Managing Safe Asbestos Removal

What is Asbestos Removal?

Asbestos removal, also called asbestos abatement, is the carefully controlled process of removing asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) from a building or structure. ACM is any material containing more than one percent asbestos, and it's linked to many diseases, including mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.

Only licensed asbestos removal professionals are qualified to remove asbestos from homes and buildings, since it's a highly regulated process. This ensures asbestos gets removed safely and disposed of legally under the code of practice governing the industry.

What is Asbestos?

Every year, around 4000 Australians die from asbestos-related diseases, making it one of the nation's leading causes of workplace death. Asbestos is a naturally occurring silicate mineral composed of long, thin, flexible fibres. It resists heat, remains durable, and doesn't rust easily.

Asbestos is commonly used in construction and manufacturing industry applications due to its resistant properties. Asbestos serves as an excellent insulator in everything from electrical wiring to home insulation.

While it remains a valuable material, asbestos exposure can lead to serious health problems. As a result, many countries have regulated its use. When applied correctly, asbestos can be a safe and effective material. However, taking precautions to avoid airborne fibre exposure stays vital.

Types of Asbestos

• Chrysotile (white asbestos) – the most common type of asbestos, usually found in roofs, ceilings, walls, and floors of homes and businesses.
• Amosite (brown or grey asbestos) – commonly used in asbestos cement sheets and pipe insulation. Found in insulating boards, ceiling tiles, and thermal insulation products.
• Crocidolite (blue asbestos) – one of the most hazardous types, usually found in pipe insulation, spray-on coatings, and other plastic products.
• Tremolite and Actinolite – two minerals chemically similar to each other, found in various colours: brown, white, green, grey, and transparent.
• Anthophyllite – used in insulation, fireproofing, and drywall products. May appear grey, dull, or white.

Asbestos-Containing Materials (ACMs)

Asbestos-containing materials can harm health if not carefully maintained or removed. Inhaling asbestos fibres can result in several serious health issues, including lung cancer. Two categories of asbestos-containing materials exist: friable and non-friable.

Friable Asbestos

Friable means the material breaks apart, crumbles, or reduces to powder easily. This type of asbestos becomes airborne more readily, posing a greater health risk since fibres get inhaled quickly once disturbed.

Non-Friable Asbestos

Non-friable material proves more difficult to break apart and carries less of a health risk. It's usually found in asbestos-containing materials such as vinyl floor tiles, asbestos cement sheeting, and roof shingles. Unlike friable products, non-friable asbestos stays bonded within a solid matrix, though it can turn friable if damaged or weathered over time.

Asbestos-Contaminated Dust or Debris (ACD)

While ACMs are often found in older buildings, ACD can occur anywhere friable materials are present. Once disturbed, these materials release asbestos fibres into the air, where workers or occupants of the space may inhale them.

If you find ACD, you must take steps to contain and remove the material under local regulations. Only a licensed asbestos removalist should handle asbestos-contaminated dust or debris, given how hazardous exposure can become without proper controls.

Uses and Where Asbestos Can Be Found

Asbestos has been banned in 61 countries. Despite being banned in 2003 in Australia, it remains in many buildings, machinery parts, and products.

Often hidden from view, asbestos proves difficult to remove. This poses a significant risk to public health, particularly for those working in construction or demolition.

Asbestos in the Home

If your house was built before 1990, it likely contains asbestos products. About one-third of all homes in Australia have ACMs somewhere in their construction. As long as asbestos products remain undisturbed, they won't pose a health risk.

However, a risk of asbestos exposure always exists, significantly when ACMs are damaged or disturbed. Below are places that may contain ACMs:

• Roofs and eaves
• Walls and ceilings (such as ceiling plasters)
• Insulation (including asbestos insulation board)
• Floor tiles, carpets, and asbestos sheeting
• Pipe lagging
• Boilers and heaters
• Splashbacks
• Window putty
• Fireproofing

Asbestos in the Workplace

Occupations most at risk of asbestos exposure include:

• Construction workers
• Demolition workers
• Asbestos removers
• Maintenance workers
• Shipyard workers
• Electricians
• Computer cabling installers
• Air-conditioning installers
• Plumbers

Asbestos was used in many products before 1990 and can be found in numerous buildings and structures built before then. Here are further areas where you might find asbestos:

Asbestos Insulation

Asbestos insulation was once a prevalent choice for both home and commercial buildings. Known for fireproofing qualities, it kept facilities warm in winter and cool in summer. Asbestos insulation gets used for pipes, ducts, walls, and floors.

Heat-Resistant Items

Heat resistance made asbestos a popular choice for fireproofing materials, such as oven gloves and fire blankets. Asbestos was also used in hot water systems and boilers.

Automotive Products

Asbestos was once used in automotive parts, such as brake pads and clutches. Cars and commercial vehicles also relied on it for insulation.

WHS laws prohibit people from working with asbestos because of its hazards, with some exceptions. In most cases, the law requires licensed workers to remove asbestos from work sites.

Asbestos Health Hazards

Inhalation is the primary way asbestos enters the body and can cause asbestos-related diseases. When someone breathes in asbestos fibres, particles reach the lungs and become trapped in the alveoli. These fibres can remain in the lungs for years and may lead to cancers such as lung cancer, ovarian cancer, laryngeal cancer, and mesothelioma.

Anyone can face risk of exposure to asbestos. Working or living in an old facility doesn't automatically mean asbestos is present. Still, if ACMs get disturbed, fibres can release into the air and pose a health hazard. This is where safe asbestos removal comes in.

WHS Duties

Duty holders under WHS laws include:

1. Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU)

A PCBU must protect workers and others from asbestos-related risks. This includes taking all reasonable steps to ensure asbestos gets removed from the workplace or, where possible, preventing or minimising exposure.

