Recently, WorkSafe WA released an information sheet detailing key safety information and advice in relation to dealing with soil contaminated with asbestos.
The fact sheet provides detailed advice for people with management or control of a workplace where soil is contaminated with asbestos containing material (ACM), as well as those involved in inspecting, removing, managing or disposing of asbestos contaminated soils at workplaces.
For the purposes of the safety advice a workplace is defined as any location where a business or undertaking carries out work, including any place where a worker goes, or is likely to be. It also includes residential premises when paid work is occurring at that site.
The WorkSafe WA information sheet deals specifically with soils that are contaminated with ACM and does not does not cover naturally occurring asbestos at a workplace.
Asbestos contaminated soils must be inspected by a competent person, such as a consultant, who has acquired through training, qualification or experience, the relevant knowledge to carry out the task.
The level of detail required for an inspection depends on a number of factors, including:
- background knowledge of the site
- the likely amount and type of asbestos contamination (including sampling and analysis where necessary)
- the likely source of the asbestos contamination.
Practical guidance on how to safely remove asbestos contamination can be found here.