EXAMPLES OF ASBESTOS CONTAINING MATERIALS

Why Should I Identify Asbestos Containing Materials?

The NSW Occupational Health & Safety Regulation 2001 under the NSW Occupational Health & Safety ACT 2000 requires an employer to take reasonable care to identify foreseeable hazards including asbestos, and to assess the risk posed by those hazards. The employer is to eliminate or control those risks and is to provide instruction, training and information, personal protective equipment, supervision, and any other appropriate measure. In addition to obligations placed on an employer, the Regulation places requirements on Controllers of Premises with respect to asbestos. For example, a controller of premises “must ensure that a register, in which the type, condition and location of all asbestos and asbestos-containing material in any place of work is recorded, is prepared and maintained”.

The Asbestos Register must comply with the requirements of the National Occupational Health & Safety Commission (NOHSC- now the Office of the Australian Safety & Compensation Council) Code of Practice for the Safe Removal of Asbestos [ NOHSC:2002 (2005) ] and the Code of Practice for the Management of Asbestos in Workplaces [ NOHSC:2018 (2005) ].

Who must prepare the Asbestos Register?

As per the NSW OHS Regulation 2001 a competent person is required to prepare Asbestos/Hazardous Materials Surveys, Asbestos /Hazardous Substances Management Plans, Asbestos Air Monitoring and Asbestos Clearance Inspections.

Hence, large property stakeholders have policies to follow WorkCover Asbestos Guidelines and Fact Sheets for asbestos and use consultants with the following:

Demonstrated years of experience in asbestos related issues;
Appropriate Qualifications;
Appropriate levels of Professional Indemnity Insurance, specifically mentioning asbestos;
Solid understanding of Asbestos Removal options and techniques of asbestos removal;
Specialized knowledge of Asbestos Air Sampling and Asbestos testing and interpretation of results- All consultants considered for major projects are generally NATA accredited for asbestos fibre counting and air volume measurement.
Solid understanding of Asbestos Inspection and Airborne Asbestos Clearance criteria and the epidemiology of asbestos related diseases.

Consultants with the above qualities are able to be considered as “competent persons” in accordance with the NSW OHS Regulation 2001. These Consultants may also be considered as Occupational Hygienists in their chosen field or specialized branch.

What about Insurance? Should the “Competent Person” have Specific Insurance?

Is Insurance Important for Asbestos work?

An occupational hygienist and/or firm who considers themselves experienced in the area of asbestos issues will also have Professional Indemnity Insurance which specifically mentions ASBESTOS

This may cost the occupational hygiene firm between AUS $40,000 & $70,000/year, and because of this ongoing cost most firms operated by a single person will not have this asbestos insurance, and neither will most building inspectors.

Our Cost is your PROTECTION .

DON'T RISK USING SOMEONE WITHOUT ASBESTOS INSURANCE: ALWAYS ASK TO VIEW THEIR CERTIFICATE OF CURRENCY BEFORE YOU ENGAGE THEIR SERVICES

In Summary:
WorkCover recommends the use of a “Competent Person”
Trained Consultants employed by Getex can Act as Competent Persons in accordance with the NOHSC: 3003 (2005) and NOHSC: 2002(2005) documents and OH&S Regulations 2001.
Councils recommend the use of a consultant in Occupational Hygiene for the preparation of asbestos registers and other services
Trained Consultants employed by Getex can Act as Competent Persons in accordance with the NOHSC: 3003 (2005) and NOHSC: 2002(2005) documents and OH&S Regulations 2001 AND Occupational Hygienists as per Council Recommendations.
GETEX offers specialist Occupational Hygiene advice , 24 hours/7 days a week.
GETEX has a laboratory accredited by NATA to ISO/IEC 17025:2005 for asbestos fibre counting and air volume measurement.
GETEX carries full professional indemnity insurance for asbestos work.

What can GETEX do to help in the Identification of Asbestos (and/or Hazardous Materials) in my Building?

