Health And Safety Duties When Removing Asbestos

Understanding Who Has Health And Safety Duties When Removing Asbestos

Any company dealing with the removal of asbestos needs to know and understand who has health and safety duties when it comes to the removal of Asbestos. To better understand where these duties lie, it is necessary to discuss asbestos removal under general circumstances.

1. Removal from a place of business (not a asbestos removal business)

2. Non licensed removal of asbestos

3. self employed but licensed removal

4. asbestos removal company

Health And Safety Duties When Removing Asbestos From Your Place Of Business

Even if your business does deal with removal of asbestos there still may be instances where asbestos is present and poses a threat either at your business location itself or at a place where some of your employees are sent to perform duties. In such cases, it is the person who conducts the business or an undertaking who has the duty to ensure that all employees:

• Have adequate training to recognize those places where asbestos is likely to be found

• Be able to recognize asbestos containing material

• Know who to report any asbestos risk to

• are removed from any risk of exposure if at all possible or you minimize the risk to your employees.

It is also your duty to contact those who are qualified to remove the asbestos safely.

Non Licensed Asbestos Removal

The WHS does allow for removal of asbestos without a license as long as the material containing the asbestos is under certain size limitations. However, the person who is removing the asbestos material has the duty to protect their own health and safety as well as the health and safety of others by following the guidelines for safe removal, clean-up, and disposal.

Self Employed And Licensed To Remove Asbestos

Some professionals such as plumbers often come across asbestos containing materials in their course of business. Many of these people decide to get a license allowing them to remove this material themselves. In such cases, it is the responsibility of the person holding the license to eliminate or reduce the risk of exposure to themselves and others. This responsibility includes contacting those authorities laid out in the WHS regulations as well as removing, disposing, and cleaning up the contaminated area properly.

Asbestos Removal Businesses

For those in the removal of asbestos business the health and safety duties of removal falls on everyone concerned with the removal process. Owners, operators, and others in managing positions have a responsibility to see that the business and all those working for the business comply with WHS regulations and guidelines.

In addition they are responsible to ensure that they have an removal of asbestos supervisor that is duly licensed and trained for the job.

In turn the supervisor must either be on site (class A license) or readily available and must oversee the removal of the asbestos containing material, seeing that all regulations and safety protocols are followed. It is also the supervisors duty to see that those working under him have the proper training and license to perform the work and they have the correct protective equipment to get the job done as well as apprise the manager or owner of all necessary information.

It is also the employees duty to limit risk to himself and to others by following all the guidelines for the safe removal of asbestos as well as wearing the proper protective gear.

When everyone understands that they are responsible to see to the health and safety of everyone during asbestos removal the risks of exposure drastically decrease.