Asbestos Management FAQs

(in accordance with the definition provided by SafeWork Australia)

Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral and can typically be found in rock, sediment or soil. It has strong fibres that are heat resistant and have good insulating properties. You can’t see asbestos fibres with the naked eye and because they are very light, they can be blown long distances by the wind. Because of its properties, which are described as being either ‘non-friable or ‘friable’, asbestos was seen as being very useful for building products.

• Friable asbestos is a material containing asbestos that when dry, is in powder form or may be crushed or pulverised into powder form using your hand. This material poses a higher risk of exposing people to airborne asbestos fibres. Friable asbestos was commonly used in industrial applications rather than the home, although loose-fill asbestos has been found in homes, where it was sold as ceiling and wall insulation.
• Non-friable or bonded asbestos products are solid and you can’t crumble them in your hand—the asbestos has been mixed with a bonding compound such as cement. If non-friable asbestos is damaged or degraded it may become friable and will then pose a higher risk of fibre release.

Generally, it is not possible to determine whether a material contains asbestos simply by looking at it. The only way to be sure it contains asbestos is to get a sample analysed by a laboratory. Please contact Service Delivery who will be able to provide you with advice.

Building owners are not required to dismantle parts of the building or plant to locate asbestos. If there are plans to demolish or alter these areas, an assessment would be undertaken by Infrastructure Service Delivery/Projects to check for asbestos before starting work.

Please contact Service Delivery if you have a concern.

Asbestos has been linked to certain health problems amongst those exposed to high levels of air borne fibres.
Breathing in asbestos fibres could cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.

We know that in Australia, due to the known risks, a total ban on asbestos came into effect on 31 December 2003.
It is therefore illegal to make it, use it or import it from another country.

The activities which may be seen as increasing the risk of exposure to asbestos often relate to construction/capital works activities. (e.g. construction, alteration, fitting-out, demolition or dismantling of a structure which has been identified as containing asbestos or asbestos containing material [ACM]) or suspected of containing asbestos/ACM.

To manage the risk, the University has in place specific requirements for:

• any construction project where asbestos has been identified to ensure the elimination of risk to contractors and any other person in the vicinity;
• all work involving the potential disturbance or removal of asbestos to be conducted under the overall management of Service Delivery Branch;
• the labelling/signage of all identified asbestos; and
• ensuring that only licensed contractors are engaged to remove asbestos in accordance with the Legislative requirements.

(e.g. the presence of asbestos/asbestos containing material is known and identified on the asbestos register).

Notify your supervisor as soon as possible and report the incident in the University’s incident reporting system. This will ensure that you are immediately provided with information, support and guidance. It will also ensure that appropriate action is taken to prevent the exposure of any other workers (or people in the vicinity) and the incident is promptly investigated.

(Note: This is a notifiable incident under the Work Health and Safety legislation and will be managed in accordance with the Report a safety issue or incident HSW Handbook chapter. A permanent record will be created in the University’s Records Management Office so that should any asbestos related health issues occur they can be dealt with under Workers Compensation or other appropriate processes/Insurance.)

Cease work immediately and ensure that other people working in the area are notified of a possible risk (or notify the Supervisor to pass this information on to others). Contact Service Delivery (831 34008) as a priority. The University’s licensed asbestos service provider will be contacted to undertake an analysis and/or air monitoring as applicable. If confirmed, then corrective action will be taken to eliminate the risk of exposure. You will also be provided with support and guidance by your local and central HSW Team.

If you require further information, please contact a member of the local HSW Team.