4 . CONTROLLING RISKS IN DEMOLITION WORK
Appropriate , clean facilities and amenities must be provided for workers to minimise risks where there are hazardous materials present .
Further specific guidance on hazardous chemicals can be found in the Code of Practice : Managing Risks of Hazardous Chemicals in the Workplace .
ASBESTOS Any construction work , including demolition work that involves or is likely to involve the disturbance of asbestos is defined by the WHS Regulations as high risk construction work and a SWMS must be prepared before this work commences .
The person conducting a business or undertaking with management or control of the demolition work has specific responsibilities in regard to identifying whether asbestos is present and informing others if it is .
Regulation 450
Regulation 451
Where a structure is to be demolished , a person conducting a business or undertaking carrying out demolition work must obtain a copy of the asbestos register for the workplace from the person with management or control of that workplace .
If there is no asbestos register , the person carrying out the demolition work must :
• not carry out the work until the structure or plant has been inspected to determine whether asbestos or ACM are fixed to or installed in the structure or plant
• ensure that the determination is undertaken by a competent person
• if asbestos or ACM are determined or presumed to be present , inform the occupier and owner of the premises ( if domestic premises ) and the person conducting a business or undertaking with management or control of the workplace .
All asbestos that is likely to be disturbed by the demolition must be identified and , so far as is reasonably practicable , be removed before the demolition is started .
If only a part of a building or structure is to be demolished , only the asbestos that is likely to be disturbed during the demolition of that part of the building or structure is required to be removed , so far as is reasonably practicable , before the demolition work commences .
When planning demolition or refurbishment , consider :
• the age of the building and the likelihood of asbestos or other hazardous materials being present
• the location of asbestos in relation to the proposed demolition or refurbishment
• if there are inaccessible areas that are likely to contain asbestos
• whether asbestos is likely to be damaged or disturbed as a result of the demolition or refurbishment work – if yes , can it be removed safely before work commences ?
• type and condition of asbestos present
• amount of asbestos present
• method of demolition or refurbishment and how will it affect the asbestos
• the nature of the ACM ( friable or non-friable ).
Demolition of part of a building , structure , or plant can be carried out to access in-situ asbestos so it can be removed safely . For example , part of a wall may be demolished to access asbestos located in the wall cavity so it can be removed before further demolition .
CODE OF PRACTICE | DEMOLITION WORK 17