Safe Environments Slip Check team were engaged by a NSW state government department to undertake an asbestos and hazardous building materials inspection to create an asbestos register to the Wagga Wagga and Riverina surrounding locations.  The purpose of the asbestos inspections were to comply with the NSW Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011. The Work Health and Safety Regulation requires that all Persons Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) must ensure that an asbestos register be kept at a place of work.

The asbestos register is a manifest which identifies all those materials containing asbestos or presumed of containing asbestos so that all people who are likely to come in contact with the asbestos will know the location. More so it is important for tradesman and contractors in the Wagga Wagga or surrounding areas such as Junee, Gundagai, Coolamon, Narrandera, Temora or Cootamundra to know that when they work on a building they can easily identify which materials are asbestos.

The asbestos register will also provide a risk assessment of the asbestos along with any recommendations to ensure that the risk is as low as reasonably practicable. Contractors and tradesman in the Coolamon, Narrandera, Gundagai , Temora, Cootamundra, Wagga Wagga or Junee areas should not be alarmed about asbestos in buildings, but be alert to their presence. Asbestos awareness training is a perfect start to ensure that the workforce understand the risks. Particularly that one asbestos fibre does not kill. It’s a dose response relationship; it’s not the same as getting struck by lightning. It’s more akin to developing melanoma from sun exposure. One ray of light won’t kill, but if you’re down at the river trying to catch the Wagga Wagga 4 O’clock wave every day sunbaking then the chances increase.

It’s an absolute travesty what has occurred in the past, however the asbestos related disease, in the main which we see is from significant exposure that we would not see today. Although there is much talk of the third wave of asbestos victims, only time will tell.

Don’t take the risk and be part of the third wave if you’re about to undertake a renovation to your house in Wagga Wagga, Temora, Coolamon, Narrandera, Junee within the Riverina. Contact Asbestos Check to come and undertake an asbestos inspection of the area, or you can send a sample for us to test and determine whether fibro or the like contains the asbestos.

To address the risk of your building and workforce, please contact Asbestos Check to first undertake an asbestos inspection, provide asbestos awareness training and then assist with an asbestos management plan. Its time not to just sweep the issue under the carpet, be proactive and ensure that you have controlled your asbestos related risks.

Other Asbestos related news for the Riverina Area (Wagga Wagga, Temora, Coolamon, Narrandera, Junee) reported by ABC on 31 January 2014 includes concerns of asbestos within Charles Sturt University (CSU) set for demolition in the South Wagga campus. With any building at that age there will be some form of asbestos cement sheeting and there has been extensive testing to confirm the presence of asbestos sin derelict buildings that will be demolished.

There will be need for council approval to proceed and the general public should be aware that these days there are strict controls in place which includes asbestos air monitoring during the removal phase. Controls are put in place including wetting down surfaces and wrapping asbestos materials in plastic sheeting and the use of asbestos enclosures. If the public are concerned they should ask for asbestos air monitoring certificates and the results of asbestos clearance inspections provided by a qualified asbestos assessor or occupational hygienist.