Asbestos

Asbestos Hazard Management

Services provided

GETEX, an Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) and Environmental services company, provides an integrated range of consulting, monitoring and testing services on asbestos and other hazardous materials.

Asbestos is covered under state and federal legislation. Over 300 hundred different asbestos containing materials have been identified within Australian industry.

The asbestos related services supplied by GETEX are tailored to meet each individual situation. GETEX can supply a complete range of asbestos services including the supervision of asbestos removal projects. All services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Other than full project management/supervision, your needs may only extend to requiring one or two of our other services, these services include:

Asbestos Surveys/ Audits / Registers

Surveys, sometimes called audits, are in many situations mandatory under state regulations. Site inspection and sampling is undertaken by experienced professional consultants to determine the extent, type and condition of any asbestos containing materials (ACM) present.

The resulting report is aimed at meeting legislative requirements and providing advice on controlling the associated risk.

Project Management / Supervision

If asbestos removal or other 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 contractors supervision, final clearance inspection and sign off upon completion.

GETEX personnel have many years of experience of addressing concerns of affected stakeholders and are happy to meet and speak with individuals and/or groups before, during or after works have commenced to discuss any concerns that they may have or to provide any additional information or services.

GETEX personnel have the experience to apply Australian (state) and international guidelines depending on where your site is and sometimes on your parent company’s country.

Asbestos Sampling & Fibre Identification

Sample analysis to determine if asbestos is present. A minimalist approach to sampling is usually preferred. Design of an efficient sampling program depends upon years of experience and serves to minimise cost to the client and facilitate a faster service. When sampling is undertaken for example during asbestos surveys and clearance inspections, all identification is undertaken by an external NATA accredited laboratory to assist in removing any conflict of interest.

Asbestos Air Monitoring

Checking air quality on site to determine whether asbestos fibres are present and if so the type and concentration. GETEX is NATA accredited and complies with ISO/IEC 17025 for this service.

GETEX have the capabilities and experience to undertake control (static) and exposure (personal) monitoring. Control air monitoring should be performed whenever asbestos containing materials are being removed, to ensure control measures are effective.

Litigation

Expert opinion, preparation of documentation, collection and coordination of evidence. Senior GETEX personnel have acted many times as expert witnesses and undertaken works on projects acting under legal privilege.

Asbestos in Soil Including Classification of Asbestos Contaminated Soil for Disposal

All methods utilised for a soil asbestos decontamination program should be based upon risk assessment. GETEX personnel can provide complete asbestos in soil management advice and can demonstrate many years of soil and asbestos experience.

Site Surveys sometimes require the need to undertake below ground investigations. These are sometimes undertaken following a detailed review of the site history including the use of aerial photographs and are often done in conjunction with a preliminary site contamination investigation.

Waste2 Guidelines and Landfill3 Guidelines require that soil and/or waste leaving a site for disposal must be classified as inert, solid, industrial or hazardous. Licence conditions apply to all licensed landfill facilities setting out which wastes may or may not be received. In general this means that the waste receiving facility (landfill) will have in place procedures for waste acceptance, inspection, sampling and analysis to ensure that prohibited waste does not enter the facility.

GETEX can help by undertaking on-site sampling of the soil/waste to be removed from the site prior to excavation and transport to the landfill. GETEX can then provide a written disposal report or classification certificate which will provide the necessary verification to the waste receiving facility. The report or certificate will describe its physical and chemical nature, to ensure its appropriate classification and the health and safety of all parties involved in its handling.

Preparation of Asbestos Removal Plans

GETEX personnel have spent many years working alongside contractors and site controllers in the preparation of effective Asbestos Removal Plans (ARP) or Scopes of Work (SOW), which define the scope of asbestos materials to be removed and the general requirements for the removal of asbestos containing materials (ACM) from workplaces. These documents are used to call tenders from contractors and to control the removal process in accordance with NOHSC4 Codes of Practice. Each document is created in consultation with the client and is site specific to the task at hand.

A good ARP is flexible and provides specific instructions, limitations and general guidance to the contractor/s and client to facilitate a safe removal process. It should take into consideration and be responsive to all reasonably anticipated asbestos related emergencies during the removal process and work together with the Contractor’s Site Specific Emergency Plan. GETEX can also assist in the preparation of this document.

Asbestos Clearance Inspection

GETEX can provide an experienced competent person who is independent from the contractor responsible for the work as required by the NOHSC1 to conduct a clearance inspection following completion of the asbestos removal works.

Clearance Inspections involve the use of visual inspections and clearance air monitoring. Clearance air monitoring should be independent of the above contractor and assessed as part of the planning and conduct of asbestos removal works1. The sampling of surfaces for settled dust may also be used as part of a clearance inspection. However, this should only be a part of the overall asbestos removal plan once the reasoning behind the inclusion of settled dust sampling has been explained to the client.

Services - Consulting, management, monitoring and inspection services covering:

• Hazardous Materials
  Lead,Silica, Dusts, Petroleum Products, Solvents, Gases
  Inspections/Registers
  Air Monitoring
  Management Plans
• Occupational Hygiene Services
  Airborne Contaminant monitoring
  Workplace Assessments
  Risk/Hazard Analysis
• Air & Water Quality
  Assessment & Monitoring
  Indoor/Commercial
  Environmental/Industrial
• Site Contamination Assessments
  Soil Contamination Testing
  Disposal Reports
  Remedial Action Plans
  Validation Reports
  VENM Reports
• Confined Spaces
  Testing, Inspection, Management
• OH&S Audits and Management Systems/Plans
• Environmental Audits and Surveys
• Occupational Noise
• Risk/Hazard Assessments
• Health and Safety Inspections
• Pre-Purchase Due Diligence Assessments
• Compliance Audits & Surveys
• Management Systems /Plans and Training
• Technical Due Diligence Pre-Purchase Inspections
• Litigation
  Expert opinion/witness/legal privilege

Download the Asbestos Hazard Management Information Sheet (PDF)