Eastie
29th January 2003, 03:18 PM
Over the last couple of weeks and with the annual a current affair rerun of asbestos horror stories I’ve answered a number of calls re asbestos removal.
For those who use this renovators forum and have asbestos to deal with I offer the following info.
Regardless of private/commercial sectors everyone has a duty of care to ensure that asbestos and products containing asbestos are handled and disposed of without releasing fibres to the air. Employers and workplaces have onerous obligations as directed by state/territory legislation.
If you hire a trades-person to work on your building remember that it is their workplace and whilst they are there laws have to be met. Often owner builders are disapointed when they find the professional builder/subby's will not work on your job until the asbestos is removed.
If you are considering removing and handling waste asbestos, including asbestos cement sheeting:
Follow your states rules and guidelines
Wear a mask and protective coveralls to avoid breathing in any fibres
All other persons should be kept well away.
Wet the asbestos articles and keep them damp to stop any loose particles from escaping (a mixture of hot water and PVA is also helpful in securing lose surface fibres)
Minimise any cutting and breaking of waste to be packed & do not use power saws or compressed air/high pressure water equipment.
Keep waste packages in easy to handle sizes
Double wrap asbestos in polythene sheeting (approximately 0.2 mm thick - check local requirements)
Use adhesive tape to completely cover and seal each package
Label packages to indicate the presence of asbestos
Dispose of clothes used during the removal in the same manner
All to often seen as negligible one of the risks that is often not taken into account is dust material that accumulates on wall/ceiling frames under the sheeting. This dust should be either vacuumed (professionally with hepa filtration) or lightly sprayed with a PVA/water mixture to help bond it in place.
If you are unsure whether the material you are dealing with contains asbestos have a sample of the material tested for asbestos. Contact one of the environmental consultants listed in the Yellow Pages.
Asbestos must only be disposed of at a site licensed by EPA to accept it.
In Victoria a householder can legally remove asbestos in the form fibres bonded by cement, vinyl or resin (i.e. non-friable), for not more than 1 hour in any period of 7 days. After legislative change later this year a cap of 10m2 will also apply. You can also remove a sample of material suspected of containing asbestos for the purpose of analysis – seek advice from your chosen environmental consultant.
For those who use this renovators forum and have asbestos to deal with I offer the following info.
Regardless of private/commercial sectors everyone has a duty of care to ensure that asbestos and products containing asbestos are handled and disposed of without releasing fibres to the air. Employers and workplaces have onerous obligations as directed by state/territory legislation.
If you hire a trades-person to work on your building remember that it is their workplace and whilst they are there laws have to be met. Often owner builders are disapointed when they find the professional builder/subby's will not work on your job until the asbestos is removed.
If you are considering removing and handling waste asbestos, including asbestos cement sheeting:
Follow your states rules and guidelines
Wear a mask and protective coveralls to avoid breathing in any fibres
All other persons should be kept well away.
Wet the asbestos articles and keep them damp to stop any loose particles from escaping (a mixture of hot water and PVA is also helpful in securing lose surface fibres)
Minimise any cutting and breaking of waste to be packed & do not use power saws or compressed air/high pressure water equipment.
Keep waste packages in easy to handle sizes
Double wrap asbestos in polythene sheeting (approximately 0.2 mm thick - check local requirements)
Use adhesive tape to completely cover and seal each package
Label packages to indicate the presence of asbestos
Dispose of clothes used during the removal in the same manner
All to often seen as negligible one of the risks that is often not taken into account is dust material that accumulates on wall/ceiling frames under the sheeting. This dust should be either vacuumed (professionally with hepa filtration) or lightly sprayed with a PVA/water mixture to help bond it in place.
If you are unsure whether the material you are dealing with contains asbestos have a sample of the material tested for asbestos. Contact one of the environmental consultants listed in the Yellow Pages.
Asbestos must only be disposed of at a site licensed by EPA to accept it.
In Victoria a householder can legally remove asbestos in the form fibres bonded by cement, vinyl or resin (i.e. non-friable), for not more than 1 hour in any period of 7 days. After legislative change later this year a cap of 10m2 will also apply. You can also remove a sample of material suspected of containing asbestos for the purpose of analysis – seek advice from your chosen environmental consultant.