Working with ACM: tasks that can normally be carried out by plumbers
Work in vicinity of ACM
If the ACM is sealed and enclosed, not damaged and your work is not going to disturb the ACM; a risk assessment should be completed to document this.
Working in a work shop with AC walls
Working in boiler room with asbestos lagged pipe work
Asbestos containing material (ACM) in good condition, sealed or enclosed in position where it is not disturbed or easily damaged is not a health risk. It has the potential to be a health risk if disturbed or damaged. (It is like a sleeping dragon)
Work on ACM
Work on ACM that has minimal potential to generate airborne asbestos fibre is of minimal risk. A risk assessment should be completed to document this.
Cleaning AC gutters
Painting AC sheet walls
Work on ACM that has the potential to generate airborne asbestos fibre is a potential risk. A risk assessment must be completed to document this and procedures established for the work to control the generation of airborne asbestos fibre.
Cutting AC water pipe
Drilling holes in AC sheet
Small scale removal of ACM
Removal of ACM has the potential to damage ACM and the generation of airborne asbestos fibre is a potential risk. A risk assessment must be completed to document this and procedures established for the work to control the generation of airborne asbestos fibre.
Removing a flue from a gas appliance
Removing a burst piece of AC water pipe
Questions to be asked before you start the job
Is it ACM? y/n
3 options
Consult the site record of results if it is a workplace
Take sample for identification
link to WorkSafe site for Asbestos Bulletin No 1, Approved Asbestos Analysts
link to NATA site with list of analysts
Deem that it is ACM from own knowledge & experience
Is it friable or non-friable? y/n
“friable” means, when dry, may be crumbled, pulverised or reduced to powder by hand pressure, or as a result of a work process becomes such that it may be crumbled, pulverised or reduced to powder by hand pressure;
If friable cannot remove and should not work on
link to WorkSafe site with list of Class A
Does task to be carried out involve removal of ACM?
Greater than 10m2 of ACM in area y/n
Is going to take longer than one hour? y/n
Will you need to do any other work involving ACM in the next 7 days? y/n
If yes to any of the above a Class B removalist is required to carry out task
link to WorkSafe site with list of Class B
If you are going to carry out the task involving ACM
Need to conduct a Risk assessment
link to risk assessment proforma
Need to have procedure to carry out task involving ACM