Hazardous Materials Register, Hazmat Inspections & Surveys

Hazardous materials in building construction are known as hazardous building materials. These include:

• Asbestos containing materials (ACM)
• Lead paint and lead dust
• Synthetic mineral fibre (SMF)
• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
• Ozone depleting substances (ODSs).

The Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulation requires a person with management or control of a workplace to ensure that a register (an asbestos register) is prepared and kept at the workplace, maintained and kept up-to-date. This applies to buildings operating as a workplace constructed prior to 31 December 2003. Where asbestos has been identified in a building an asbestos management plan is required to be prepared, kept up-to-date and reviewed as necessary and at least every 5 years. The asbestos register is to be revised if the asbestos management plan is revised, further asbestos or ACM is identified at the workplace, or asbestos is removed from, or disturbed, sealed or enclosed at, the workplace.

Australian Standard AS2601-2001 The demolition of Structures requires that prior to demolition a building must be inspected for hazardous building materials and the materials removed safely prior to demolition taking place.

Local Councils require a submission of an Asbestos Survey Report or Hazardous Materials Survey Report (HAZMAT) for buildings constructed prior to 1990 as part of a Development Application (DA) documentation.

The WHS Regulation requires that asbestos is managed and removed in the workplace in accordance with “How to manage and control asbestos in the workplace” and “How to safely remove asbestos” Codes of Practice.