asbestos removal licences 

An asbestos removal licence is required to safely remove asbestos. These licences are different across states and territories.

In some states or territories, you may be able to remove small amounts of non-friable asbestos without a licence.

Contact the WHS regulator in your state or territory where the asbestos removal will happen to understand the restrictions on, and requirements for, licenced and unlicensed asbestos removal. 

The model Code of Practice: How to safely remove asbestos has more information about the WHS duties for licensed and unlicensed asbestos removal.
 

For more information

•    Safe Work Australia webpage - Asbestos

Model Codes of Practice

Fact sheets and guides

Managing asbestos videos

External resources

  • Did you know

    The WHS regulator in your state or territory can provide practical advice, resources and tools to help you be safe when working in construction. They can also let you know which WHS laws apply to you.