Asbestos
About Asbestos
What is Asbestos?
‘Asbestos’ is a term describing naturally occurring fibrous silicate minerals (rock-forming minerals). Asbestos is a heat-resistant, fire-resistant, and insulating mineral that was commonly used in building materials in New Zealand and worldwide. There are two groups (Amphiboles and Serpentine), and six types.​
​​Asbestos, when disturbed or damaged breaks down into microscopic fibres which can be released into the air. Airborne asbestos fibres are too small to be seen with the naked eye. Even if you cannot see any dust particles in the air, asbestos fibres may still be present.
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All forms of asbestos are harmful to humans. There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos!
Asbestos Types
There are three main types of asbestos:
Chrysotile (White Asbestos)
Amosite (Brown Asbestos)
Crocidolite (Blue Asbestos)
The serpentine group includes chrysotile (white asbestos). The amphibole group includes amosite (brown asbestos), crocidolite (blue asbestos), anthophyllite and tremolite. ​​
Asbestos Containing Materials
There are more than 3,000 known products that contain asbestos. The asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) have been used in a variety of industries including; building construction, automobile construction, and theatre.
ACMs (also known as asbestos-containing products) can be classified into two categories based on its condition, either friable or non-friable form.
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Friable Asbestos
It can be crumbled or reduced to a powder without much pressure. Friable asbestos can easily release fibres into the air. Friable asbestos is often called Class A asbestos. ​Examples of friable asbestos-containing material may include:
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Pipe lagging
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Boiler insulation
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Fire retardant material on steel work
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Sprayed insulation
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Non-Friable Asbestos
Typically asbestos fibres are bonded into another material such as cement. Non-friable asbestos is less likely to release asbestos fibres into the air unless it is disturbed or has started to deteriorate. Non-friable asbestos is often called Class B asbestos. ​ Examples of non-friable ACMs may include:
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Asbestos cement sheet
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Asbestos cement molded products
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Bitumen-based water proofing/roofing felt
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Vinyl floor tiles
If you are not sure if something contains asbestos, treat it as if it is asbestos!
Asbestos in the Home
Identifying Asbestos
It is very difficult to tell the difference between building materials that contain asbestos and building materials that do not. For example, cement that contains asbestos can look identical to cement that does not contain asbestos.
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The only way to confirm that something is asbestos is to have a sample of a material tested by an IANZ Accredited Laboratory. Asbestos sampling should only be done by a reputable contractor. You can find information on finding a reputable contractor below.
Common Asbestos Locations
Many buildings in New Zealand have asbestos in them, and if your home was built before January 1st 2000, it may contain some asbestos materials. For homes built after January 1st 2000, the risk of asbestos material being present is lower.
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Some of the common areas where asbestos can be found in residential properties are identified below. For a more comprehensive list of ACMs and their locations, refer to WorkSafe New Zealand's A-Z list of Asbestos Containing Materials here.
Home Maintenance & Renovations
Always check for asbestos before you start doing any work in your home or on your property. Asbestos fibres can be released into the air by many different types of work. This includes large jobs such as demolition, relocation and refurbishment, and small jobs like minor repairs and maintenance.
If you find asbestos or suspect something might be asbestos, do not disturb it in any way. Contact a reputable asbestos contractor as they can help you to manage it safely.
All forms of asbestos are harmful to humans. There is no safe level of exposure to asbestos!
Find or Suspect Asbestos?
Do Not Disturb Asbestos Materials
The risk of harm from asbestos depends on its condition and how easily fibres are released into the air. Asbestos fibres are more likely to be released into the air if asbestos materials are:
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Friable (flaky, powdery, or easy to crumble) asbestos materials in poor condition (e.g., if they are flaking, peeling, or crumbling), or disturbed in any way (e.g, sanded, drilled, cut, or water blasted).
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Non-friable (or bonded) asbestos materials generally do not release asbestos fibres if they are in good condition and are not disturbed.
Tell Others in Your Home
If you think that material in your home or on your property could be asbestos, tell the people you live with about it. If you are living in a rented property, tell your landlord about it. You may also need to tell people who visit your home about it. Everyone should stay away from the area to avoid disturbing the suspected asbestos material. You should take extra precautions to make sure that children and pets are kept away from the area.
