5 Steps to Managing Asbestos in Heritage Properties in Australia

In Australia, it is not merely optional to manage asbestos in heritage properties. Instead, it is a legal duty under the laws set by the WHS. Thus, in any building constructed before the 1990s, asbestos management falls critically under heritage protection requirements. So, let’s look at a few key steps to manage asbestos in Australian heritage properties. 

Asbestos can be found as a common building material in pre-1990s buildings in Australia. It can be found everywhere, from being mixed in cement to insulation systems. However, over time, asbestos has been identified as a health challenge. 

Now, the management of asbestos has a dual responsibility- to manage public health and conserve heritage. For the responsible parties, such as property owners, managers, councils, or a PCBU, there are some important steps to follow to efficiently manage the asbestos. This post will look into these possible steps. 

Step 1: Identify the Materials Likely to Contain Asbestos

Where is asbestos most likely to be found in Australian heritage buildings? These likely locations that can be common asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) include:

• Cement sheeting (ceilings, fibro walls)
• Roofing and eaves
• Vinyl tiles and tile backings
• Pipe insulation systems
• Switchboards and fire doors

These are usually very commonly present in buildings constructed pre-1990 in Australia. Asbestos used to be considered a cheap, durable, and extremely fire-resistant material that was widely used for insulation and fireproofing. This is why it is important that for buildings constructed before 1990, asbestos testing should take place. 

However, asbestos is generally not a risk until it is disturbed. It then turns into fibrous materials that, when inhaled, can lead to major health risks. And the high-risk disturbance activities include:

• Home renovations
• Service upgrades
• Flood or fire damage

Step 2: Conduct a Licensed Asbestos Survey

The second and a key step in an asbestos management plan in Australia is to conduct a licensed asbestos survey. Some may even consider a refurbishment survey. However, that will not yield the same results as the asbestos management survey. How are they different? Let’s look into the differences between the two:

Table 1: Asbestos Management Survey vs. Refurbishment Survey

So, the more visual and safer method of asbestos management survey is considered a mandatory step before forming an appropriate asbestos management plan. 

Moreover, this survey also needs to follow regulations, such as:

• The survey requires competent persons/bodies to undertake it with the support of appropriate WHS regulations.
• It requires proper sampling methods, and the testing should be accredited by NATA. Reporting to the right authorities is also essential. 
• For workplace safety, this asbestos management survey should also come with a clearly maintained asbestos register. 

Step 3: Develop an Australia-Compliant Asbestos Management Plan (AMP)

In this third step, the question to ask is what actually counts as an Australia-Compliant AMP (Asbestos Management Plan). This can be understood effectively with the help of the knowledge of what is expected by Australian Regulators. 

According to Australian regulators, the mandatory components of an AMP are:

• Asbestos testing, identification of ACMs, and risk ratings
• Implement control measures – These include elimination of exposure whenever possible, licensed asbestos removal, health monitoring, and adherence to the exposure limit (<0.1 fibres/mL). 
• Restrict access – Access to the areas consisting of asbestos should be extremely limited to only a handful of personnel (who will be equipped with the correct protective equipment).
• Review schedules – Any AMP or asbestos register maintained by heritage building renovation projects should be reviewed at least every five years, or in the case of suspected disturbances. 

Also, the asbestos management plan that is devised should ensure alignment with:

• Work Health and Safety (WHS) regulations and State-wise EPAs.
• Approval of local development councils. 
• Integration of the AMP with the heritage conservation plans. 

Step 4: Decide Between Management, Encapsulation, or Removal

In this step, it will become important to make the decision between whether to manage the asbestos, or encapsulation, or complete removal. And for all of it, the idea will be to avoid breaching heritage controls. 

So, how to decide between the three? Let’s look at the differences between them first:

Table 2: Management vs. Encapsulation vs. Removal

Based on these differences, what would be the ideal choice for a heritage property? If you are looking for the least invasive but temporary option, management will be the ideal choice for you. However, if you want a nearly permanent solution, you should seek removal. But for a moderate choice, the best option would be to go for encapsulation!

However, in every case, asbestos testing will be important before making a decision. 

Step 5: Ongoing Monitoring, Training, and Documentation

The final step is to ensure long-term compliance in Australia. For the long-term compliance aspects, here is what you should consider:

• Regular condition inspections. The frequency of the inspection should depend on the asbestos risks posed. 
• The training obligations for workers and contractors need to be followed for practices such as using proper protective equipment and proper handling of the ACMs, and so on.
• After every revision or retaking a survey on asbestos exposure, you need to update the register.
• It is important to record retention for audits and for future renovations. 

Thus, it is important to maintain constant monitoring and the documentation of all the reports that need to be sent to the appropriate authorities. 

Speaking of appropriate authorities, here are the state-wise regulating bodies that you need to keep in mind for reporting:

Table 3: Regulatory bodies as State-wise authorities to report to

Final Thoughts

Here, the 5 best ways to manage asbestos in heritage properties in Australia have been established. These five steps have included identifying likely asbestos-containing materials, conducting a mandatory licensed asbestos survey, developing an Australian-Compliant AMP, making the decision between management, encapsulation, and removal, and finally, ongoing monitoring and documentation practices. 

Planning a Heritage Property Renovation? Check for Asbestos Today!

If you are planning a project to renovate or remodel a heritage property, checking for asbestos and devising an asbestos management plan becomes necessary. So, partner up with a notable organisation with expertise, and get the site checked for asbestos today!

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