Asbestos

Key Points

Asbestos Flowchart

The Flowchart – Asbestos is available as a guide to managing key asbestos activities on site and develop safe systems of work in accordance with the below requirements.

Project Risk Assessment

The Project Risk Assessment shall be used to identify, assess and control the removal of asbestos containing material (ACM) in accordance with the Hierarchy of Control.

Asbestos & Health Hazards Management Workshop

The Asbestos & Health Hazards Management Workshop shall be conducted prior to commencement of asbestos removal work with relevant Occupational Hygienists, Asbestos Removal Contractors and Demolition Contractors. The workshop assists developing safe systems of work specific to the project. 

Asbestos Identification

Once ACM has been identified on site, an Occupational Hygienist shall be engaged to:

– determine if the ACM is friable or non-friable; and

– assist with the development and management of the Asbestos Management Plan and Asbestos Removal Control Plan for the removal of the ACM.

The client, workers and other parties potentially affected by the works shall be notified when ACM has been identified in the workplace. The Regulator shall be notified in writing 5 days prior to any licensed Asbestos removal work.

Asbestos Register

An Asbestos Register shall be maintained where ACM has been identified or is likely to be present at the workplace.  Where a register already exists for the workplace it shall be managed in accordance with the Asbestos Management Plan.  Where a register does not exist an Asbestos Register shall be developed in accordance with the Asbestos Management Plan to record:

– any ACM that has been identified or is likely to be present onsite;

– Dates and specific locations of when and where the ACM was identified;

– the competent person (e.g. an Occupational Hygienist) who has identified the ACM as friable or non-friable.

Asbestos Management Plan and Asbestos Removal Control Plan

The Occupational Hygienist shall assist with removal of ACM in accordance with the Asbestos Management Plan and Asbestos Removal Control Plan.  The plans shall be used to provide safe systems of work including regulatory notification requirements and the handling, packaging, transportation and disposal of the ACM.

The plans shall be communicated to affected parties and made available as required.

Asbestos Licensing and Removal

The two types of asbestos licences are designated as Class A and Class B licenses:

Class A – licenses the contractor to carry out work with friable and non-friable asbestos; whereas

Class B – licenses the contractor to carry out work with non-friable asbestos only. 

 ASBESTOS REMOVALIST COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS

Removal of ACM shall be conducted by a suitably licensed asbestos contractor and personnel appropriately qualified and formally trained in accordance with legal requirements and task specific safety documentation.  Safety documentation includes the Asbestos Management Plan, Asbestos Removal Control Plan, SWMS and evidence of licence, qualification and training in removal methods.

The intended removal of ACM shall be notified to the Regulator by the contractor prior to works commencing.  The contractor shall provide evidence that 2 yearly medicals for licensed asbestos contractor and employees conducting the works have been conducted.

Health Surveillance and Exposure Monitoring

The Asbestos Management Plan shall confirm acceptable exposure limits and processes for managing the workplace where limits are being reached or exceeded and regulatory notification requirements.

Air monitoring activities shall be conducted throughout the removal process by an Occupational Hygienist that is independent of the licensed asbestos contractor removing the ACM.

If during air monitoring the respirable asbestos fibre levels exceed 0.01 fibres/ml, the occupational hygienist shall notify Hindmarsh. Works shall cease in the designated zone and an incident investigation shall be carried out with the assistance of the SQE Manager and the Occupational hygienist.

If during air monitoring the respirable asbestos fibre levels exceed 0.02 fibres/ml, the regulator shall be notified.

The works area shall only be returned to normal working conditions when a clearance certificate is provided to Hindmarsh by the Occupational Hygienist.

Health surveillance and exposure monitoring activities for workers and work areas potentially affected by ACM shall be undertaken in accordance with Procedure Health Surveillance, Exposure Monitoring and Hazardous Substances.

Unexpected finds of ACM

In the event of an unexpected find of ACM, Hindmarsh site management shall:

– cease work in the area, and adjacent work areas and establish a 10m exclusion and containment zone;

– communicate the unexpected find and immediate control measures to potentially affected workers and the regulator; and

– engage an Occupational Hygienist and agree actions for the safe removal.

Emergency Management

Where a failure of nominated control measures is suspected, or accepted exposure limits are exceeded, the following activities shall be managed in consultation with the Occupational Hygienist.

– Work shall cease immediately and the work area evacuated;

– the work area shall be made safe and secured where safe to do so;

– notify potentially affected workers and the regulator;

– Review monitoring activities and nominated control measures; and

– conduct an incident investigation in consultation with State SQE Managers in accordance with the Incident Management procedure.