Safe Work Australia publishes new guide on how to develop asbestos registers

Safe Work Australia Publishes New Guide on How to Develop Asbestos Registers

Safe Work Australia has recently released new guidance material to help employers prepare asbestos registers in the workplace. This resource supports businesses across construction, manufacturing and healthcare sectors in meeting their legal obligations around hazardous building materials.

What Is an Asbestos Register?

Safe Work Australia describes an asbestos register as a workplace safety management tool that records the location, type, condition and date of identification of all asbestos and asbestos containing materials at your workplace. Maintaining accurate records forms a core part of effective safe work method statement development, particularly where hazardous materials pose ongoing risk.

Legal Requirements for Asbestos Management

The law requires the person with management or control of the workplace to ensure an asbestos register is prepared, maintained and kept at the workplace. This management obligation applies regardless of building age, size or industry type.

Key points employers should note include:

• The register must be accessible to everyone in the workplace.
• Management or control of premises triggers the duty to prepare a register.
• Records should reflect current condition, not just historical identification.

Why Proper Documentation Matters

Accurate documentation reduces health hazards linked to airborne fibres and supports long-term asbestos management across facilities. Businesses managing hazardous materials should also review related guidance, such as Safe Work Australia's workplace hazard assessment guidance, to strengthen overall compliance frameworks.

For tasks involving removal or disturbance of asbestos containing materials, businesses often require a documented asbestos removal safe work method statement alongside their register, particularly where non-friable materials are involved. Roof work presents unique challenges too, which is why many employers reference a dedicated asbestos safety roof work method statement when planning maintenance activities. Understanding when a SWMS becomes mandatory helps businesses determine which tasks require additional documentation beyond the register itself. This information proves especially valuable for organisations coordinating multiple contractors across a single site.

Related Safe Work Australia Guidance

This release follows other recent publications from Safe Work Australia, including a new guide addressing rooftop solar installation risks and a workers' compensation research report, both reflecting the regulator's ongoing focus on practical, evidence-based management resources.

Learn more here.