National Asbestos Awareness Week runs from the 22 – 28 of November this year, and a new campaign from the national safety regulator is encouraging Australians to Think Twice About Asbestos.
With a rise in renovations and remodelling as people spend more time at home, SafeWork is reminding Aussies that as many as one in three homes still contain the deadly material, and rates of illness linked to asbestos exposure are on the rise.
To stay safe while working on renovations or at work, SafeWork has released a video with three easy steps to remember to keep people safe.
1. Check Up
Remember that if the home was built prior to Australia’s asbestos ban pre-1990, it’s critical to make the appropriate regulatory checks. If you’re in doubt about any part of the work, call a licensed asbestos professional to give you the all clear before you proceed.
2. Gear Up
Before you start work, make sure you have the appropriate personal protective equipment. Masks are critically important when there’s a risk of asbestos exposure.
3. Remove Safely
If you do find asbestos, SafeWork always recommends using a licensed asbestos removalist to remove it, no matter the size. For asbestos amounting to more than 10 square meters, you must use a licensed professional.
If you do decide to remove or work with less than this amount, you must do it in line with the Code of Practice.
SafeWork has released a range of videos that cover off setting up your work area while working with asbestos, how to safely drill into asbestos containing materials and how to correctly decontaminate an asbestos work area when working with or removing less than 10sqm of non-friable asbestos.