Asbestos Testing Laboratories in Victoria, Australia

Accredited labs that analyse asbestos samples.

Victoria runs its own OHS laws rather than the national WHS model. Its regulations rely on approved asbestos laboratories, defined as labs approved by NATA to identify asbestos in samples or perform asbestos fibre counting, or approved under a scheme set by WorkSafe Victoria.

Air monitoring runs for the duration of a Class A removal job, and at the end it must show airborne fibres below 0.01 fibres/mL before the clearance certificate can be issued.

Asbestos has been banned across Australia since 31 December 2003, so buildings in Victoria built or renovated before then may still contain it.

EPA Victoria keeps a register of landfills authorised to accept asbestos, and sites on it can still refuse a load, so call ahead. Householders taking their own small amount to a domestic asbestos landfill don't need Waste Tracker or a transport permission. In Melbourne, some listed sites, such as Veolia's Taylors Road Landfill in Dandenong South, are privately operated and commercial only.

We currently list 51 asbestos testing laboratories in Victoria. 49 also offer consulting and 14 are occupational hygienists.

Check a laboratory's NATA accreditation covers the test you need, such as identification in bulk samples or fibre counting, and ask about turnaround times.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do asbestos testing laboratories need to be accredited in Victoria?
In Victoria, as across Australia, asbestos identification should be done by a laboratory accredited by NATA (the National Association of Testing Authorities) to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard, so results are reliable and accepted by regulators. Sampling and analysis follow the Safe Work Australia code of practice referenced by WorkSafe Victoria.
How do I collect and send an asbestos sample in Victoria?
Keep the suspect material damp, take a small piece into a sealed and labelled bag, and avoid sanding, drilling or breaking it. Note where in the building each sample came from so the lab can report on each material. If you are unsure how to sample safely, a NATA-accredited lab or a licensed assessor in Victoria can collect it for you.
How long do asbestos test results take?
Most NATA-accredited laboratories can provide standard asbestos analysis results within 3-5 business days. Priority or urgent services are often available for an additional fee, with results typically returned within 24-48 hours.
What is NATA accreditation?
NATA is the National Association of Testing Authorities. When a lab is NATA-accredited under ISO/IEC 17025, it means they have been independently assessed and shown to use validated testing methods with proper quality controls. For asbestos analysis, this is the standard you should expect from any lab you use.
How are asbestos samples collected and tested?
A trained sampler wets the suspect material to keep fibres down, cuts or breaks off a small piece, and seals it in a labelled bag. At the lab, the sample is examined under polarised light microscopy (PLM). If the result is ambiguous, dispersion staining or transmission electron microscopy may be used. The report will say whether asbestos is present and name the fibre type, usually chrysotile, amosite, or crocidolite. For air monitoring, a membrane filter cassette is attached to a calibrated pump worn by a worker or placed in the area being tested. Fibres on the filter are then counted under a phase-contrast microscope using the NOHSC:3003 membrane filter method.
AustraliaVictoriaAsbestos Testing Laboratories

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