Workplace Health and Safety (Asbestos Removal Work) Compliance Standard 1996

Queensland Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY (ASBESTOS REMOVAL WORK) COMPLIANCE STANDARD 1996 Reprinted as in force on 31 October 1996 (standard not amended up to this date) Reprint No. 1 This reprint is prepared by the Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel Warning—This reprint is not an authorised copy

Information about this reprint This standard is reprinted as at 31 October 1996. Minor editorial changes allowed under the provisions of the Reprints Act 1992 mentioned in the following list have been made to— • use standard punctuation consistent with current drafting practice (s 27) • use aspects of format and printing style consistent with current drafting practice (s 35) • correct minor errors (s 44). Also see endnotes for information about— • when provisions commenced • editorial changes made in the reprint, including table of corrected minor errors.

Queensland WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY (ASBESTOS REMOVAL WORK) COMPLIANCE STANDARD 1996 TABLE OF PROVISIONS Section Page 1 Short title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 Commencement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3 Who standard applies to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4 Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 5 Minimising the risk of exposure from asbestos fibres in asbestos removal area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 6 Minimising the risk of exposure from asbestos fibres in asbestos removal site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 7 Erecting containment barrier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 8 Monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 9 Controlling release of asbestos fibres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 10 Stopping work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 11 Dismantling containment barrier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 ENDNOTES 1 Index to endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 2 Date to which amendments incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 3 Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 4 List of legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 5 Table of corrected minor errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

s1 3 s4 Workplace Health and Safety (Asbestos Removal Work) Compliance Standard 1996 WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY (ASBESTOS REMOVAL WORK) COMPLIANCE STANDARD 1996 [reprinted as in force on 31 October 1996] ˙ Short title 1. This standard may be cited as the Workplace Health and Safety (Asbestos Removal Work) Compliance Standard 1996 . ˙ Commencement 2. This standard commences on 2 July 1996. ˙ Who standard applies to 3. This standard applies to an asbestos removalist who does asbestos removal work. 1 ˙ Definitions 4. In this standard— “asbestos” means the fibrous form of the mineral silicates belonging to the serpentine and amphibole groups of rock-forming minerals and includes— (a) actinolite, amosite (brown asbestos), anthophyllite, crocidolite (blue asbestos), chrysotile (white asbestos), tremolite; and (b) any mixture containing 1 or more of the minerals mentioned in paragraph (a). 1 The Workplace Health and Safety (Hazardous Substances) Compliance Standard 1995 prescribes the ways to prevent or minimise exposure to the risk of asbestos used at a workplace.

s4 4 s4 Workplace Health and Safety (Asbestos Removal Work) Compliance Standard 1996 “asbestos fibre” means a fibre of asbestos having— (a) a diameter of less than 3 µm; 2 and (b) a length more than 5 µm; and (c) a length to diameter ratio of more than 3:1. “asbestos materials” means installed thermal or acoustic insulation materials comprising or containing asbestos. “asbestos removal area” means an area where an asbestos removalist is doing, or proposes to do, asbestos removal work. “asbestos removal site” means an area immediately outside a containment barrier for an asbestos removal area. “asbestos removal work” means work to remove asbestos materials other than work to remove asbestos materials that is done entirely in a containment device. “asbestos removalist” means— (a) an employer whose business or undertaking includes asbestos removal work; or (b) a self-employed person whose work includes asbestos removal work. “containment barrier” means a barrier, erected under section 7, around an asbestos removal area. “containment device” means a device that— (a) is used for the removal of asbestos materials; and (b) when in use, prevents the release of airborne asbestos fibres outside the device. Example— A single-use bag (a glove bag) made from a transparent, heavy-duty polyethylene, with built-in arms and access ports. “national exposure standard” , for asbestos, means the exposure standard for the asbestos stated in the Adopted National Exposure Standards for 2 µm is the symbol for micrometres.

s5 5 s7 Workplace Health and Safety (Asbestos Removal Work) Compliance Standard 1996 Atmospheric Contaminants in the Occupational Environment contained in NOHSC’s document entitled ‘Exposure Standards for Atmospheric Contaminants in the Occupational Environment’. “NOHSC” means the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission established under the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission Act 1995 (Cwlth). ˙ Minimising the risk of exposure from asbestos fibres in asbestos removal area 5.(1) This section prescribes the way to minimise the risk of disease from airborne asbestos fibres for a person who is doing asbestos removal work. (2) An asbestos removalist must ensure that the air breathed by a person who is doing asbestos removal work in an asbestos removal area does not contain a greater concentration of airborne asbestos fibres than is stated in the national exposure standard for the asbestos being removed. Example of subsection (2)— A person doing asbestos removal work may be given an appropriate respirator. ˙ Minimising the risk of exposure from asbestos fibres in asbestos removal site 6. Sections 7 to 10 prescribe ways to prevent or minimise the risk of disease from airborne asbestos fibres for a person in an asbestos removal site. ˙ Erecting containment barrier 7.(1) An asbestos removalist must, before starting asbestos removal work, erect a containment barrier around an asbestos removal area for the work. (2) The containment barrier must stop anyone in the asbestos removal site from being exposed to an atmospheric concentration of airborne asbestos fibres of more than 0.02 fibres/mL, released from the asbestos removal area into the site’s atmosphere.

