1 . INTRODUCTION
• 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
• ensure that all asbestos that is likely to be disturbed by the demolition work is , so far as is reasonably practicable , removed before the demolition commences .
For the purpose of this Code , the person conducting a business or undertaking that has management or control of the demolition work is sometimes referred to as the ‘ demolition contractor ’.
A principal contractor for a construction project ( i . e where the cost of the construction work is $ 250 000 or more ) has additional duties under the WHS Regulations ( Refer to section 3.2 of this Code ):
Designers of structures must ensure , so far as is reasonably practicable , that the structure is without risks to health and safety , when used for a purpose for which it was designed . Designers must give the person who commissioned the design a written safety report that specifies the hazards relating to the design of the structure ( Refer to section 3.3 of this Code ).
Officers , such as company directors , have a duty to exercise due diligence to ensure that the business or undertaking complies with the WHS Act and Regulations . This includes taking reasonable steps to ensure that the business or undertaking has and uses appropriate resources and processes to eliminate or minimise risks that arise from the demolition work .
Workers have a duty to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that they do not adversely affect the health and safety of other persons . Workers must comply with any reasonable instruction and cooperate with any reasonable policy or procedure relating to health and safety at the workplace .
1.3 What is required to manage the risks associated with demolition work ?
Regulation 297
Regulation 34-38
A person conducting a business or undertaking must manage risks associated with the carrying out of construction work .
In order to manage risks under the WHS Regulations , a duty holder must :
• identify reasonably foreseeable hazards that could give rise to the risk
• eliminate the risk so far as is reasonably practicable
• if it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risk , minimise the risk so far as is reasonably practicable by implementing control measures in accordance with the hierarchy of risk control
• maintain the implemented control measure so that it remains effective , and
• review , and if necessary revise control measures so as to maintain , so far as is reasonably practicable , a work environment that is without risk to health and safety .
4 CODE OF PRACTICE | DEMOLITION WORK