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