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Owner Builders and Asbestos
As owner builder students, you need to be well versed in your obligations in respect to any asbestos containing materials (ACM)found on you site or disturbed as a result of the work on your project. Legislation is quite specific in regards to ACM, its handling and disposal. Safework Queensland provides a range of resources and fact sheets to assist our owner builder students to meet their obligations under the relevant legislation. In addition, Safework Australia has developed a series of Model Codes of Practice which included, How to Safely Remove Asbestos. It provides a complete set of definitions and outlines procedures to be followed when removing small (less than 10 Sam) of ACM. I encourage all of my owner builder course participants to download this model code and refer to it if they suspect they may encounter ACM during their works. The problems with ACM generally occur when the material is disturbed. The loose particle become airborne and if not controlled, pose a risk to anyone exposed to the contaminated environment. The particles enter through the respiratory system and can cause irreparable damage to the lungs. Be careful to ensure you isolate and control the ACM risk and where there exists any doubt or concern, contact a professional removalist, at least for advice. Approved disposal facilities and techniques are also covered in the code. Do yourself a favour and download it for future reference. To all my owner builders, take care and don't risk exposing yourself, your loved ones, your workers or public to this real threat. Till next time, Happy Building Rick
4 Comments
Larry Lindsay
1/12/2016 09:24:12
A friend of mine built a boundary fence around his house using fibro panels about forty years ago in Port Macquarie. To make it a neat job, he used an abrasive disk in a circular saw to even up the top of the fence. After, his wife used a broom to clean up the offcuts and dust. She died from mesothelioma a few years ago and the fence construction was her only exposure to asbestos. Renovators should be aware that any house built prior to the early eighties will probably contain asbestos in the sheeting under the eaves and in the lining of wet areas like the bathroom walls and floor. If in doubt, call in the professionals. 1/12/2016 15:48:34
So sorry to hear about your wife, it highlights the seriousness of handling asbestos with extreme caution and protecting yourself and the environment from it affects.
Leon Close
8/1/2017 16:24:36
Relatively small amounts (but above the 10 square metre limit) of ACM fibro cladding represent a conundrum for me as an owner builder. My options were to undertake training to remove non-friable asbestos and obtain a class B license or to engage a suitably qualified contractor. Having seen practices which cause me to doubt the rigour of the risk management used by some qualified contractors I initially favoured this option, although I would still need to engage an independent supervisor/assessor to provide audit, management plan and clearance documentation. The difficulties and costs associated with obtaining this qualification for a one-off job made this not worthwhile. I have been assured of the diligence of the removal contractor I will be using for an upcoming demolition job. 7/3/2023 09:52:39
I like the tip you gave that a proper home evaluation could help prevent environmental risks for the family. My cousin mentioned last night that he was planning to have an asbestos certification to obtain the best-practice solutions to provide asbestos inspection and removal services for their town. I appreciate this informative article, I'll tell him he can consult an asbestos certification service as they can provide more information about the process. Leave a Reply. |
AuthorRick Heaton is a Building and Construction Industry professional with formal tertiary qualifications in management and training. Archives
June 2019
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