While acting in the capacity as a competent person and occupational hygienist, GETEX personnel can undertake a thorough inspection of your premises, take samples where appropriate and prepare an Asbestos/Hazardous Materials Register.

All analysis will be undertaken by an independent NATA accredited laboratory to remove any possible conflict of interest.

The survey will be as discreet and non invasive as possible. Our consultants are well aware of the sensitivities surrounding asbestos issues and will perform their inspection accordingly. Surveys can be conducted out of normal business hours if required. GETEX will survey all accessible areas of the building/s for the type, condition and extent of asbestos materials that might be present. Hazardous Materials Survey can also be performed which will survey all accessible areas of the buildings for the type, condition and extent of hazardous building materials that might be present, including asbestos, lead in paint and PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls).

The Asbestos Register or Hazardous Materials Register will constitute an Asbestos Register under the National Occupational Health & Safety Commission (NOHSC) Code of Practice for the Safe Removal of Asbestos 2 nd Edition [NOHSC: 2002(2005)] and the Code of Practice for Management and Control of Asbestos in Workplaces [NOHSC: 2018(2005)] and will conform to the requirements of the NSW Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 and the NSW Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001.

Additional Asbestos Services:

Asbestos Removal Control Plans or Asbestos Scopes of Work and Asbestos Project Management
If asbestos removal or other asbestos risk management processes are required GETEX can provide a complete package of services to meet a client's needs including liaison with authorities, unions and others, preparation of asbestos removal work plans and tender documentation, assistance with the selection of asbestos contractors and supervision, final asbestos clearance inspection and preparation of an asbestos clearance inspection report. Please contact GETEX on (02) 9889 2488 for information regarding any of your asbestos/hazardous materials related needs.

Asbestos Containing Materials include the following Items:

The following list has been created by the Australian Safety & Compensation Council Code (formerly known as the National Occupational Health & Safety Commission or NOHSC) for Appendix A of the Code of Practice for the Management and Control of Asbestos in Workplaces (NOHSC:2018(2005) , f urther information about this document can be obtained from their website: http://www.ascc.gov.au/

Note as per the Code of Practice for the Management and Control of Asbestos in Workplaces (NOHSC: 2018 (2005) that this is not an exhaustive list. Many products have been made with asbestos, if you are uncertain as to whether a substance contains asbestos, it is always a safer approach to treat the material as though it contains asbestos- the only way a sample can be positively confirmed to contain asbestos is have the sample analysed by a laboratory accredited by NATA (National Association of Testing Authorities) for asbestos identification.

A

Air-conditioning ducts: exterior or interior acoustic and thermal insulation
Arc shields in lift motor rooms or large electrical cabinets
Asbestos-based plastics products - as electrical insulates and acid-resistant compositions or aircraft seat
Asbestos ceiling tiles
Asbestos cement conduit
Asbestos cement electrical fuse boards
Asbestos cement external roofs and walls
Asbestos Cement in the use of form work when pouring concrete
Asbestos cement internal flues and downpipes
Asbestos cement moulded products such as gutters, ridge cappings, gas meter covers, cable troughs and covers
Asbestos cement pieces for packing spaces between floor joists and piers
Asbestos cement (underground) pits, as used for traffic control wiring,
telecommunications cabling, etc
Asbestos cement render, plaster, mortar and coursework
Asbestos cement sheet
Asbestos cement sheet behind ceramic tiles
Asbestos cement sheet internal over exhaust canopies such as ovens, fume cupboards, etc. Asbestos cement sheet internal walls and ceilings
Asbestos cement sheet underlays for vinyl
Asbestos cement storm drain pipes
Asbestos cement water pipes (usually underground)
Asbestos-containing laminates (e.g. formica) used where heat resistance is required, e.g. ships
Asbestos-containing pegboard
Asbestos felts
Asbestos marine board, e.g. marinate
Asbestos mattresses used for covering hot equipment in power stations
Asbestos paper used variously for insulation, filtering and production of fire resistant laminates
Asbestos roof tiles
Asbestos textiles
Asbestos textile gussets in air-conditioning ducting systems
Asbestos yarn
Autoclave I steriliser insulation

