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National Asbestos Awareness Week 25 November – 1 December

08/11/2024

There has recently been a national push to remove the remaining millions of tonnes of asbestos from Australian residential, public and commercial buildings. It is estimated that one in three homes in Australia still contain asbestos, which is responsible for an average of 4,000 deaths a year from preventable diseases such as mesothelioma and other lung diseases. National Asbestos Awareness Week is a campaign coming up this month from 25 November to 1 December to raise awareness for the presence of asbestos and the health risks it poses. The campaign targets tradespeople and home renovators to consider the danger of asbestos, encouraging them to call a licensed asbestos professional prior to works taking place that could potentially result in asbestos exposure.

The Australian Government’s Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency (ASSEA) runs a two-phased awareness campaign every year, the second phase coincides with National Asbestos Awareness Week that will include videos, radio, social media, research, and an advertisement in the Bunnings Magazine.

According to ASSEA, if your house was built before 1990, there is a high chance that it contains asbestos. Before conducting renovations as minimal as drilling into a wall, it is important to take steps in order to prevent the risk of exposure. There are some simple steps you can take to be safe at home:

  • Know where asbestos could be in your home. If in doubt, get the product tested, or assume it is asbestos
  • Plan ahead to prevent disturbing and releasing asbestos fibres, especially when renovating
  • Safely remove it if damaged or in poor condition
  • Engage a licensed asbestos removalist when undertaking major home renovations or demolitions where asbestos might be present

Local council areas may be using this time to increase awareness of the dangers of asbestos to homeowners and renovators, for example Cumberland City Council is providing free household asbestos inspections on Saturday 23 November. The council will also be providing a free online asbestos information session and free household asbestos collection for small quantities of loose asbestos.

For more information on asbestos assessment and management, contact the RiskTech team on 02 8745 2000.