Are you aware of the risks of Asbestos?

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10th December 2019

To the Communities of NSW,

Firstly, and foremostly All Areas Demolition Excavation would like to extend our deepest sympathies to all those affected by the bushfires that have recently torn through many communities and affected so many lives.

During this time, we are reluctant to be on the ground bothering people who have had their property destroyed, however remediation of fire damaged property is what we do and are proud of our abilities to undertake the work in a professional manner. We would like to offer our services with obligation free quotes.

Unfortunately, it has come to our attention that there may be some people who would be offering to clean up following the fires that may not be qualified to do so. We would like to take this opportunity to advise the general public and homeowners of the risks involved.

Following a fire, the risks from hazardous materials is heightened especially when there is asbestos involved. Asbestos fibro sheeting, when destroyed in a fire, releases the bonded fibre into the atmosphere which then settles into the dust within the surrounding & immediate vicinity of the structure. Further information is available on the SafeWork NSW website https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/hazards-a-z/asbestos.

What you should expect from anyone undertaking the work associated with the cleanup:

Testing should be undertaken by a licenced hygienist/asbestos assessor or asbestos removalist and sent to a NATA accredited/ approved laboratory to determine if asbestos is present. No-one can identify the material the naked eye. It must be done under a microscope as the fibers are undetectable without professional identification. More information is available under section 2.3 Assuming asbestos or ACM is present https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/50081/How-to-manage-and-control-asbestos-in-the-workplace-COP.pdf

If there is asbestos present, the person or organisation must hold a Class A licence which means they can undertake friable asbestos removal. The organisation must be able to produce a licence and relevant insurances. For an example of what the relevant licences look like, check out https://www.aademex.com.au/licenses-policies/
Further information can also be found: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/licences-and-registrations/licences/asbestos https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/asbestos-and-demolition-licence-holders

To make the affected area safe in the meantime, the area should be sprayed out with a PVA Glue, dye and water solution to entrap the fibre from becoming airborne and spreading further until removal & remediation o the affected area can take place.

When it comes time to do any removal work the company doing the work should always:

• Spray the area with water to eliminate dust.
• Should have a shower unit for their workers to decontaminate.
• Workers must have PPE that meets SafeWork minimum standards and the current code of practice and legislative requirements.
• The waste to be disposed of is to be transported to a licenced facility, in trucks that are double wrapped and fully covered internally so that the material, although damp, cannot blow out of the truck.
• The contaminated waste to be removed from site is to be registered with the EPA. This removal process must be tracked from when it leaves site until it is disposed of at the licensed waste facility.
• This overall process sets up a flowing level of controls so that the workers and the general public are protected from any dust or airborne contaminates associated with the fire damaged asbestos.

The air quality must also be monitored by a third-party hygienist, independent from the removal contractor to prevent the conflict of interest with the sample results. The results of this monitoring become public knowledge and should be made available to everyone involved.

On completion of the works, the hygienist & removalist should supply you with the clearance certificate inclusive of the air-monitoring & soil sample results so that the area is cleared of contaminated materials.

We make this information available to you in the hope that people already in dire situations are not further affected by unlicenced operators or by people that just don’t do their job properly and are exposing themselves and the wider community to the effects of airborne asbestos.

We understand there may be concerns & questions involved, so please do not hesitate to contact us via phone 02 6654 9417 or email info@aademex.com.au.

Sincere Regards,

All Areas Demolition Excavation.