There are two questions that a lot of people ask when it comes to asbestos; what is asbestos found in, and where does asbestos come from? They’re certainly important questions, as knowing the answers makes it easier to manage asbestos in the workplace.
Is it possible to see asbestos with the naked eye?
All forms of asbestos are invisible to the naked eye, as they can be 50 to 200 times thinner than a human hair and mix with a variety of different materials. Because of this, asbestos can only be identified through the use of specialised testing equipment.
To confirm whether or not a material contains asbestos, you need to submit a sample of that material to a laboratory approved by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) in Australia or International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) in New Zealand for testing services.
How do I find asbestos if I can’t see it?
The golden rule is if you think there’s asbestos, treat it like there is.
If you suspect there may be asbestos in a section of your building, get that area assessed. If you are going to conduct repairs or renovations that could potentially displace asbestos containing materials, contact a licensed asbestos assessor to ensure everyone's safety beforehand.
What do I do if I have asbestos in my building?
Once it has been confirmed that there is asbestos in your workplace, there are steps that you need to take to mitigate the danger and make the environment safe for your workers:
- (If you haven’t already) appoint a coordinator to oversee the management of asbestos.
- The coordinator must prepare a register that includes all identified areas, both accessible and inaccessible.
- Work with your coordinator to eliminate, enclose or seal identified asbestos.
- Implement a system that informs those that attend the workplace (such as employees and contractors) where asbestos is located and may be disturbed.
- Label asbestos containing assets wherever practical.
- Brief employees on the labelling so they are aware
- Keep the asbestos register up-to-date, update it when changes are made (including removal, enclosure, sealing), and ensure that the register is revised at least every five years.
This will ensure the asbestos compliance of your workplace, as the presence of asbestos does not threaten your workers' safety.
What is the best way to remove asbestos from my building?
Of course, only qualified professionals should remove asbestos from your workplace – either a hired asbestos coordinator, or a third party asbestos removal surface. In the event that asbestos needs to be removed from a building site, the following rules should be observed:
- Use wet, non-destructive methods. Saturation and water injection may be needed during friable asbestos removal.
- Dry removal should only be used when wet spray methods are not suitable (e.g. near electrical equipment).
- Negative air enclosures, glove bag methods or continuous misting sprays may also be needed.
What types of asbestos can I find in my building?
Asbestos comes in many different types, making it even more difficult to identify. There are:
- Chrysotile (White Asbestos)
- Amosite (Brown Asbestos)
- Crocidolite (Blue Asbestos)
- Anthophyllite
- Tremolite and Actinolite
These types of asbestos fit into two material groups, which inform the best method to approach isolation and containment for materials that are suspected to contain asbestos:
- Bonded (Non-Friable) - Less likely to break and become airborne
- Loosely Bound (Friable) - More likely to break and become dangerous