Asbestos safety risk from high pressure water hoses in focus for Asbestos Awareness Week

The dangers of using high pressure water hoses on asbestos cement roofs, fences and walls will be a focus of Queensland’s Asbestos Awareness Week (25 November to 1 December 2024).

• Asbestos Awareness Week runs from 25 November to 1 December
• A free webinar for homeowners and renovators available online
• A recent Asbestos audit of workplaces resulted in more than 150 improvement notices issued relating to Asbestos
• There have been ten work, health and safety prosecutions involving breaches with asbestos containing materials in the past 12 months.

In Queensland, it is illegal to use high-pressure water hoses on asbestos cement roofs, fences, and walls – there are substantial fines and clean-up costs for those found to have breached the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act).

Over the last 12 months, there have been ten prosecutions by the Office of Work Health and Safety Prosecutor (OWHSP) related to work, health and safety breaches involving asbestos containing materials. Many of these have involved the improper use of high-pressure water spray cleaning to clean an asbestos roof.

“Asbestos, commonly found in construction materials from the 1940s to the late 1980s, poses no threat if undisturbed and in good condition.

“However, improper cleaning, handling, or disposal of asbestos-containing materials releases dangerous fibers into the air, posing serious health risks. If you encounter asbestos, you need to ensure you take adequate precautions before disturbing it,” Office of Industrial Relations Deputy Director General Donna Heelan said.

“Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) recently completed a proactive compliance campaign across Queensland from 1 August to 31 October 2024, undertaking 182 asbestos audits of businesses operating from buildings constructed before 1990 and those likely containing asbestos. The audits focused on compliance with requirements under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Regulation) and codes of practice to have asbestos registers and management plans in place.”

“As a result of the campaign, 23 non-compliance issues were identified by inspectors at workplaces, and each was rectified with inspectors onsite. Additionally, there were 151 improvement notices issued by WHSQ.”

The statewide audit forms part of the National Strategic Plan for Asbestos Awareness and Management 2019-2023 (NSP) and the Statewide Strategic Plan for the Safe Management of Asbestos in Queensland 2022-2025. These aim to eliminate asbestos-related diseases in Australia by preventing exposure to asbestos fibers.

Held every November, Asbestos Awareness Week aims to increase awareness of the risks associated with working with asbestos-containing materials and drive behavioural and attitudinal change about the importance of work health and safety when Queenslanders are doing home renovations.

WHSQ is offering a free, livestreamed webinar on Thursday, 28 November at 10am AEST, designed specifically for homeowners, renovators, and trades professionals.

The webinar will cover essential topics, including how to identify asbestos-containing materials in homes built before 1990, safe removal practices, the dangers of high-pressure water blasting, and real-life case studies of what happens when things go wrong, including fines for illegal asbestos removal.

To register or for more information, visit the Queensland Government Asbestos website.

A recording of the session will be available on the Asbestos website for those unable to attend or who would like to rewatch the webinar at a later date.

Asbestos Awareness Week (25 November–1 December) provides an important opportunity to educate the public about the dangers of asbestos exposure.

A range of resources are available for download, including the powerful film ‘Losing Breath – The Adam Sager Story’. Created by Queensland Safety Advocates Julie and Don Sager. The film tells the heartbreaking story of their son Adam, who died from mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos as a child.

Practical guidance material includes information for asbestos workers and removalists, trades, and contractors, licensed asbestos assessors, homeowners and renovators, commercial building owners, body corporates and tenants, volunteers and local government.

Further information

Read more about asbestos prosecutions.