Under the model WHS Regulations, a PCBU must:

• Provide training to all workers
• Arrange safe asbestos removal
• Ensure a licensed asbestos removalist removes asbestos
• Keep an asbestos register and asbestos management plan
• Obtain a licence to remove asbestos

2. Officers

Directors of companies and other organisations hold a legal duty to ensure employees and others remain safe in the workplace. This includes taking reasonable steps to prevent asbestos exposure.

3. Workers

Employees must take care of their own health and safety, as well as that of other people. They must comply with reasonable instructions and cooperate with any policy or procedure related to workplace health and safety.

Asbestos Removal Licence Requirements

WHS laws require that only trained and licensed removalists perform asbestos removal. You cannot perform asbestos removal on your own — a licence is required to remove asbestos legally.

Asbestos removal remains strictly regulated in most jurisdictions. However, in some states or territories, removing asbestos without a licence stays possible in limited situations, including:

• Removing non-friable asbestos 10 square metres or less in size
• Removing asbestos-contaminated dust and debris made during removal of non-friable asbestos
• Removing minor contamination of asbestos

Three types of asbestos removal licences exist:

Class A

• Can remove all kinds of asbestos
• Can remove any amount of ACM or asbestos

Class B

• Only able to remove non-friable asbestos
• Required for removal of 10 square metres of non-friable asbestos or ACM

Licensed Asbestos Assessor

• Can conduct air monitoring
• Can perform inspections
• Can issue work clearances for class A licence work
• Can identify asbestos and conduct a risk assessment
• Can review an asbestos register

Managing Asbestos in the Workplace

Handling asbestos is hazardous and can be life-threatening, making proper workplace asbestos management essential. The Model Code of Practice: How to Safely Remove Asbestos recommends the following steps:

1. Monitor the Health of Your Workers

All workers who may face exposure to asbestos must undergo health monitoring. This includes a medical examination and recording of exposure and examination results. A PCBU must inform all workers of these requirements before carrying out work that may expose them to asbestos.

Health monitoring helps identify asbestos-related diseases early so treatment can start as soon as possible. Use a health surveillance record to track worker exposure, medical examinations, and other health concerns.

2. Provide Asbestos Awareness Training

A PCBU must ensure workers receive proper training on asbestos removal. Training covers general knowledge about asbestos, including:

• Health effects
• Types, uses, and presence
• Location of the asbestos register
• Correct usage of personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Safe work procedures
• Purpose of training and health monitoring

When workers receive adequate training, they know what to expect when asbestos appears in the workplace, understand its risks, and know whom to call. Use an asbestos awareness SWMS to help workers understand the dangers of asbestos.

3. Obtain an Asbestos Register

An asbestos register includes information about asbestos locations, types, and conditions. The person with management or control of the workplace must ensure the register stays up to date, review it, and revise it if necessary.

4. Prepare a Control Plan

An asbestos removal control plan states what measures need to be taken to keep workers and other people from being exposed to asbestos during removal. These measures should focus on minimising potential risks from exposure.

5. Placing Signage, Barricades, and Other Warnings

The asbestos removal contractor must ensure appropriate signs, barricades, and warning notices sit in place to warn of asbestos hazards. Warning signs include limiting access to asbestos-containing areas.

Signs and barricades may be needed to keep people from areas where asbestos removal is ongoing. For example, you could put up a fence and post signs, or use locking access doors — but only where doing so doesn't create an evacuation hazard.

6. Perform Decontamination

One of the most important pieces of safety equipment for asbestos removalists is the decontamination unit. These units provide a safe and effective way to remove asbestos fibers from clothing, skin, and tools. After completing removal work, licensed removalists should clean themselves and their equipment thoroughly in a decontamination unit. Taking these precautions helps prevent exposure to hazardous asbestos fibers and reduces contamination of surrounding waste.

7. Provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Management should provide PPE to all asbestos removalists and other workers in the area. This includes gloves, respiratory protective equipment (RPE), coveralls, protective eyewear, and air-line respirators. PPE remains essential to asbestos removal, protecting workers from inhalation and contact with fibres.

8. Conduct Air Monitoring

Air monitoring means taking air samples to help understand asbestos fibre levels present in the air. You can conduct air monitoring in two ways:

• Collecting samples in the area where asbestos removal is done
• Collecting samples in workers' breathing zones

Once removal finishes, remaining asbestos waste must be bagged, labelled, and transported for disposal in accordance with local regulations, ensuring no residual fibres pose ongoing risk to workers or occupants.

Complete Your Asbestos Safety Management Plan with SafetyDocs

We've outlined the steps for managing safe asbestos removal in your workplace. Having a guide showing how to implement asbestos safety measures across your site makes all the difference. Get all the safety documentation needed for asbestos removal from SafetyDocs by SafetyCulture.

We're Australia's leading provider of safety documentation, including management plans, SWMS, SOPs, registers, and more. We offer customisable documents to help mitigate asbestos risks throughout your workplace. Our team stands ready to help you build a safe asbestos removal process.

Check out these documents to help get started:

• Asbestos Removal Safe Work Method Statement
• Asbestos Management Plan
• Asbestos (Licensed Removal) SWMS
• Asbestos Removal Checklist

For related workplace hazard guidance, explore our resource on managing chemical hazards and safe storage of chemical substances, or read about recent regulatory action in SafeWork SA cancelling a class A asbestos removal licence. You may also find value in reviewing updates from Safe Work Australia's invitation for comments on the asbestos framework review.

Start managing asbestos safety with our documents on your side. Get in touch with our team today!

Available for instant download and supplied in fully editable MS Word format for use in your business.

Please note that the above information is provided as a comment only and should not be relied on as professional, legal or financial advice.