What is the Purpose of an Asbestos Survey?
And who shall I engage to undertake it?
A Competent Person, Asbestos Consultant or Occupational Hygienist?
What is the main purpose of an Asbestos Survey?
To assess the relative ability of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) to release fibres into the air based on its present condition, friability, and accessibility should they be disturbed.
In doing so, it is recommended that a survey must as far as practicable and at minimum, locate and record any presumed or known ACMs; inspect and record the accessibility and condition of any presumed or known ACMs; and determine and record the asbestos type, in order to manage the risk.
It must also satisfy The NSW Occupational Health & Safety Regulation 2001. Under the NSW Occupational Health & Safety ACT 2000 an employer is required 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), the 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) ] .
Which One should I use to Survey my Building for Asbestos (Hazardous) Materials?
To answer this, lets answer a few more important questions:
What is a Competent Person?
Chapter 1: Definitions of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 defines that a "competent person" for any task means a person who has acquired through training, qualification or experience, or a combination of them, the knowledge and skills to carry out that task.
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.
A competent person preparing the above documents should have:
- Demonstrated years of experience in asbestos related issues;
- Appropriate Qualifications;
- Appropriate levels of Professional Indemnity Insurance, specifically mentioning asbestos;
- A solid understanding of Asbestos Removal options and techniques of asbestos removal;
- Specialized knowledge of Asbestos Air Sampling testing and interpretation of results- Note: In general, consultants who are considered for major projects are NATA accredited for asbestos fibre counting and air volume measurement and
- A solid understanding of Asbestos Clearance criteria and the epidemiology of asbestos related diseases.
What is an Asbestos Consultant?
An Asbestos Consultant is a Competent Person suitable for the preparation of an asbestos site audit or asbestos/hazardous materials survey and Hazardous Substances Management Plan (HSMP) 3 . Asbestos Consultants may also be considered as Occupational Hygienists in their chosen field or specialized branch.
What is Occupational Hygiene?
Deakin University defines Occupational Hygiene as being concerned with “ the recognition, evaluation and control of environmental factors associated with the workplace which may cause illness, impaired health and wellbeing, or significant discomfort and inefficiency amongst workers or members of the public. Environmental factors can be chemical, physical, biological, ergonomic and psychosocial in nature”.
Who is an Occupational Hygienist? And what does one do?
An Occupational Hygienist can recognise occupational factors that cause illness or inefficiency and understand their effect on human beings; evaluate the magnitude of these factors and of the response of an exposed population to them; and prescribe methods to eliminate, control or reduce the influence of the adverse factors. The profession of occupational hygiene as with many other professions has professional qualifications which take into account not only education but also experience and skills developed.
Consultants capable of conducting asbestos inspections, surveys, performing asbestos air monitoring and clearance inspections with qualifications and experience will often find themselves referred to as Occupational Hygienists . However, many may title themselves differently or their firm may place a title on them which differs to the title of Occupational Hygienist, such as Environmental Scientist, Environmental Consultant or Asbestos Consultant. Many individuals will obtain additional accreditations, relevant to asbestos related work, such as obtaining National Association of Testing Authorities1 (N.A.T.A) signatory or counter status, their firm also obtaining laboratory accreditation for asbestos fibre counting, air volume measurement or asbestos identification. If a consultant so chooses, he or she, may decide to make a submission to the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygiene , Inc2 and become registered as a consultant in occupational hygiene. Further study and experience may enable them to be considered for higher grades of membership.
Why should you engage an Asbestos Consultant or Occupational Hygienist to do asbestos surveys?
- Most persons or firms who can confidently identify themselves as experienced occupational hygienists or asbestos consultants have been working within the field of occupational hygiene for a number of years.
- Some have chosen to provide specialised services in asbestos and have obtained further accreditations and/or memberships. A person who consults in occupational hygiene and asbestos should have a solid background in asbestos issues .
