Who can I get to...?

• ...help me determine whether I've got asbestos in my house/on my premises?
• ...do general maintenance work on my house?
• ...remove/dispose of asbestos from my house?

Who can I get to help me determine whether I've got asbestos in my house/on my premises?

In the ACT, someone with an asbestos assessor licence is able to identify and assess the presence of asbestos and, if they have an A class licence, provide recommendations on the safe management of the identified asbestos. Asbestos assessors have several professional responsibilities under the:

• Building Act 2004
• Dangerous Substances Act 2004
• Constructions Occupations (Licensing) Act 2004

These responsibilities include: indentifying the presence of any asbestos products; assessment of the potential risks; and providing recommendations for the safe management of the identified asbestos. Asbestos assessors need to perform all tasks in accordance with their licence type and in a professional manner.

• More information about licensed asbestos assessors.

Who can I get to do general maintenance work on my house?

If you have general maintenance work you need done on your house, you can contact your local tradesperson in the relevant area. However, if your house contains asbestos (or is likely to contain asbestos) and the work you require to be done is in an area where asbestos is located (or is likely to be located), the tradesperson you engage must work in one of the occupations* stated below AND must have successfully completed any one of the courses stated below. In addition, the tradesperson is limited to handling** small amounts (less than 10 square metres) of bonded asbestos only.

Approved Occupations

*So far as the occupation relates to providing adjustment, addition, alteration, construction, demolition, enhancement, maintenance, removal, renovation, repair, or upgrading services in respect of any part of a building's structure, fabric, integral fixtures, mechanical services, fire services, access services, egress services, electrical services or piped services.

Approved Courses

1. The Course in Identification and Safe Handling of Asbestos with national accreditation number '80803ACT' or
2. The Course in Asbestos Removal and Supervision with the national accreditation number '80804ACT' or
3. Any course that would entitle a person to supervise or remove bonded asbestos under a licence or registration in an Australian jurisdiction.

Who can I get to remove/dispose of asbestos from my house?

You need to employ an asbestos removalist when renovating or repairing property where asbestos is present and may be disturbed

Removing, breaking, cleaning, cutting, drilling, filing, grinding, sanding or smashing materials that contain asbestos can release very fine and potentially dangerous asbestos fibres into the air where they can be easily inhaled. While people in the building, trades, maintenance and service sectors may work with and remove small amounts (up to 10 square metres) of bonded asbestos as part of their daily work activities if they have, through an approved course, received appropriate training for working with asbestos, these people are not licensed asbestos removalists and should not engage in removing asbestos as an occupation or be engaged as asbestos removalists. (That is, people working in the building, trades, maintenance and service sectors should only handle asbestos if they happen to be working on an area that contains asbestos and have had appropriate training to work with it.)

An asbestos removalist should be used if a material containing asbestos is in poor condition

In the ACT, you must have a current A class asbestos removal license or a current B class asbestos removal license to remove more than 10 square metres of bonded asbestos. Friable asbestos can only be removed by someone who has an A class asbestos removal license. If you are not trained or appropriately licensed to carry out asbestos work, engage someone who is. It is important that any asbestos removal work is carried out in accordance with the asbestos removal code.

• More information on asbestos removalists.
• More information on how to safely dispose of asbestos waste.