Victorian Asbestos Removal Guidelines

Rules & Regulations on Removing Asbestos

Whether you are an employee, employer, homeowner, or tenant, it’s always good to understand the risks of asbestos exposure. It’s also important to learn how to safely manage or remove asbestos.

Asbestos fibres are carcinogenic and can be a great health hazard when inhaled. Therefore, you should ensure to remove and dispose of them safely. Hire an asbestos abatement professional with the qualifications below;

• Must have a certificate for the transportation of the asbestos waste
• The transport vehicle must have a waste transport permit
• The asbestos waste should be disposed in land licensed for asbestos disposal

Removing asbestos on your own

If you live in Victoria and plan on removing asbestos yourself, you must follow the regulations contained in Victoria’s asbestos removal guide. These include;

• You can transport domestic asbestos using your vehicle
• A transport certificate or a vehicle permit is not necessary for a domestic asbestos
• Ensure  correct packaging of asbestos before transporting
• You must transport the packaged asbestos to a licensed landfill

Landfills receive commercial or domestic asbestos. However, some accept asbestos from any place. Search for your nearest licensed asbestos landfill because you must make sure your asbestos has been disposed off safely.

Where can you find asbestos?

Asbestos, in its tiny particle forms, can be found in places such as;

• Electrical parts
• Vehicle parts especially the brake pads
• Where there are vinyl tiles on the floor
• Fibre cement especially in sheeting and piping

If you inhale the dust containing asbestos, these fibres get stuck in the walls of your lungs exposing you to a risk of getting cancer later in life.

Repeatedly inhaling asbestos fibre may lead to;

• Inflammation of the lungs
• Scarring of your lungs
• Mesothelioma- this is a rare type of cancer

Victoria’s laws and guidelines on asbestos removal 

There are various laws and Acts that govern the removal of asbestos in Victoria region. The Occupational and Safety Act 2004 (OHS Act) and the OHS Regulations act 2017  gives an outline of all duties relating to workplace health and  protection in Victoria.  Moreover, part b4.4 of this regulations act only deals with asbestos.

In this compliance code, you will get the relevant information you need to comply with guidelines and obligations in regards to asbestos removal. Additionally, this information is very relevant if you are a professional in the abatement of asbestos. Therefore, you should also read it if you don’t remove asbestos but working in an area prone to exposure to asbestos fibres

This information includes;

• The main obligations for controlling exposure
• How to know who manages and controls a workplace
• Limits administered for asbestos and materials containing asbestos
• Various ways for asbestos abatement
• Requirements for asbestos removal process
• Requirements for a licensed asbestos removal expert
• More necessities for Class A asbestos removal expert
• Work-related air monitoring and clearance assessments
• Who is an independent person according to part 4.4 of the OHS Regulation act
• Obligations involved in place of soil contaminated with asbestos
• Technical information needed in place of an asbestos removal site

Safety measures during asbestos removal 

The following safety measures minimize the chances of exposure to asbestos. According to the asbestos rules, the professionals are the only people certified to deal with asbestos.

• Ensure that you do all the necessary inspection and tests on the area presumed to  contain asbestos
• A licensed professional is the best consideration for the safe removal of asbestos.
• The person undertaking the removal process should wear a face mask, fully covering, and a coverall.
• Seal all ventilation in the working area
• Package the removed asbestos in well-labelled leak-tight containers.
• Take a shower in a clean room separate from the working area before changing into street clothes
• Put the asbestos contents in plastic paper before transporting them to a landfill
• Only bury the asbestos waste in a licensed landfill.

Conclusion

From the above information, it’s obvious that it is unsafe to live in an area contaminated with asbestos. In fact, asbestos fibres are toxic and can cause severe health complications. These dangerous contents can mostly be found in buildings constructed before 1981.

If you haven’t known this before, hire an expert to survey your home to ensure you are in a safe environment. If you don’t know much about asbestos, watch out to avoid exposure to these poisonous particles.