Contact a Reputable Contractor
A reputable asbestos contractor (e.g., an asbestos surveyor experienced in identifying asbestos material) can help to confirm whether a material is asbestos and assess the risk. FAMANZ is an excellent organisation that lists details on reputable asbestos professionals.
Asbestos Contractors
Types of Asbestos Contractors
Contractors have duties to make sure you are not exposed to asbestos while they are doing work in your home. Hiring an asbestos contractor is the safest way to help manage any asbestos found in your home. Asbestos contractors often work in specific areas of asbestos management. If you need to manage asbestos material in your home, you may come across one or more of the asbestos contractors shown below.
Asbestos Surveyor
Asbestos surveyors are trained to identify asbestos. They should have the IP402 or P402 Asbestos Qualification as a minimum. You should expect an asbestos surveyor to:
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gather information about your home (e.g., when it was built)
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carry out a visual inspection of the building and any areas of suspected asbestos
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take samples of suspected asbestos materials
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provide you with a report of their findings.
Licensed Asbestos Removalist
Licenced Asbestos Removalists are trained to safely remove and dispose of asbestos. They should be listed on the Worksafe New Zealand website and/or Licenced Asbestos Removal register. You should expect an asbestos removalist to:
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assess the work that needs to be done (e.g., the type, amount, and location of
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asbestos materials) using the surveyor report
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complete an asbestos removal control plan (ARCP) that explains the removal process and the health and safety measures that they will use
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contact your neighbours to let them know that asbestos removal work will be taking place
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follow strict health and safety procedures and use specialised equipment to remove asbestos materials without releasing large amounts of harmful fibres into the air
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correctly dispose of asbestos waste.
Licensed Asbestos Assessor
Licenced Asbestos Assessors are trained to make sure that asbestos removal work has been completed to the required standard. They should be listed on the Worksafe New Zealand website and/or Licenced Asbestos Assessor register. You should expect an asbestos assessor to:
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be from a different business to the asbestos removalist (that is, they should be independent)
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review the asbestos removal control plan written by the Licenced Asbestos Removalist to make sure it is safe and suitable before work starts
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inspect the area where asbestos material was removed from
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collect samples of the air to test for asbestos fibres
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confirm in writing that the area is safe to re-enter.
Information to Provide Your Asbestos Contractor
When you contact an asbestos contractor, they will likely ask you questions about your home and any asbestos material you may have found. Try to be prepared with as much information about your home as possible. This can help the asbestos contractor to understand your situation and plan the work that needs to be done. It can be helpful if you take photos of any suspected asbestos, but only if you can do so without disturbing it. Questions that an asbestos contractor might ask you include:
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When was your home built?
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Have there been any renovations, refurbishments, or extensions? When were they built?
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Where have you found suspected asbestos material?
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What does the suspected asbestos material look like?
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Roughly how much suspected asbestos material can you see?
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What condition is the suspected asbestos material in?
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Is there anything blocking the area that could make accessing the suspected
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asbestos material difficult?
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Are there any parking restrictions, entry restrictions, or obstacles that could
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affect access to your home?
Choosing an Asbestos Contractor
Take the time to choose a reputable asbestos contractor that you are comfortable with, and that can do the job well. Hiring a reputable asbestos contractor can help ensure that work on asbestos in your home or on your property is done safely and to a high standard. A reputable asbestos contractor should act with integrity and do their work in a way that shows professionalism and care to their workers and other people. When you are choosing a contractor for work on asbestos in your home or on your property, think about the following:
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Experience & Qualifications
- A reputable asbestos contractor will be experienced in carrying out work on asbestos effectively and in a healthy and safe way. They should be able to tell you about their experience doing similar work.
- A reputable asbestos contractor should also be able to provide you with information about the qualifications of their workers.
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Licensing
– Depending on the type of work that needs to be done, Licenced Asbestos Removalists and Licenced Asbestos Assessors may need to be licensed by WorkSafe New Zealand.
