Asbestos

FIBROUS MINERALS

Fibrous Minerals are present in Australia at numerous mining locations and as such they need to be characterised, assessed and managed. OHMS provides asbestos air monitoring to help help assess and manage these mining locations.

A Fibrous Mineral Management Plan (FMMP) provides guidelines for the management of fibrous minerals relating to exploration, resource development and mining operations.

A FMMP usually only relates to contaminant asbestos and not asbestos containing materials (ACM). In WA this is defined in the Mine Safety Inspection Regulations 1995, it does not usually include the management of structural asbestos (ACM) i.e. asbestos containing materials such as insulation, tiles, plaster board etc.

The purpose of the FMMP is to evaluate the hazard associated with fibrous minerals in the workplace and standardise procedures and appropriate controls that will prevent workplace exposure to harmful levels of naturally occurring fibrous mineral.

ASBESTOS & DEMOLITION SURVEYS

As stipulated by numerous Occupational Safety and Health Regulations, a person at a workplace who is an employer, main contractor, a self-employed person, or the person having control of the workplace must ensure that the presence and location of asbestos at the workplace is identified.

The processes for identification and assessment of risks must be conducted in accordance with the Code for the Management and Control of Asbestos in the Workplace [NOHSC: 2018 (2005)] and by someone who is considered competent in the identification of asbestos and asbestos air monitoring.

An asbestos survey consists of an inspection of buildings and structures for the presence of asbestos containing materials, a report with photographic log in the form of a register (asbestos management plan) is provided to the client, which can be seen by building occupiers and contractors to limit asbestos exposure.