s 8 6 s 10 Workplace Health and Safety (Asbestos Removal Work) Compliance Standard 1996 ˙ Monitoring 8. An asbestos removalist must, when doing asbestos removal work in an asbestos removal area, ensure that— (a) the asbestos removal site’s atmosphere is monitored to find out if asbestos fibres are being released from the area into the site’s atmosphere; and (b) the way the site’s atmosphere is monitored complies with the ‘Guidance Note On The Membrane Filter Method For Estimating Airborne Asbestos Dust’ (other than part 1) contained in NOHSC’s document entitled ‘Asbestos—Code of Practice and Guidance Notes’. ˙ Controlling release of asbestos fibres 9.(1) This section applies if— (a) an asbestos removalist is doing asbestos removal work in an asbestos removal area; and (b) monitoring under section 8 shows the asbestos fibre concentration in the asbestos removal site’s atmosphere is more than 0.02 fibres/mL. (2) The asbestos removalist must, immediately— (a) find out how the asbestos fibres are being released from the asbestos removal area; and (b) reduce the asbestos fibre concentration in the asbestos removal site’s atmosphere to 0.02 fibres/mL or less. (3) Also, the work may have to be stopped under section 10. ˙ Stopping work 10.(1) This section applies if— (a) an asbestos removalist is doing asbestos removal work in an asbestos removal area; and

s 11 7 s 11 Workplace Health and Safety (Asbestos Removal Work) Compliance Standard 1996 (b) monitoring under section 8 shows the asbestos fibre concentration in the asbestos removal site’s atmosphere is more than 0.5 of the concentration stated in the national exposure standard for the asbestos. (2) The asbestos removalist must— (a) stop the asbestos removal work immediately; and (b) take the action required under section 9(2). ˙ Dismantling containment barrier 11.(1) This section prescribes the way to prevent or minimise the risk of disease from airborne asbestos fibres for a person after asbestos removal work in an asbestos removal area has finished. (2) Before dismantling a containment barrier, an asbestos removalist must ensure that— (a) all asbestos material debris has been removed from the asbestos removal area; and (b) the asbestos removal area’s atmosphere is monitored for the presence of asbestos fibres; and (c) the way the atmosphere is monitored complies with the ‘Guidance Note On The Membrane Filter Method For Estimating Airborne Asbestos Dust’ (other than part 1) contained in NOHSC’s document entitled ‘Asbestos—Code of Practice and Guidance Notes’; and (d) the asbestos fibre concentration in the area’s atmosphere is less than 0.01 fibres/mL.

8 Workplace Health and Safety (Asbestos Removal Work) Compliance Standard 1996 † ENDNOTES ´ 1 Index to endnotes Page 2 Date to which amendments incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 3 Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 4 List of legislation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 5 Table of corrected minor errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 ´ 2 Date to which amendments incorporated This is the reprint date mentioned in the Reprints Act 1992, section 5(c). However, no amendments have commenced operation on or before that day. Future amendments of the Workplace Health and Safety (Asbestos Removal Work) Compliance Standard 1996 may be made in accordance with this reprint under the Reprints Act 1992, section 49. 3 ´ AIA amd ch def div exp gaz hdg ins lap notfd om o in c p para prec pres prev = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Key Key to abbreviations in list of legislation and annotations Acts Interpretation Act 1954 amended chapter definition division expires/expired gazette heading inserted lapsed notified omitted order in council page paragraph preceding present previous (prev) proc prov pt pubd R[X] RA reloc renum rep s sch sdiv SIA SL sub unnum = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = previously proclamation provision part published Reprint No.[X] Reprints Act 1992 relocated renumbered repealed section schedule subdivision Statutory Instruments Act 1992 subordinate legislation substituted unnumbered

9 Workplace Health and Safety (Asbestos Removal Work) Compliance Standard 1996 ´ 4 List of legislation Workplace Health and Safety (Asbestos Removal Work) Compliance Standard 1996 SL No. 163 notfd gaz 28 June 1996 pp 1164–70 ss 1–2 commenced on date of notification remaining provisions commenced 2 July 1996 (see s 2) ´ 5 Table of corrected minor errors Provision TABLE OF CORRECTED MINOR ERRORS under the Reprints Act 1992 s 44 Description 4, def “asbestos”, paragraph (b) ins ‘paragraph’ before ‘(a)’ © State of Queensland 1996