If your home was built or renovated before the 1990s, there’s a real chance it contains asbestos — a hidden danger that could still be lurking in many areas around the house, including the backyards, sheds, and outbuildings.
Use the find and identify tool (asbestos.sa.gov.au) avasa.short.gy/findasbestos and the residential asbestos checklist (abestos.sa.gov.au) (PDF) avasa.short.gy/RAchecklist to help identify where asbestos might be present.
Use the find and identify tool (asbestos.sa.gov.au) avasa.short.gy/findasbestos and the residential asbestos checklist (abestos.sa.gov.au) (PDF) avasa.short.gy/RAchecklist to help identify where asbestos might be present.
A standard building inspection does not include a check for asbestos, and there is no legal requirement for the seller to declare it.
Any work involving or exposing asbestos is best left to the professionals.
If you’re not sure if a product contains asbestos, treat it as if it is asbestos and take all the necessary precautions!
SUITABLE PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT (PPE) is made from materials that protect you and your clothes from fibres, including coveralls, gloves, safety footwear, shoe covers, gloves and protective eyewear.
Wear the PPE in the following order:
Any work involving or exposing asbestos is best left to the professionals.
If you’re not sure if a product contains asbestos, treat it as if it is asbestos and take all the necessary precautions!
SUITABLE PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT (PPE) is made from materials that protect you and your clothes from fibres, including coveralls, gloves, safety footwear, shoe covers, gloves and protective eyewear.
Wear the PPE in the following order:
1. Disposable coveralls
2. Footwear
3. Shoe covers
4. Gloves
5. Mask
6. Protective eyewear
2. Footwear
3. Shoe covers
4. Gloves
5. Mask
6. Protective eyewear
NOTE: ONLY WEAR old clothes under the coveralls. These should be disposed of with the coveralls after use, safely just like any asbestos waste, double bagged and sealed with duct tape and label ‘DANGER ASBESTOS WASTE’.
SUITABLE RESPIRATORY PROTECTION EQUIPMENT (RPE)
Anyone undertaking asbestos removal must wear a properly positioned, correctly fitted mask to provide effective protection against airborne asbestos fibres. The mask must be tight-fitting and form a seal against the skin, which means the wearer must be clean-shaven – a loose-fitting mask allows asbestos particles to enter the respirator, negating its protective function.
SafeWork SA inspectors regularly encounter incorrectly fitted masks when carrying out compliance inspections.
SUITABLE RESPIRATORY PROTECTION EQUIPMENT (RPE)
Anyone undertaking asbestos removal must wear a properly positioned, correctly fitted mask to provide effective protection against airborne asbestos fibres. The mask must be tight-fitting and form a seal against the skin, which means the wearer must be clean-shaven – a loose-fitting mask allows asbestos particles to enter the respirator, negating its protective function.
SafeWork SA inspectors regularly encounter incorrectly fitted masks when carrying out compliance inspections.
Asbestos awareness PPE & RPE checklist
avasa.short.gy/PPE-checklist
Find a fit tester
respfit.org.au/find-a-fit-tester/
avasa.short.gy/PPE-checklist
Find a fit tester
respfit.org.au/find-a-fit-tester/
Use a Licensed Professional to check for and remove asbestos.
The best way to reduce the risk of serious illness and asbestos-related liabilities is to hire a licensed asbestos professional to accurately identify any asbestos in your property and to safely remove and dispose of it.
A licensed asbestos removalist has the training, and the equipment needed for the safe handling, removal, and disposal of asbestos. They are also comprehensively insured to cover any incidents because of work involving asbestos.
When you hire a person to remove asbestos for you, ask them for information on their license and how they will conduct the work to protect you and your family from exposure to asbestos fibres.
Something as simple as sanding off old paint could expose asbestos, as you can’t tell if a material contains asbestos just by looking at it.
Removing asbestos-containing material is a dangerous task best completed by a professional to avoid putting the homeowner and any family members at risk.
Safework SA maintains a list of current licensed asbestos removalists
avasa.short.gy/AsbestosRemoval
The best way to reduce the risk of serious illness and asbestos-related liabilities is to hire a licensed asbestos professional to accurately identify any asbestos in your property and to safely remove and dispose of it.
A licensed asbestos removalist has the training, and the equipment needed for the safe handling, removal, and disposal of asbestos. They are also comprehensively insured to cover any incidents because of work involving asbestos.
When you hire a person to remove asbestos for you, ask them for information on their license and how they will conduct the work to protect you and your family from exposure to asbestos fibres.
Something as simple as sanding off old paint could expose asbestos, as you can’t tell if a material contains asbestos just by looking at it.
Removing asbestos-containing material is a dangerous task best completed by a professional to avoid putting the homeowner and any family members at risk.
Safework SA maintains a list of current licensed asbestos removalists
avasa.short.gy/AsbestosRemoval
