Clearance Certificates Explained — When You Need One and Who Can Issue It in Australia

What is a clearance certificate?

A clearance certificate (sometimes called a clearance report) is a document confirming that an area where licensed asbestos removal has taken place is safe for normal use. It means the removal has been completed to the required standard, the area has been inspected, and where necessary, air monitoring results confirm fibre levels are below the acceptable threshold. Until a clearance certificate is issued, the removal area should not be reoccupied or handed back for general access.

When is one required?

Under the model WHS Regulations, a clearance inspection must be carried out after all licensed asbestos removal work. That means any friable removal (Class A) and any non-friable removal that required a Class B licence (generally removal of more than 10 square metres of bonded asbestos).

For friable asbestos removal, the clearance process includes a visual inspection of the removal area and air monitoring to confirm airborne fibre concentrations are at or below 0.01 fibres per millilitre of air. For non-friable removal, a visual inspection is the minimum requirement, though air monitoring may also be conducted depending on the circumstances and the assessor's professional judgement.

The area must not be reoccupied, and the enclosure (if one was used) must not be dismantled, until the clearance certificate has been issued. For context on the full removal workflow, see what to expect during asbestos removal.

Who can issue a clearance certificate?

This is where it gets specific. For friable asbestos removal, the clearance inspection and certificate must be carried out by a licensed asbestos assessor. If you're unclear on how assessors differ from surveyors and removalists, it's worth understanding the distinction before engaging someone. This is a person who holds an asbestos assessor licence issued by the relevant state or territory regulator. The assessor must be independent of the removalist who did the work. You cannot have the same company remove the asbestos and then clear their own work.

For non-friable removal, the Regulations require clearance by a "competent person." In most jurisdictions this still means a licensed asbestos assessor, though some states allow a competent person with appropriate training and experience to carry out the visual inspection for bonded materials. Check with your state regulator, because interpretations vary.

The independence requirement exists for good reason. It prevents conflicts of interest where a removalist might be tempted to sign off on incomplete work to finish a job quickly.

What should a clearance certificate contain?

The model WHS Regulations specify that the clearance certificate must include:

• The date of the clearance inspection
• The name and licence number of the asbestos assessor (or competent person)
• The address of the workplace where removal was carried out
• A description of the area cleared
• A statement that the area is safe for normal use
• For friable removal, air monitoring results confirming fibre levels are at or below 0.01 f/mL

In practice, a thorough clearance report will also include photographs of the cleared area, details of the air monitoring methodology used, the laboratory that analysed the samples (which should be NATA-accredited), and any observations about residual materials that may need ongoing management.

Air monitoring during and after removal

For Class A (friable) removal, air monitoring is mandatory during the removal process and as part of clearance. The monitoring must be carried out by a licensed asbestos assessor or a competent person under their supervision. Samples are typically analysed using membrane filter methods at a NATA-accredited laboratory.

The clearance air monitoring result must show that the airborne asbestos fibre concentration in the removal area is no greater than 0.01 fibres per millilitre of air. This is the same as the workplace exposure standard, confirming the area is safe for unprotected access.

Keeping records

The PCBU who manages or controls the workplace must keep a copy of every clearance certificate. The WHS Regulations don't specify a minimum retention period for clearance certificates specifically, but asbestos-related records should be kept for at least 40 years in line with health monitoring record requirements. Given that asbestos-related diseases can take decades to develop, long-term record keeping protects both building occupants and the organisation.

Your asbestos register should also be updated to reflect the removal. Note what was removed, when, by whom, and reference the clearance certificate.

What to do if something looks wrong

If you're handed a clearance certificate and something doesn't sit right (the inspection seemed rushed, there's no mention of air monitoring for friable work, or the same company did both removal and clearance), raise it. You have the right and the obligation to question the process. Contact your state regulator if you suspect the clearance was not carried out properly. A faulty clearance puts everyone who re-enters that space at risk.