B

Bitumen-based water proofing such as malthoid, typically on roofs and floors but also in brickwork
Bituminous adhesives and sealants Boiler gaskets

Boiler insulation, slabs and wet mix
Brake disc pads
Brake linings

C

Cable penetration insulation bags (typically Telecom)
Calorifier insulation
Car body filters (not common)
Caulking compounds, sealant and adhesives
Cement render
Chrysotile (Asbestos) wicks in kerosene heaters Clutch faces
Compressed asbestos cement panels for flooring, typically verandas, bathrooms and steps for demountable buildings
Compressed asbestos fibres (CAF) used in brakes and gaskets for plant and automobiles

D

Door seals on ovens

E

Electric heat banks- block insulation
Electric hot water services - normally not asbestos but some millboard could be present
Electric light fillings, high wattage, insulation around filling (and bituminised)
Electrical switchboards — see Pitch-based
Exhausts on vehicles

F

Filler in acetylene gas cylinders
Filters - beverage; wine filtration
Fire blankets
Fire curtains
Fire door insulation
Fire-rated wall rendering containing asbestos with mortar
Fire-resistant plaster board, typically on ships
Fire-retardant material on steel work supporting reactors on columns in refineries in the chemical industry
Flexible hoses
Floor vinyl sheets
Floor vinyl tiles
Fuse blankets and ceramic fuses in switchboards

G

Galbestos TM roofing materials (decorative coating on metal roof for sound proofing)
Gaskets - chemicals, refineries Gaskets - general
Gauze mats in laboratories? chemical refineries
Gloves - asbestos

H

Hairdryers - insulation elements
Header (manifold) insulation around heating

I

Insulation blocks
Insulation in electric reheat units for airconditioner systems

L

Laboratory bench tops
Laboratory fume cupboard panels
Laboratory ovens - wall insulation
Lagged asbestos exhaust pipes on emergency power generators
Lagging in penetrations in fireproof walls
Lifts shafts - asbestos cement panels lining the shaft at the opening of each floor, and asbestos packing around penetrations
Limpet asbestos spray insulation
Locomotives - steam; lagging on boilers, steam lines, steam dome and gaskets

M

Mastics
Millboard between heating unit and wall
Millboard lining of switchboxes
Mortar

P

Packing materials for gauges, valves, etc., can be square packing, rope or loose fibre Packing material on window anchorage points in high rise buildings
Paint, typically industrial epoxy paints
Penetrations through concrete slabs in high rise buildings
Pipe insulation including moulded sections, water-mix type, rope braid and sheet
Pitch-based (e.g. zelemite, ausbestos, lebah) electrical switchboard
Plaster and plaster cornice adhesives

R

Refractory linings
Refractory tiles
Rubber articles - extent of usage unknown

S

Sealant between floor slab and wall, usually in boiler rooms, risers or lift shafts
Sealant or mastik on windows
Sealants and mastics in airconditioning ducting joints
Spackle or plasterboard wall jointing compounds
Sprayed insulation - acoustic wall and ceiling
Sprayed insulation - beams and ceiling slabs
Sprayed insulation - fire retardant sprayed on nut internally, for bolts holding external building wall panels
Stoves - old domestic type; wall insulation

T

Tape and rope - lagging and jointing
Tapered ends of pipe lagging, where lagging is not necessarily asbestos
Tilux sheeting in place of ceramic tiles in bath rooms
Trailing cable under lift cabins
Trains - country - guards vans - millboard between heater and wall
Trains - Harris cars - sprayed asbestos between steel shell and laminex

V

Vinyl Tiles
Valve, pump, etc. insulation
W
Welding rods
Woven asbestos cable sheath