- They can act as a competent person as defined by WorkCover NSW and should have significant knowledge: relating to the identification and removal of asbestos; air sample testing (conducted by a NATA registered laboratory) and interpretation of results ; asbestos clearance criteria and the epidemiology of asbestos-related diseases.
Hence, an occupational hygienist or asbestos consultant not only obtains samples for identification but takes into consideration the consequences of disturbing asbestos . In general, it is unlikely that a person specialising in work as an architect or building inspector will also have the above related experience, knowledge or accreditation/s.
Not all Occupational Hygienists are Competent Asbestos Consultants |
Persons acting as Occupational Hygienists, often have all the requirements necessary of acting as an Occupational Hygienist, however they may not undertake much work within the Asbestos Industry. Be sure to visit the AIOH website ( www.aioh.org.au ) and select Asbestos Consultant from the Consultant Search area and ask your hygienist for evidence of their experience.
What about Insurance ? Is that Important?
Companies who specialize in occupational hygiene type work will have employees doing regular asbestos work in residential and commercial environments who will be aware of the consequences of incorrectly removed asbestos during renovation or demolition and the use of unlicensed or under qualified contractors.
An asbestos consultant or occupational hygienist who considers themselves experienced in the area of asbestos issues will have Professional Indemnity Insurance which specifically mentions ASBESTOS. This may cost the occupational hygiene firm between $40,000 & $70,000/year, and because of this ongoing cost most firms operated by a single person will not have this 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
Why Choose GETEX?
• Trained Asbestos 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.
• Trained Asbestos Consultants employed by Getex are also members of Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists, Inc (AIOH)
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.
WE ARE HERE TO HELP
PLEASE PHONE (02) 9889 2488 and VISIT: www.getex.com.au
24 HRS/ 7 DAYS
GETEX or its employees are members of the following organisations:
- Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia (ADFA)
- Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists, Inc (AIOH)
- Clean Air Society Of Australia & New Zealand (CASANZ)
- Safety Institute of Australia (SIA)
- Master Builders Association (MBA)
- Property Council of Australia (PCA)
- Housing Industry Association (HIA)
- Australian Institute of Project Management (AIPM)
- Australian Water Association (AWA)
- Institute of Engineers , Australia (IEAUST)
- Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI)
- Australian Institute of Environmental Health (AIEH)
- National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)
- Environment Business Australia (EBA)
- Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD)
1 What is NATA?
NATA is Australia 's Government endorsed provider of accreditation for laboratories and similar testing facilities ( www.nata.asn.au ). To support its accreditation programs, NATA also operates proficiency testing programs (e.g. the National Asbestos Program NAP through Proficiency Testing Australia), in which GETEX participates. The benefit of NATA accreditation and proficiency testing is to enable the client to select reliable testing and measurement services.
2 What is the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists, Inc (AIOH)?
The Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists Inc. (AIOH) was formed in 1980 and incorporated in Victoria in 1988. The overall objective of the Institute is to help ensure that workplace health hazards are eliminated or controlled. It seeks to achieve this by:
- Promoting the profession of occupational hygiene in industry, government and the general community.
- Improving the practice of occupational hygiene and the knowledge, competence and standing of its practitioners.
- Providing a forum for the exchange of occupational hygiene information and ideas.
- Promoting the application of occupational hygiene principles to improve and maintain a safe and healthy working environment for all.
- Representing the profession nationally and internationally
The above was obtained from http://www.aioh.org.au/about_obj.asp
3 A Hazardous Substances Management Plan (HSMP) is according to WorkCover a document that “requires additional information such as risk assessment, training, consultation, risk control measures and documented safe working practices and procedures” . A Competent Asbestos Consultant who may be an Occupational Hygienist is required. Refer to WorkCover Factsheet Choosing an Asbestos Consultant, Publication No. 4547, February-March 2005.
Our consulting, management, monitoring and inspection services include:
ASBESTOS/HAZARDOUS MATERIALS |
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SITE CONTAMINATION |
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OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY |
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ENVIRONMENTAL |
Download the What is the Purpose of an Asbestos Survey? Information Sheet (PDF)
