SafeWork South Australia has confirmed it investigated an incident earlier this month where an asbestos contractor used a high-pressure water cleaner on a cement roof to prepare it for painting.
The use of high-pressure water cleaners on asbestos cement material is prohibited in the state due to the risk of contamination.
In this instance, the homeowner had engaged a painting contractor to clean and paint the roof of the home, and more than half of the surface had been cleaned by a high-pressure water cleaner before a neighbour advised the contractors that the roof was asbestos sheeting. The high-pressure water cleaner had delaminated the surface of the asbestos roof sheeting, and asbestos fibres were washed from the roof, through downpipes and onto a neighbouring property.
During the investigation, the painting contractor said he was not aware of the presence of any asbestos-containing material and was not advised by the homeowner to be aware of asbestos of any kind at the site. SafeWork SA notes that the homeowner is not a duty holder in this instance, and the responsibility to identify the asbestos or risk thereof lay with the contractor.
High-pressure cleaners used on asbestos cement break down the material’s surface and, as was the case in this instance, spread asbestos-containing fibres over a wide area. Asbestos residue dispersed this way is considered friable and easily releases respirable asbestos fibres, which are a health risk.
In this case, the homeowner has contracted the remediation of the site to a licensed asbestos professional, and an asbestos assessor will also need to set up air monitoring and undertake a clearance inspection upon completion of remediation work.
SafeWork SA acting executive director Glenn Farrell explained that asbestos was highly prevalent throughout homes built before 1990, and often occurred throughout the home, not just the roof.
“It is hard to believe that the painting contractor was unaware that the roof may have been asbestos material considering the amount of published information and educational campaigns over many years,” he said.
“Cleaning up properties contaminated by asbestos residue from high-pressure water cleaning is a very expensive process and creates further exposure risks.”