Thread: Asbestos around the home

Those in other states and many in QLD who havn't had a good look at our current WHS legeslation probaly won't appreciate the wide ranging ramifications.

In QLD employment law has absolutely no influence on WHS law.
They have comprehensivly bunged up almost every concevable loop hole and removed almost every impediment to prosecution.

And unless it is a very few specific situations being a householder will give you no comfort or protection at all from general duty of care.

Then there is the electrical safety act..... now that IS a piece of work.

As for asbestos specificaly..........no matter the question... unless you are doing precisely what they say....... the answer is NO.
Very sternly, no discussion and in any of 8 popular languages.

Don't mess with the WHS people in QLD.

cheers

Looks like I'll be doing the course then !
Can anyone point me in the right direction for a place in Brisbane that hires out vaccum cleaners suitable for asbestos cleanup ?

Many thanks

Just a by the way: the ban on asbestos use in brake linings came into effect only fairly recently so watch out for dust when working on your own vehicle.

As already posted, the stuff was used in pipes domestically and by public authorities.

The damaging effects of asbestos insulation were noted in US Navy ships from the 30's, and the Egyptians were aware of the health effects of breathing rock dust. End of trivia night.

Originally Posted by blairis

Looks like I'll be doing the course then !
Can anyone point me in the right direction for a place in Brisbane that hires out vaccum cleaners suitable for asbestos cleanup ?

I've spoken to a number of hire companies and none of them do it. I've decided, instead to buy a Nilfisk GD930S2 which costs about $800 including delivery from www.cleanerswarehouse.com - based in NSW.

Even after buying that, I'll still have saved a bucket of money!

Hope that helps.

It doesn't suprise me that you can't find anyone that hires out the vacuum cleaners. Imagine the liability (morally and financially) to your employees because a DIYer never emptied it out properly before bringing it back.
It sounds way too risky for me.

Rod

Organised to have floorboards polished in a rental late last year, and the company doing the work had their lad take up the kitchen tiles as part of the deal. I dropped in as the task was being completed to find the keen-as-mustard junior in a cloud of dust, and then noticed that the discarded tile underlay - torn to pieces - was marked "Hardi..". When I called Hardies, they said to assume that it contained asbestos, but the flooring company owner didn't seem at all perturbed when I brought it to his attention. Guess that was because he wasn't around to breathe the sh** in, and I suspect that the junior in question wasn't family.

Now I’m thinking back... two years ago I went into my own backyard to take clothes off the line and saw men in spacesuits dismantling the asbestos shed next door. I'd been given no warning of what was taking place less than 10 feet away. Nor had anyone in the street. Is that considered safe practise?

Having made further enquiries, it seems that old linoleum might also contain asbestos. Probably like the stuff I helped remove from my sister's house in Sydney recently. Dear God...

While it is true that there is no safe level of exposure to the stuff, it may be some consolation to know that there are plenty of workers who've been exposed to it without any health effects.

The latency period is up to 25-30 years however. I'm one of those waiting and watching.

Hi all

I'm having some 6m of asbestos fence removed and replaced at the reno, as its all broken and a privacy screen added to the back fence. I hired the proper tradie etc. He was fully aware etc.

Had a phone call from him yesturday afternoon (he turned up to do the job without letting me know - so I did not warn the neighbours etc) The nieghbour at the back, yelling and screaming etc about the privacy screen. she's not happy Jan!! I had asked and was told it's fine - I am paying for it all - fences are only 1500 high, no privacy.

He told me they will be back today at 7.30am to finish, so I hopped down there to check why the neighbours not happy etc. To find the trady pulling out the old fence etc. Now where's all the safety gear he is supposed to be wearing??? Oh in the truck he's says

Go figure - I am sure by the conversation I had with him that he is fully aware of the dangers, but chose to ignore it. He gave me the impression that its all to hard.

Note, the neighbours problem was the size of the supports on her side of the fence - no concern what so ever regarding the asbestos fence being dismantled and that her kids are running around the back yard - 5 feet away???

