In 2013 the Medical Journal of Australia published a study which identified a potential new large outbreak of Mesothelioma associated with home renovation by homeowners, unaware or the risks or of needed safety measures to protect the health of homeowner renovators and their families.

If you need advice to do with asbestos risks with a house you have purchased, have been living in for some time, are renting, you can contact Michael Beale of EnvirosapHe Consulting for further information.   Mobile 0417398850

Useful link to Asbestosawareness             http://www.asbestosawareness.com.au/

Note:  Envirosaphe is said as envirosafe.

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For people buying and selling properties it is now an issue which needs to be addressed as part of legal due diligence.  Property owners, tenants, business premise occupants need to know whether asbestos materials are present in a home, factory, shop or office building.  People purchasing homes constructed before 1987 need to know about asbestos in the house/home they are likely to renovate, especially given the trend for home renovation promoted on TV.

If asbestos is present owners and occupiers need to know where this asbestos is located, what product has been used that contains asbestos, and whether it presents an immediate risk to health.   They also need to know whether, depending upon the planned future of the specific building the risk can be managed before it is expedient to remove it because of redevelopment of the building or site, or by  around 2030 if this date is accepted to be the point at which all buildings in Australia must be asbestos free.

Envirosaphe has been involved in performing asbestos inspections-audits since 1996.   If you are selling a property, purchasing a property, about to lease a property you may want to arrange an inspection so you can be informed in the potential risks you, your family, your colleagues, your employees face from asbestos.

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Asbestos fibres were used widely in building materials before the mid-1980s. If your house was built or renovated before the mid-1980s, it is likely to contain asbestos cement building materials.

You may be surprised at the various types of products that were made from bonded asbestos cement included fibro sheeting (flat and corrugated), water drainage and flue pipes, roofing shingles and guttering, even the backing of vinyl sheet floor coverings.

In NSW, the use of asbestos was discontinued in all fibro sheets and products by the mid-1980s. After this, asbestos continued to be used principally in friction products, for brake and clutch linings. The manufacture and use of asbestos products was banned nationally in Australia from 31 December 2003.

The Importance of Safely Managing Asbestos in and Around the Home

Most people can’t tell whether building materials contain asbestos just by looking at them

Unless you take the required safety precautions and follow regulations, Dont cut it! Dont drill it! Dont drop it! Dont sand it! Dont saw it! Dont scrape it! Dont scrub it! Dont dismantle it! Dont tip it! Dont waterblast it! Dont demolish it! And whatever you do… Dont dump it!

If you do need to work with any material that may contain asbestos, always work so there is minimal dust or small particles released from the asbestos materials

Only scientific testing of a sample of material by an accredited National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) asbestos testing laboratory can confirm the presence of asbestos. For information on testing and accredited laboratories in your area, visit www.nata.com.au or call 1800 621 666  Asbestos materials that are in good condition are unlikely to release  asbestos fibres if left undisturbed

If asbestos materials are in good condition, paint them and leave them alone.

Useful link.

Asbestos Education Committee                  http://www.asbestosawareness.com.au/

Note:  Envirosaphe is said as envirosafe.

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It is possible for you to be trained to identify likely asbestos containing materials.  If you identify materials likely to contain asbestos on a premises you are interested in purchasing you could then request a professional inspection report on the property from the vendor or vendor’s agent.   That way you may be able to avoid unanticipated costs, as management of asbestos risk may be expensive, depending upon your plans for the site, the building, and the need to protect your family, trades people and the Community.

Asbestos identification training may be organised  through your local council if there is sufficient public interest.

Contact your local council to request they provide you with some training, or facilitate training.  Tell them that this is a service you and other home-owners would benefit from.   Tell them about EnvirosapHe and they may be prepared to facilitate this service.

If you are part of a group of people (minimum number of 10 participants) with a common interest in being trained to identify potentially asbestos containing materials in the home you can contact EnvirosapHe to arrange a training program to be delivered in your community.  The cost of the course would be $50.00 per participant for a 2 hour course.

EnvirosapHe for a fee can also arrange for analysis by certified laboratories of samples of materials to determine whether they do contain asbestos.   EnvirosapHe also does provide asbestos inspection and auditing services.

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