WorkSafe have updated their guidance on what to do if you find asbestos in soil. The guidance is directed at people with management or control of a workplace where soil is contaminated with asbestos containing material (ACM) and those involved in inspecting, removing, managing or disposing of the contaminated soil at workplaces.
When asbestos is found in soil, it is usually as a result of inadequate asbestos removal work or demolition, degradation of a building or structure, legacy or recent illegal dumping or waste burial, or past use of contaminated fill/topsoil. Asbestos in soil poses a risk to the health of workers if the fibres become airborne and are then inhaled.
The risk from exposure to asbestos in soil can be increased by the:
- type of soil
- amount, form, product type and condition of asbestos and its form
- chance of the asbestos being disturbed and becoming airborne
Exposure to asbestos can cause mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. Employers have a duty to protect employees and other persons from the risk of asbestos-related disease.
WorkSafe’s guidance highlights the duty of employers to identify asbestos contaminated soil, including links to companies approved by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) to conduct testing, and to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) guidance.
If asbestos is identified in soil at your workplace, you must clearly indicate its presence and location, ideally through site maps and signage. You must also include information about the contaminated soil on an asbestos register which is regularly revised, reviewed, kept up to date and made available to all affected HSRs and employees.
Removal of asbestos contaminated soil must be carried out by a licenced asbestos removalist. More information about asbestos removal may be found in the compliance code Removing asbestos in workplaces and in WorkSafe’s checklist General requirements for all asbestos removal work.
WorkSafe has also produced a flowchart depicting a process to manage and control risks from asbestos in soil and designed to provide a technical audience with the knowledge to understand the assessing and testing process for asbestos in soil.
Read more: Asbestos in soil | WorkSafe Victoria