It is National Asbestos Awareness Week (NAAW), and with flood renovations and refurbishments still occurring in Lismore and the Northern Rivers, warnings are still current.

Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin says this week is a reminder to employers, employees and home renovators to be vigilant about the dangers of asbestos.

“Asbestos can kill, and with so many demolitions, renovations and rebuilds happening all around the region, it is vital that people are informed and properly trained in how to deal with it.

Asbestos is present in one in three Australian homes as well as in public and commercial buildings.

If asbestos is disturbed, it can release dangerous particles of dust containing asbestos fibres, which can cause serious and fatal illness when inhaled.

Asbestos-related disease claims more than 4000 lives a year in Australia.

National Asbestos Awareness Week is a reminder to get information and register for safety courses before working with asbestos or materials that may contain asbestos.

Some practical steps to follow when it comes to dealing with the toxic material include:

• If the home or building you are working on was built before 1990, then it is likely to contain asbestos.
• If you’re not sure whether asbestos might be present at a site, don’t do anything until you’ve had it checked by a licensed asbestos professional.  
• If you’re working on a commercial building that was built before December 2003, ask to see a copy of the asbestos register before doing any work.
• For renovators and tradies working with asbestos or removing small amounts of asbestos (less than 10sq m), SafeWork NSW has launched an online asbestos awareness and safety course which will help meet your training obligations and provide workers the skills they need to stay safe when working with asbestos.

To find out more about the SafeWork NSW asbestos safety course, Register Here.

For more information about asbestos safety, visit the SafeWork NSW asbestos page.