Asbestos News

Asbestos Registers for Workplaces A person with management or control of a workplace must ensure asbestos at the workplace is identified by a competent person, the location of asbestos is clearly indicated and recorded in a register and have a written asbestos...

For those who want to see what type of investigations and penalties the Queensland Division of Workplace Health and Safety are carrying out in regard to asbestos these may be of...

A PCBU “must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that all asbestos or ACM at the workplace is identified by a competent person or assume its presence” also “must, where asbestos has been identified at the workplace, ensure an asbestos management plan is...

Most people still aren’t aware of the fact that asbestos was frequently used in older-style electrical fuse and meter boxes. For example, electrical backing boards were manufactured containing asbestos as a fire retardant and to resist electrical arcing. Common...

Yes you looked at that new deal – demolition, followed by split the block and sell one and build a house on the other. The financials look good but hang on the building inspector mentioned something about asbestos in the building to be demolished! Shouldn’t be a...

Asbestos Around the Yard In our past blog posts, we’ve talked about some fairly common places to find asbestos: like in your floor covering, drains, roof and fences. But because of its varied beneficial properties, asbestos was used in many other places throughout...

Asbestos Rooves and Fencing Okay you arrive onsite looking for that next deal, you’ve done the financials they work. So any problems with the house in the building & pest - no. Hmmm that’s a pretty mouldy looking roof but the building & pest said it was okay...

Eight of the G20 countries once again failed to ban asbestos. Biggest culprit is the United States who should be leading the way the rest of them Brazil, China India, Indonesia, Mexico Russia & Canada all have poor Workplace Safety regarding asbestos although with...

Well yesterday I created a video of our original powerpoint based on the book "Identifying Asbestos in Your Home" you can view the video here- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-2ArHC_dJo&feature=share Let me know what you think and I will convert our other...

 I'm not a language expert let's get that straight up front. Often when doing a site inspection I may be called upon to explain to people what I am looking for and this can be difficult with people who have English as a second language. I often get puzzled looks from...

Twenty years ago when I had to have made Asbestos Caution signs in 6 different languages for an Australian client in Adelaide I found that the Chinese don't have a word for asbestos. So you can ask for written guarantees from importers till the cows come home if the...

Seriously, I remember doing daily asbestos monitoring and clearance inspection runs to the smelters from Adelaide to Port Pirie 25 years ago for asbestos removals works, sometimes overnight depending on the job, some things they never learn from..... back...

This is pretty big for New Zealand as of 1st of October they are banning the importation of asbestos containing materials. This follows on New Zealand back in April adopting Asbestos Management Plan and Register Laws similar to Australia's. Why this is so big is...

Hello Well we attended the Second annual International Asbestos Conference held in Brisbane in November 2015. We had a stall there exhibiting...

Back in 2012 we found a supplier to crystal healing shops supplying raw asbestos rock to smaller shops. These rocks were being sold as healing rock which could be carved by the purchaser and were supposedly good for MS and lung diseases ( I kid you not). We contacted...

Everywhere I go I see asbestos. You're not supposed to be defined by your job but I can't help it. Just wanted to mention our museums the volunteers at theses places do awesome jobs of protecting our heritage but often they are unknowingly being exposed to asbestos....

We were recently consulted regarding ways to clean out or remediate houses that have been sprayed with asbestos in the roof and had removal works carried out. Having been involved in a lot of sprayed asbestos removal works over the years you can't imagine how...

Just thought I would blog an update as we recently supplied the Asbestos Council of Victoria with a bunch of images of asbestos to be used in their training programs.  The Asbestos Council of Victoria was previously known as GARDS ( Gippsland Asbestos Related Diseases...

Brief History of Asbestos in Australia In Australia before 1939, more white asbestos (Chrysotile) than amphibole (blue/brown) asbestos was mined. After the Wittenoom mine opened in Western Australia blue asbestos (Crocidolite) began to dominate production until this...

Following from my first book I had planned to do a series of books over a number of years aimed at the various trade groups. This plan was brought forward with Comcare ( Federal Government Department responsible for workplace safety, rehabilitation and compensation)...

Hello my Name is Brian Sketcher and I plan on running excerpts from my lastest book "Electricians Guide To Asbestos" in this series of blogs. This book is available in printed, mobi(kindle) epub or pdf for "i" devices or android devices from our website...

Happy New Year Once again asbestos has been found in mulch. This was in early December in Gladstone. Building material and building site recycling is  a good thing but people must stop and consider what they area recycling........ is it or does it have asbestos...

Merry Christmas to all of you out there and hope you have a happy and Safe Christmas and New Years. I've already had queries from people doing a quick bathroom reno on their xmas break about "is that asbestos" well the answer is if it was built pre 1984 it probably...

How many of you were exposed to asbestos at high school? Lets see in my high school which was new in 1979 it was completely clad in unpainted asbestos cement sheeting. Then there's the asbestos desks in science, chemistry and tech studies. If you went to an older...

