Information for trades / contractors

If you are a tradesperson or contractor and you carry out maintenance on a pre-1990 building you could be exposed to asbestos. Before carrying out any work: Stop. Think Asbestos. Seek Advice.

Common work situations involving the use of asbestos cement (also known as A-C) sheeting and other asbestos-contained materials include tradespeople such as electricians and plumbers installing or shifting services; installation or removal of A-C sheeting; and taking samples to check if a material contains asbestos.

If it is unknown whether the material you will be working with is asbestos, check to see if the owner of the building has an asbestos register which lists those areas with asbestos materials. If there is no register, there are two options:

• Have the material tested for asbestos, or
• Treat the material as if it contains asbestos until you know otherwise.

Licensed asbestos removalist

Schedule 3 of the Workplace Heath and Safety Regulations identifies the type of work that requires a licensed asbestos removalist.

Type of work involving:

• the removal of thermal or acoustic insulation materials which consist of or contain asbestos;

• the removal of asbestos – cement products or other asbestos containing materials; or

• the removal of decorative materials which consists of or contain asbestos,

but does not include

• the removal of asbestos – cement product or other non-friable asbestos containing material (such as that bonded to vinyl or resin) that covers less than 10 square metres; or

• the removal of a sample of material for the purposes of identifying the material

• the removal of insulation material that consists of or contains asbestos for the purposes of carrying out maintenance or repair work, where the material removed does not extend more than one metre in any direction from the place of maintenance or repair

Information booklet

Fact Sheet

NT WorkSafe notification of work

Schedule 5 of the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations lists the type of work to be notified.

• Removal of asbestos or a substance containing asbestos that is required to be performed by a person who is the holder of an Asbestos Removalist's licence

Regualtion 26 states that a person shall not commence work of a type specified in Schedule 5 or permit such work to be commenced unless the Authority is notified. Notification under shall be in the approved form and given not later than 7 days before the date on which the work is to commence.

The approved form is FM019a (pdf) Notification of work - removal of asbestos or material containing asbestos (word template)

.