Wakefield Regional Council urges locals to Stop Playing Renovation Roulette
| 30 October 2017 |
Get to kNOw asbestos this NOvember, visit asbestosawareness.com.au.
November is National Asbestos Awareness Month and Wakefield Regional Council is urging homeowners, renovators and tradies to take the warnings about asbestos seriously when renovating or maintaining homes and learn what they need to know to manage it safely by visiting asbestosawareness.com.au.
Council’s Community and Development Services Manager Christopher Parish said “Australia was among the largest consumers of asbestos-containing materials (ACM) in the world with asbestos used in the manufacture of a broad range of building and decorator products that can still be found in 1 in 3 brick, weatherboard, and fibro clad Australian homes.
“Asbestos can be in any home built or renovated before 1987; lurking under floor coverings including carpets, linoleum and vinyl tiles, behind wall and floor tiles, in cement floors, internal and external walls, ceilings and ceiling space (insulation), eaves, garages, roofs, around hot water pipes, fences, in electrical boards, home extensions, garages, outdoor toilets, backyard and farm structures, chook sheds and even dog kennels,” Mr Parish said.
“Asbestos was used everywhere! So, if you’re a homeowner, renovator or tradie, and you don’t know the risks, the products to look for or how to manage asbestos safely, you could be risking your life and the lives of others if you disturb asbestos-containing materials and release fibres into the air that can be inhaled.”
If well maintained and left undisturbed asbestos is unlikely to pose a health risk. However, if asbestos-containing materials are disturbed and fibres are released they can cause asbestos-related diseases including incurable malignant mesothelioma which can develop between 20-50 years after inhaling asbestos fibres. The average survival time is 10-12 months following diagnosis.
One of the greatest health threats to families and tradespeople is asbestos fibres during renovations and maintenance so if you’re a renovator or a tradie, when it comes to asbestos Go Slow!
Renovators should visit asbestosawareness.com.au for user-friendly information including the Asbestos in Your Home – The Ultimate Renovators Guide video and the 20 Point Safety Check. They can search Australia’s only online Asbestos Product Database, download Fact Sheets and the user-friendly Asbestos Awareness Healthy House Checklist – A Homeowner’s Guide to Identifying Asbestos-Containing Materials.
The Checklist is a step-by-step guide that helps homeowners conduct a fast and easy visual inspection of their home. Using the Guide homeowners can easily identify any suspected asbestos-containing materials and note its locations to avoid disturbing asbestos and know when to engage an asbestos assessor or removalist to prevent families from being exposed to dangerous fibres.
Get to kNOw asbestos this NOvember, visit asbestosawareness.com.au.