I solved the support problem - by having the trady shorten them on her side. I told her it would be a good idea if she kept her kids inside until he is finished, and I left, I wasn't hanging around. I won't be back until monday when the dust has settled. Tho he had pulled it all out with out chipping or breaking.

Celeste

Originally Posted by Rodt68

G'Day Pharmaboy2,

Sorry you disagree but in Qld under the WH&S legislation the home is definately a workplace if asbestos removal or work is being done.

If NSW is different fair enough but I have seen it being enforced and was involved in local government when this particular part was being introduced approx 18 months ago.
My references to an employer etc was in direct reference to the Qld WH&S Act and how it is interpreted there. Volunteers such as Apex etc that perform working bees have to come under the OH&S requirements of the schools, councils or whoever they are performing the service for and in some instances are classed as employees / workers.

Renovators are fair in the frame for these obligations also and if the reno is over $80,000.00 they can even be classed as a Principal Contractor for construction work which has even further obligations for themselves. This is the way it is being enforced at the moment and until it gets changed and an exemption written in I unfortunately can't see it getting any better.

Cheers

Rod

hi Rod and Mic - Simply amazed that workplace laws are used instead of hazardous materials, and for QLD to have stricter laws would have to be a first in any area!

For people in qld with smaller amounts, found this.

http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace...nded/index.htm

"
The removal of less than 10m² of bonded asbestos does not require a certificate. However it can only be performed by a competent person.
A competent person is a person who possesses adequate qualifications, such as suitable training and sufficient knowledge, experience or skill, to perform a specific task safely. "



I know this has been mentioned back somewhere else in the thread, but the typical use of the word "competent" is legal speak for, the the prosecution has to prove its case, the defence doesnt have to - so while doing a course will possibly give you protection from action under the legislation even if you stuff up - a job done with regard to the guidelines for under 10m2, is fine as well - ie without a license. A license would be categorically specified otherwise.

Thus reading the guidelines for removal, and been able to answer any inspector - re thickness of plastic, not cutting, bonded, low wind conditions etc etc (is respirator required?) makes yopu easily able to stand up and say you are competent - took all care etc (for under 10m of bonded only) - competent in the eyes of a reasonable man so to speak - might be a bit tough to defend if you went at it with a sledgy the tossed it out a second storey window into the plastic lines skip!

IMO if the govt were serious about it as a health issue, they would provide testing for a nominal fee, and also take small amounts at a similar nominal cost (given the amount that disapears in wheelie bins due to zealous regs.)

cheers

Originally Posted by pharmaboy2

...................and for QLD to have stricter laws would have to be a first in any area!.............

By the sounds of some of the building and renovating horror stories I've heard around here I think our laws and regulations for licensing of contractors in the building industry is far stricter than most other states.

Mick

Originally Posted by journeyman Mick

By the sounds of some of the building and renovating horror stories I've heard around here I think our laws and regulations for licensing of contractors in the building industry is far stricter than most other states.

Mick

Hi all

I do not think it is a matter of laws/regulations - It's how do you police them!!!

Should I tell someone that the fencing fellow didn't protect him self?

Non of the neighbours are bothered, I do not know how long they were living with the broken fence, it has probably been shedding fibers for a while now. Should some one have been told that the asbestos fence was falling apart and shedding fibers? and that the lousy landlord (not me old owner) won't fix it?

It all starts getting rather complicated.


Celeste

G'Day Celeste,

Remember though that if he was not releasing any fibres into the air you don't have to wear any PPE etc as it is breathing the fibres in that gives you the problems.

I had a contractor once that couldn't pull it out by hand once and decided to use an angle grinder while holding his shirt over his mouth for protection.

He definately was reported to the authority and had the book thrown at him.

G'Day Pharmaboy,

The Qld legislation also says that if you are performing work on or removing ACM (Asbestos Containing Material) you have to comply with the national "Asbestos Management Code" and "Asbestos Removal Code" respectively. There is no limit on the amount for this and so it is regardless of whether you need the certificate or not.

Good luck to all the renovators out there who want to work on it.

The good thing though is that these documents are freely available through WHSQ website.

Sound like a safety guy don't I?

Cheers

Rod