Queensland Laboratory News Details
New Asbestos Laws and Fact Sheets...
Added: 26 December, 2008
In Queensland, specific asbestos laws now apply to homeowners, owner builders and Do It Yourself renovators. These laws have been released by the Queensland Government and are to protect you, your family and your neighbours from possible health risks caused by asbestos during renovation and building work. There are some important rules that will aid in ensuring that you do not contaminate your house and areas adjacent...
Important changes include:
- If you are removing 10 square metres or more of asbestos, you will need to get an asbestos removal licence or employ someone with one
- Safety precautions such as respiratory protective equipment must always be taken when working with asbestos. HEPA vacuums and decontamination following the remediation is also very important
- Asbestos waste must be immediately double wrapped or double bagged in thick plastic, sealed with tape and labelled with an appropriate safety warning so that the waste cannot confused with or dumped as normal waste
- Asbestos waste must be disposed of at a council approved site as soon as possible and loads should not exceed 250kg
- Asbestos must never be cleaned with high pressure water cleaners, compressed air or cut with power tools (eg. circular saws, sanders, angle grinders) as the risk of an exposure above the National Exposure standard (NES) of 0.1fibres/ml increases dramatically
- Removed asbestos must never be stored, sold or given away as others may not be aware of the associated risks
A copy of the laws is available from the Queensland Health website.
New Asbestos FACT SHEETS for Commercial and Domestic Premises
A new series of asbestos fact sheets are available in pdf format by clicking the links below:
Handling asbestos safely after a storm
How to handling asbestos safely after a storm
Identifying and recording asbestos in the workplace
Requirements for identifying asbestos containing materials and maintaining a register
Air monitoring when removing asbestos
Requirements for air monitoring when removing asbestos containing materials in the workplace
Clearance inspections for asbestos work areas
Requirements for clearance inspections for asbestos work areas
Information regarding asbestos backed vinyl sheet flooring and vinyl tiles containing asbestos
or at the Workplace Health & Safety Website:
http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/subjects/asbestos/factsheets/index.htm