ASBESTOS AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS – Audits, Work Plans and Clearance Certificates

Asbestos users and risks:

Fibro Asbestos Building Sheets

Fibro building sheets that the Building Diagnosis Centre has personally termed “Bonded Fibro Asbestos Cement Sheet” (BFACS) are flat Asbestos Cement (AC) sheet material extensively relied on in the building industry. According to WorkCover researchers, Fibro is fibrous silicate minerals from the Serpentine group containing Chrysolite known as white asbestos. Generally speaking, Fibro is the original hard dense flat sheets installed to external and internal walls, ceilings and eaves beneath roofs and the gable ends of roofs. Often used in the backyard garage and toilet shed.

Fibro corrugated asbestos cement roofing sheets were often used on many fibro clad homes, roofs to factories, warehouses, schools, hospitals, temporary portable structures, churches and shops to name most. This corrugated sheet material was also installed for wall / fence cladding and weatherboard style cladding.

Later, once the term fibro was dropped from the identification of asbestos cement, the new term Fibre Cement (FC) sheets became known that also had asbestos and other hazardous materials that could become an health risk if the material was subject to corrosion or impact damage as was the above mentioned fibro tagged materials. These fibre cement sheet materials mainly manufactured in flat sheets and shapes were softer less dense sheets except for the “compressed sheets” purposely produced for facades and floor sheets within buildings and for external balconies and terraces.

Friable Asbestos Material

Friable asbestos is not a material that Building Diagnosis Centre consults with, except to mention that where Asbestos Cement (AC) sheet material (that we termed “Bonded Fibro Asbestos Cement Sheet” (BFACS)) when found buried in the ground during excavations of building sites, is then classified a Friable asbestos material of which our consultancy does advise on.

Friable asbestos is any material that contains asbestos and is in the form of a powder or can be crumbled, pulverized or reduced to powder by hand pressure when dry. This is the worst health risk material out of the two types mentioned herein.

Friable asbestos material was commonly used as an ingredients for wet application rendering especially in industry sectors with cloth type asbestos for heat insulation purposes. This is not commonly detected to the locations mentioned above that Building Diagnosis Centre advises on. Should it be detected by our consultants we would make recommendations for its examination through a NATA-accredited laboratory.

Deterioration

Structures with the above-mentioned Asbestos Cement Fibro (BFACS) and Fibre Cement (FC) exterior roof and wall cladding in coastal and industrial locations are the worst offenders for surface deterioration as the external material is usually un-painted without the special protective coatings that help to encapsulate asbestos fibres once corrosion removes the cement paste protection.

This material could become a health risk when subject to surface corrosion, drilling, sanding and impact damage releasing asbestos fibres to the environment.

Additionally, roof asbestos fibres once corrosion damages the cement paste, would wash the hazardous material into the roof gutters and contaminate the ground below where gutters become blocked or flooded during storm periods, especially with leaking gutter joints and roof downpipes discharged over the ground; not connected into the stormwater system.

Why inspect

Asbestos inspections provide information on the presence, the condition, and advices on safety and living conditions. Removal of hazardous asbestos from deteriorated roofs, eaves, gables, walls, ceilings and floors often from structures like factories, warehouses, schools, hospitals, temporary portable structures, churches and shops to name most.

The preparation and disposal of the hazardous material together with the equipment used for protection. Reinspections are necessary to provide clearance certificates. Advices are often given when asbestos is not being removed but when protection recommendations are a priority for the occupants including the adjoining neighbours. Local authorities are now insisting on inspections as mentioned below.

Comprehensive audits/surveys

Building Diagnosis Centre advises clients on all below 5-stage examples of our consultancy. Depending on what the client or building owner requires (we usually assist to create the brief), the extent of consulting can reach all 5 stages. Especially where alterations and additions, demolition and complete removal of the structures are required. A requirement by the local authorities with all development applications (DA) is now compulsory for inspections prior to Council issuing the construction certificate (CC).

We provide minor scratch test of suspected hazardous surfaces, collect samples to supply a laboratory NATA-accredited for testing and reporting. We issue written expert reports and photographic evidence record, specifications and recommending if supervision for removal and tipping of the hazardous materials including lead hazards is necessary by our impartial experts.

The reports are beneficial regarding council’s DA conditions that include for demolition and construction, assessments of buildings generally and for purchasers, vendors, authorities and the business sector.

• Stage-1 Asbestos check: Initial Visual Inspection for the existence of Asbestos, lead dust, lead paint and issue report.
• Stage-2 Where necessary, acquire samples and furnish for test results of the hazardous materials in question analysed in a NATA-accredited laboratory and mounted on a microscope slide then examined by phase contrast microscopy in accordance with the applicable Guidance Note.
• Stage-3 OH&S “Survey Report” (SR) for large projects is the identification (marking/tagging) survey inspection prior to commencement of sealing, removal or building demolition.
• Stage-4 OH&S “Work Plan” (WP) when areas are over 200m2 includes preparation, removal and disposal of the hazardous materials in question.
• Stage-5 OH&S “Environmental Management Plan” (EMP) includes a section “Safe Work Method Statement” (SWMS).

Codes & Acts

Building Diagnosis Centre Pty Ltd consultancy relies on the following codes, regulations and acts for all asbestos consultancies.

1. Building Code of Australia (BCA).
2. Standards Australia AS AS4349.1-1995 and amendments: Building Inspections
3. Standards Australia AS2601: 2001 - The Demolition of Structures.
4. WorkCover Authority “Your Guide to Working with Asbestos March 2003”.
5. WorkCover Authority “Living With Fibro June 1998”.
6. NOH&SC Asbestos Code of Practice for the Safe Removal of Asbestos Draft February 2004.
7. OHS Regulation 2001 2nd edition February 2002.
8. Code of Practice for Ceiling Dust Removal of the Australian Dust Removalists Association Incorporated (ADRA).
9. WorkCover advise from Lead Education and Abatement Design (LEAD)

Lead hazardous materials

Lead dust and painted building components are included with our Asbestos Cement Fibro inspections by the Building Diagnosis Centre. We rely on our experienced trained and qualified consultants in performing this consultancy.