Compliance code: Managing asbestos in workplaces

What it contains

If your work involves exposure to asbestos, there are specific duties and obligations you need to comply with under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act) 2004 and Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (OHS Regulations) 2017.

Note that on 18 June 2017, the OHS Regulations 2017 replaced the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007, which expired on this date. This compliance code has not yet been updated to reflect the changes introduced by the OHS Regulations 2017. Complying with a compliance code made in relation to the old regulations may not necessarily mean compliance with a duty under the new regulations.

This compliance code has been made available solely as a source of practical guidance, to contribute to industry state of knowledge and assist those who must comply with health and safety laws.

The information in this compliance code is particularly relevant for you if you have management or control of a workplace, or plant in a workplace, where asbestos is present. It is also relevant for employers and employees at workplaces where asbestos is present, and for employers and employees that perform asbestos-related activities. It uses examples and tools you can apply to your own situation.

It includes information on:

• the duties for controlling asbestos exposure
• the regulatory prohibitions in place for asbestos and asbestos-containing material
• how to identify and analyse asbestos in the workplace
• how to create and maintain an asbestos register
• indicating the presence of asbestos
• controlling risks to health associated with the presence of asbestos
• duties and considerations for demolition and refurbishment where asbestos is present
• what an asbestos management plan should include
• duties and considerations for carrying out asbestos-related activities
• examples and technical information for a range of asbestos-removal scenarios