Once again evidence of not up to scratch asbestos pits removal have been found in the Morayfield Caboolture Area North of Brisbane. Remember these pits are not just used for telecommunication work but also electrical and traffic light signal pits so they are...

Really.... of all the dumb things out there that use asbestos Heres another one just discovered being brought into Australia http://www.productsafety.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/1004149 Although after finding it in healing crystals I shouldn't be suprised....

My Father always taught me there wasn't much around the house that couldn't be fixed (one way or another) with the use of an angle grinder ( to cut out the problem) and a hammer ( to bash the replacement back in). If you have a relative  ( Dad, Grandad, Son, Brother)...

The Qld State Government continues to insist that low density asbestos board is not friable despite other states and government bodies recognising that it is. I have seen and posted images of this material showing what it is like and it is definitely friable. The...

A Victorian asbestos awareness group says "deaths from mesothelioma will overtake deaths caused by ovarian cancer and skin cancers". Vicki Hamilton from GARDS ( Gippsland Asbestos Related Diseases Society) says rates of asbestos-related disease in Gippsland will...

To stop illegal dumping the NSW Government will waive the waste levy for asbestos disposal. The Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council in particular should take note considering BCC refuses to take asbestos waste 

Professor Bruce Robinson AM has been named WA Australian of the year. He leads a team responsible for the first blood test for mesothelioma.

The Government Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency has created a National Plan as guidelines on how they are going to tackle the massive asbestos problems across Australia. I was at one of the forums that has been travelling around the country discussing and...

Asbestos Audits Queensland provided images for training projects and information brochures to assist in asbestos awareness through being able to show actual examples of materials that contain asbestos. These images were provided fee free on the basis they are to be...

The Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency has been established to provide a national focus on asbestos issues which go beyond workplace safety to encompass environmental and public health issues. The Agency has broad functions including: encouraging, coordinating,...

After our Book releases we have created two presentations for training  and Asbestos Awareness. The First is based on our book 'Identifying Asbestos In Your Home" and is aimed at home renovators. The second entitled "Asbestos Awareness" is for those businesses or...

We are proud to release our next book "Electricians Guide To Asbestos". Following from our first book it was planned to do a series of books over a number of years aimed at the various trade groups. This plan was brought forward with Comcare (Federal Government...

In our past blog posts, we’ve talked about some fairly common places to find asbestos: like in your flooring, drains, roof and fences. But because of its varied beneficial properties, asbestos was used in many other places throughout houses built before 1990. Let’s...

One of the most common areas to find asbestos in your home is the roof. It’s also one of the most dangerous, because of its constant exposure to extreme weather conditions (sun, hail and strong winds), which can damage the asbestos-containing materials and result in...

Finding asbestos in your home can be scary, but it’s important not to panic. The most important thing at this point is to make sure you remove and dispose of it in the safest way. Here are some common questions we get asked about asbestos removal and disposal – and...

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral that poses significant health risks when airborne. There are three main types of asbestos that have been used commercially in Australia: crocidolite, amosite and chrysotile. Let’s take a look at each of them and how...

In our previous blog posts, we’ve talked about the risk of asbestos exposure in our own homes. Asbestos was used during the construction of two thirds of all Australian houses. But did you know that one of the most hazardous forms of asbestos in the home is in floor...

Speaker: Singh, Sen Lisa Source: Senate Date: Wednesday, 21 November 2012 Senator SINGH (Tasmania) (19:16): I was fortunate to have been invited to represent Australia at the International Day for Asbestos Victims recently, a conference organised by the French...

This week is National Asbestos Awareness Week, which serves as a reminder of the danger that asbestos continues to pose in our homes, workplaces and communities. It is also a time to remember the families affected by asbestos-related diseases. The first documented...

Most people know very little about asbestos. It’s only when they’re halfway through renovations and realise they’re dealing with the deadly material, or tragically when they or someone they know is suffering from an asbestos-related disease, that they start looking...

In the 19th century, the building industry was all about asbestos. This fibrous mineral was used in anything from ceiling insulation and floor tiles to fences and wall cladding. Over two thirds of Australian houses today will have asbestos used in their construction...

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral that became popular among manufacturers and builders during the 19th century, due to its unique properties of fire resistance, tensile strength, sound absorption, low electrical conductivity and chemical resistance. It...

With any home renovation project it is important to take appropriate steps to ensure the health and safety of you and your family. With asbestos present in most Australian homes built before the end of the 1980s it poses a significant health risk to any home...

The Federal Minister for Workplace Relations, Bill Shorten, today joined forces with Australia’s top-rating renovating program The Block and major hardware retailer Mitre10 to raise awareness for DIY renovators about the dangers of asbestos. Read more at the following...

The Chairman of the Asbestos Management Review (the review), Mr Geoff Fary, provided his report, including recommendations for the development of a national strategic plan to improve asbestos awareness and management in Australia, to the Hon. Mr Bill Shorten, Minister...