– You can search the Licence holder register on the WorkSafe New Zealand website to verify the licensing of assessors and removalists.
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Reviews & References
– A reputable asbestos contractor should be able to provide you with reviews, testimonials, or references from other customers. This should help you to understand the quality of their work and how professional they are.
– You can also search for reviews online to see what other people have experienced when hiring the contractor.
– A reputable asbestos contractor should be able to provide you with details about their public liability and indemnity insurance.
Cost
– Cost is an important factor, but it should not be the only thing you consider when you are choosing an asbestos contractor. A contractor that offers the lowest price may not necessarily provide the highest quality service.
- Look for a contractor that offers a good balance of cost and quality. Getting multiple quotes can help you spot rates that are unusually high or low.
Information Received From an Asbestos Contractor
An asbestos contractor should provide you with all the information you need to decide whether to go ahead with the work. The asbestos contractor should give you this information in writing as a formal quote or work plan.
A formal quote or work plan should include details about:
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what work will be done
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any tests or inspections that need to be done
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how long the work will take
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how much the work will cost
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any warranties or guarantees that will cover the work and materials
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what health and safety measures will be used to protect you and any workers
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in your home or on your property
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any disruptions there will be to your living space while the work is going on.
You should also expect an asbestos contractor to carry out a risk assessment before starting work. Depending on the type of work that needs to be done, this may include an asbestos survey. The quote you receive from your asbestos contractor may highlight work that needs to be done by other tradespeople. This means you might need to hire other tradespeople for parts of the job, including reinstatement. Consider this when you are thinking about the cost of the work.
Asbestos Surveys
Asbestos Management Survey (AMS)
An Asbestos Management Survey is for normal room occupation and routine maintenance. It is a legal requirement to complete an AMS in non-domestic buildings built on or before the year 2000.
Asbestos Refurbishment/Demolition Survey (ARDS)
An Asbestos Refurbishment/Demolition Survey should be completed within hours of the areas being uninhabited/empty. It is a legal requirement to complete an ARDS in buildings built on or before the year 2000 before refurbishment or demolition in non-domestic buildings.
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Important: When a contractor works on a domestic building it then becomes a workplace by definition. A contractor then becomes a PCBU (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking) so all asbestos legislation/duty of care responsibilities apply.
Asbestos DIY
WorkSafe New Zealand strongly recommends that you get advice from a reputable asbestos contractor if you need to remove or work on any asbestos material in your home. If you have no option but to do the work yourself, you should follow safe work practices to minimise the risk of harm to yourself and others in your home.
Attempting to remove or work on asbestos materials without specialist training is extremely dangerous. It can create a major health hazard for you and others in your home. Working on asbestos materials without proper training can cause problems that might be very expensive to fix. It can also put tradespeople at risk of asbestos exposure. It can be safer and more cost-effective to hire an asbestos contractor from the start.
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You can learn more about safe work practices when dealing with asbestos in your home on the Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora website.
Asbestos Waste Disposal
Asbestos waste needs to be disposed of at an authorised disposal site. If you hire an asbestos contractor, they will dispose of asbestos waste for you. If you choose to do work on asbestos yourself, you will need to dispose of any asbestos waste safely.
Before removing any asbestos, talk to your local council to find out:
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where to find a tip (rubbish dump) that accepts asbestos waste, and
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how to transport your asbestos waste to the tip.
We recommend that you call your local council several days ahead to let them know that you are disposing of asbestos waste, so they can prepare. Never attempt to burn asbestos material or dump asbestos waste in normal council waste bins.
Recommended RPE & PPE
When working with asbestos it is recommended to use appropriate RPE (respiratory protective equipment) and PPE (personal protective equipment). The list below highlights the minimum requirements for RPE and PPE.
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Type 5, Category 3 coveralls
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Quantitative face fit tested half face mask with P3 Filters
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Men to be clean-shaven for RPE to be effective
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Trained in asbestos decontamination techniques
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Asbestos decontamination equipment
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200-micron asbestos waste bags
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Wet wipes and water spray
Respirator
Coveralls
Boot covers
Asbestos waste bags
Water spray bottle
Wet wipes