Report 3

Asbestos Management in Public Sector Agencies

Audit focus and scope

We assessed whether public sector agencies appropriately managed their asbestos risks. We focused on the following lines of inquiry:

  • Do agencies have up-to-date registers of asbestos?
  • Do agencies have up-to-date asbestos management plans?
  • Is BMW’s management of asbestos in government property adequate?

We looked at asbestos management in 2013-14 by:

  • Department of Agriculture and Food WA (DAFWA)
  • Department of Corrective Services (DCS)
  • Department of Education (Education)[1]
  • Department of Housing (Housing)1
  • Disability Services Commission (Commission)
  • Fremantle Port Authority (FPA)
  • WA Police (Police).1

Five agencies controlled less than 150 properties each. Education had just under 1 000 properties and Housing managed more than 50 000 commercial and residential properties.

At each agency we:

  • reviewed relevant policies and procedures
  • interviewed senior management and staff
  • tested a sample of regional and metropolitan sites of at least 10 properties.

BMW managed all government centrally-owned and leased properties. It also offers asbestos inspection and maintenance services to some agencies. We looked at how it delivered asbestos inspections and property maintenance services and how it managed:

  • privately owned properties it leased on behalf of government agencies
  • buildings owned by the Minister for Works
  • delivery of major projects.

We also spoke with representatives from:

  • WorkSafe
  • WA Interagency Asbestos Management Group
  • Department of Health
  • WA Asbestos Diseases Society.

We conducted the audit in accordance with Australian Auditing and Assurance Standards.

[1] Also included in our 2007 audit.

Background

Asbestos products were commonly used in Australia from the late 1800s for fireproofing, soundproofing and insulation. Asbestos cement products, first manufactured in the 1920s, were often used in building materials from the 1940s until they were banned in the 1980s. In 2003, the Australian government banned the import and new use of all asbestos due to the health problems it causes.

In many parts of the world, including WA, there is a background level of asbestos in the environment. This background level of exposure is considered to represent a very low health risk. The health risk increases with increased levels and frequency of exposure (Figure 1).

Asbestos-related risk of disease

Figure 1: Asbestos-related risk of disease

Friable asbestos, which is powdered or can be crumbled easily, is a greater risk to health than non-friable asbestos in good condition and bonded with other materials. Non-friable asbestos is commonly found in buildings and may be mixed with other materials such as cement.

Examples of high-risk asbestos products include some types of vermiculite in ceilings, millboard in heating and air conditioning ducts, fire door insulation and under vinyl floor sheeting. Most buildings constructed after 1990 are unlikely to contain asbestos unless recycled materials were used.

While the long-term goal is to have workplaces free of asbestos, its immediate removal is not always necessary. When the risk of exposure is low, it is usually safer and more cost effective to keep the asbestos ‘as is’. Products containing asbestos may stay in good condition if they are painted, sealed, enclosed or capped. Asbestos removal is recommended when health risks are present or as part of renovation or demolition work.

Governing legislation and codes of practice

In WA, the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 and Regulations 1996 (Regulations) require agencies to manage workplace hazards including asbestos. Under the Regulations, agencies must identify the presence and location of asbestos in a workplace and assess the associated risks. The risks posed by asbestos in the broader community are covered by WA public health legislation.

The Regulations require agencies to follow the processes set out in the Code of Practice for the Management and Control of Asbestos in Workplaces. The Code requires all employers to create a register and manage risks using an Asbestos Management Plan (AMP). Safe Work Australia prepared a different set of regulations and a new Code to apply from 2012. These have been adopted by other jurisdictions, but not by WA.

A ‘workplace’ is where employees work or are likely to be in the course of their work. Housing and the Commission have residential properties, which are also ‘workplaces’ at some stage and need to be managed accordingly.

The Code is a practical guide to achieving legislated standards of health, safety and welfare and sets out the principles of good asbestos management. Appendix 1 illustrates these principles. Under the Code, agencies should:

  • assess: inspect for asbestos and assess its risk
  • record and track: record the location and condition of asbestos in a register and track changes to its condition, including any maintenance done
  • manage: take action to manage risks, as set out in their AMP
  • train and communicate: train staff and ensure inspectors are qualified, and communicate risks to staff, residents, and other users.

Role of public sector agencies

BMW manages asbestos risks arising from:

  • maintenance of agencies’ buildings
  • building renovation or refurbishment projects for other agencies
  • procuring leases for agencies (currently around 540)
  • twenty government-owned buildings for which it is responsible, such as Dumas House, a 14-storey office building built in the 1960’s in West Perth that provides accommodation for many WA government ministers.

Despite BMW’s significant role, agencies remain responsible for managing asbestos in their workplaces, whether they own or lease the property (Figure 2). This includes using a trained inspector to identify asbestos and assess its risk.

On request, BMW will arrange asbestos inspections for agencies as part of its building inspection and maintenance services. Agencies do not have to use BMW’s service and may directly contract private inspectors or use their own qualified staff.

WorkSafe, a division of the Department of Commerce, has a regulatory role in monitoring and enforcing safety and health in WA workplaces, including compliance with the Code.

Government Agencies

Figure 2: Asbestos management model for government buildings

In 2007, Cabinet endorsed the Asbestos Steering Committee (ASC) to form a strategy for the management of asbestos for WA public sector. The ASC was disbanded after meeting its terms of reference and issuing its report, Managing Asbestos in Western Australian Government Buildings, in February 2010.

Page last updated: April 23, 2015

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