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Is that asbestos? Be aware and prepare

A number of recent asbestos clean ups have cost private contractors tens of thousands of dollars and in two recent cases clean up bills of more than $100,000 and $50,000. In both these cases preventative actions before starting the job would have prevented the huge clean up bills.

Recently a private contractor used a high-powered water hose to clean a roof which contained asbestos. Fibres were dislodged and fell into neighbouring properties. As the roof was in a poor condition, it should have been replaced, not cleaned. For roofs that are in good condition, a low water pressure broom can be used to clean the roof but high-pressure hoses are strictly prohibited.

In another recent incident a different contractor working at a school drilled into wall sheeting which contained asbestos to install an air conditioner, creating a dust cloud in the classroom. The contractor should have used a manual drill and used a wet technique to contain any asbestos dust.

Ignoring your legal obligations won’t just cost you the decontamination and clean up bill. You could also face up to a $75,000 fine or 1 years’ jail as an individual, or $375,000 for a corporation.

Contractors are often called in to domestic premises to clean and/or paint an old roof, undertake renovations or even knock down an old structure. It is important that you know what to do if you come across or suspect the material you are working with contains asbestos.

When a contamination has occurred Workplace Health and Safety Queensland will be called in to investigate. If this happens you may be issued with a prohibition notice to stop the work, an improvement notice to clean-up the contamination or to undertake air monitoring or an on-the-spot fine. This will be costly as you will probably need to employ an expert licensed asbestos removalist to clean up any contamination.

Asbestos was typically used in fibro roofs, walls and archways. In many older houses fibro was also used internally for wet areas such as kitchens, bathrooms and laundries. Asbestos cement can be found in flat, profiled and corrugated sheets, shingles, rigid board insulation, underlay, floor and ceiling tiles, pipes and guttering.

Due to the serious health risks associated with asbestos it is essential that exposure to it is effectively managed. Asbestos can be present in a ‘friable’ form which means it can be easily crumbled and reduced to powder by hand, or in a ‘bonded’ form which means the asbestos is tightly bound in a material such as asbestos cement sheets, for example fibro. Asbestos is most dangerous when it is 'friable', or where the tightly bound fibres in bonded sheets are released through processes such as sawing, drilling, abrasion, or breaking. Disturbed or broken asbestos products can release tiny asbestos fibres that once airborne are capable of being inhaled into a person’s lungs.

These fibres are a major health hazard if a person has sufficient exposure and the adverse health effects, such as lung cancer, can take decades to become evident. The lack of immediate health effects often means that victims are unaware of the dangers they are exposed to.

Identifying asbestos
It is often very difficult to identify asbestos by sight. The only way to be certain is to have a sample of the material analysed by an accredited laboratory. If you suspect the work you are undertaking contains asbestos-containing materials (ACM) you must stop work immediately and have a sample tested.

If you are not sure, play it safe and assume that the material does contain asbestos.
 
For more information on identifying asbestos and where this can be done visit the National Association of Testing Authorities website at www.nata.asn.au or call (07) 3870 3844.

To remove any quantity of friable asbestos, a Class A removal certificate is required, and to remove greater than 10 square metres of bonded asbestos a Class B certificate is required.  If you wish to obtain a Class A or B asbestos removal certificate visit www.worksafe.qld.gov.au or call the Workplace Health and Safety Infoline on 1300 369 915.

If there is any known or suspected asbestos on the premises you must notify the owner, occupier and/or resident, and any other persons affected by the work such as neighbouring properties.

Safety tips for maintenance or removal work
Below are some of the safety tips you should follow where you believe ACM is present:

• STOP work immediately and have a sample tested.
• The asbestos work area must be clearly marked so that non-essential people do not enter the area. Entry points to the asbestos work area must be signposted or labelled.
• Do not use high-speed power tools such as angle grinders, sanders, saws and drills. Manual tools or low-speed battery power tools, used in conjunction with wet methods (saturating the asbestos product using a manually controlled low pressure course spray) must be used instead as they generate less hazardous dust.
• Wet methods can only be used when there are no electrical hazards present so it is essential to turn off the electricity when you are working to prevent electrocution.
• Do not water blast or scrub asbestos cement sheeting with a stiff broom. If the material has been water blasted, or has suddenly deteriorated in some way, you will need to call a licensed asbestos removalist immediately.
• To prepare a surface for painting gently remove any loose paint with a scraper, keeping the surface wet to minimise the release of fibres. You can use sugar soap to clean the surface.
• Never prepare surfaces using dry sanding methods.
• Avoid drilling. Never cut into asbestos cement sheeting. If a hole is required, mask the area with tape, use a non-powered drill and wear a disposable Class P1 respirator (not a dust mask). If significant work is required it is advisable to remove the entire sheet and replace it with a non-asbestos material.
• Minimise exposure to others. Close doors and windows to limit the spread of any dust and ensure that people are kept out of the area.
• Consult with those who may be affected by the asbestos removal and disposal, for example, neighbouring properties.
• Don’t drop asbestos cement sheets. Make sure you lower them gently to the ground. When stacking sheets, do not skid one sheet over another, as this can cause release of fibres.
• Remove all asbestos waste as soon as you can. Do not leave sheets lying about where they may be further broken or crushed by people or traffic.
• Put used disposable coveralls and masks in bags for removal with other asbestos waste.
• All asbestos waste must be double bagged or double wrapped. Wet all asbestos waste and collect in heavy duty polythene bags, wrap in heavy duty 200 micrometre (µm) thick plastic or put it in double lined bins. It is illegal to place asbestos waste in domestic garbage bins and compactors.
• Each bag must be correctly labelled: CAUTION - ASBESTOS AVOID CREATING DUST. SERIOUS INHALATION HEALTH HAZARD.
• All ACM must be disposed in accordance with your local council’s requirements.

Asbestos waste is treated differently to normal household and industrial rubbish, and is usually buried at a special location. Before taking asbestos waste to a disposal site, make arrangements with your local council about what is required.

For information on identifying, managing and removing asbestos visit the asbestos section on the Workplace Health and Safety Queensland website, www.worksafe.qld.gov.au or call the Workplace Health and Safety Infoline on 1300 369 915.

The Queensland Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 places legal obligations on various people including employers, workers, occupiers, owners and the self employed to ensure that workplaces are safe and without risk to the health or safety of the workers and any other person who may be affected by the work being carried out. This includes domestic properties if a worker or contractor is employed to do work there.