Skip to Content Skip to Navigation

Vermiculite insulation contaminated with asbestos?

According to a 2014 report recently published by the Canberra Times, it is believed that thousands of Australians may have been exposed to an American insulation product at the centre of one of the world’s most costly asbestos scandals.

Zonolite insulation, an American vermiculite tainted with a lethal form of asbestos known as tremolite, has already been linked to hundreds of deaths in the United States. It’s been revealed that the product was sold in Australia for more than fifty years. So broad was the product’s reach, it’s believed that an estimated 824 cubic metres of the matter was painstakingly scraped from the underside of the roof of the Canberra Centre in 1988.

Even more worrying was vermiculite’s residential use, with the product being installed as a fire-resistant coating on many suburban buildings.

What is vermiculite?

While many Australians have heard of Mr Fluffy—the insulation business that installed “loose fill” asbestos insulation in thousands of homes in the 1960s and 1970s—few have heard of vermiculite. While the company Zonolite may have flown under the radar so far, it is now believed that the American company may be responsible for exposing thousands of Australians to potentially harmful insulation materials.

In brief, Zonolite Insulation is the trademarked name of a product sold as attic insulation between the 1940s and the 1990s. Consisting of the naturally occurring mineral vermiculite, Zonolite was used for decades to insulate millions of American homes.

The insulation, most commonly found in attics, was usually grey-brown or silver-gold in colour, and exhibited a rough pebble-like texture. As far as building materials go, Zonolite was lightweight and incredibly fire-resistant; a fact that appealed greatly to the construction industry.

While not all vermiculite contains asbestos, it is now known that Zonolite insulation was heavily tainted with the dangerous ingredient. As a result, Zonolite may prove harmful to those occupants who reside in homes where the material has been used.

Who is to blame for Zonolite’s toxic touch?

The history of Zonolite insulation can be traced back to the early years of vermiculite mining. American businessman E.N. Alley owned vermiculite mines in Libby, Montana, where much of the mineral was mined during the 1900s.

Years later, in 1963, W.R. Grace purchased the vermiculite mine from the Zonolite Company. After the takeover, it is estimated that the company processed nearly 200,000 tons of vermiculite each year, until its eventual closure in 1990.

It is said that the executives of W.R. Grace were fully aware of the risks associated with asbestos exposure and did nothing to protect their workers, allowing their employees to fall ill.

Today, Zonolite insulation endangers not only past workers of the company, but those residents living in homes containing the product.

What are the dangers of vermiculite insulation?

The majority of the vermiculite mined for Zonolite was found to contain some of the most toxic forms of asbestos, minerals known to cause mesothelioma. According to reports, large traces of tremolite asbestos were found in portions of the vermiculite, elements that had the potential to be ten times more carcinogenic than chrysotile asbestos (the mineral’s most common form).

Tremolite is today responsible for hundreds of cases of asbestos cancer throughout the world, including Australia as well as the United States. Why? Tremolite boasts sharp, needlelike fibres that can easily enter the respiratory system when airborne, making it a particularly toxic form of the mineral.

Are Australians at risk of exposure to vermiculite insulation?

Some estimates have projected that as many as 35 million U.S. homes, buildings and offices contain Zonolite insulation. However, there is no official record to suggest how many Australian buildings and/or residents may contain the product.

Despite its moral and legal obligations to do so, it has been alleged that W.R. Grace has taken no steps to make Australians aware of possible ill-effects from its products. The company is also yet to provide details for information about the specific amount of Zonolite shipped to Australia since the 1920s, as well as where the imported vermiculite was processed.

Despite W.R. Grace’s secrecy, this is what we know:

Concerned about asbestos?

While it is now illegal to use asbestos as a building material, stories like the Zonolite Insulation scandal remind us that past construction projects still have the potential to cause Australians harm. Whether you are renovating, demolishing, or rebuilding your workplace or your home, you need to take precautions when there’s a chance you’ll disturb pre-existing asbestos containing materials.

If you’re a homeowner or an employer and you have an asbestos issue to deal with, call Airsafe today on (02) 9555 9034.

By offering asbestos inspections,asbestos surveys, air quality monitoring, clearance inspections and asbestos registers and management plans, we can make sure you’re not exposing your family or your employees to unnecessary risks.

Asbestos and natural disasters: what you need to know

As Dorothea Mackellar famously said, Australia is a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains. More than just sentiment, Mackellar’s words explore a key element of the Australian national character: gruelling natural disasters. Indeed, our country experiences a range of adverse weather phenomena, including bushfires, floods, severe storms, earthquakes and landslides. As a result, many Australians are taught how to cope with natural disasters from a young age. We learn to evacuate buildings during fires; to avoid low lying areas during floods; and to stay away from electrical appliances during nasty storms. Even so, while many of us are aware of the dangers we face during these disasters, fewer of us can identify the risk factors in the aftermath.

At a fundamental level, the availability of shelter, electricity, food, water and medical care are of primary importance. However, natural disasters can also pose longer-term threats to human health in the long run. One of these long-term threats is asbestos. With so many Australian homes containing building materials made from the mineral, the risk of dangerous particles becoming airborne during natural disasters is one that many are unaware of.

Dangerous events such as bushfires, hurricanes and floods can leave a destructive trail of debris behind, wreckage that can expose humans to asbestos materials that are no longer sealed and contained.

Clean up complications

Due to the affordability of the material, as well as its versatility, approximately one third of all homes built in Australia contain asbestos products. These can include, but are not limited to:

If left undisturbed, and properly contained within the home, these products are all considered safe. However, once they have been ripped, broken, burned, or washed away, these materials have the potential to become a very real health hazard. Once the materials have been agitated, there is a chance that asbestos particles could become airborne, increasing the risk of exposure via accidental inhalation. This sort of exposure might lay the groundwork for the human body to develop mesothelioma and other condition that can take years to develop.

For this reason, it’s important people understand the risks associated with the aftermath of a natural disaster, as well as the event itself. After all, in the wake of such emergencies, it’s not only homeowners who are at risk. Firefighters, SES crews and emergency volunteers are all deemed to be high-risk occupations for exposure after any bushfire, fire or flood. Regardless of their reasons for being at the scene, individuals should always use caution when cleaning or searching through debris.

But not all natural disasters are created equal. Each different event presents a particular set of circumstances by which asbestos fibres can be released, inhaled, or ingested.

Asbestos and bushfires

For the majority of the 20th century, most products made with asbestos, or some element of asbestos, were used to keep houses, ships, buildings, and pipes from getting too hot, and from catching fire. However, in incidents where these structures or parts did catch fire, they were exposed and tarnished in various ways. This damage often led to the toxic contamination of work and home environments. It should be noted that the smoke bellowing from an asbestos material could also carry contaminants.

Asbestos and floods

A home or a business that has been damaged by flood waters has the potential to expose asbestos through damage to flooring, to drywalls and to ceilings. Flood waters can compromise even the strongest of structures; breaking down asbestos materials into minuscule fibres. Once these fibres have dried out they can become airborne and, as a result, can be easily inhaled during the cleanup that ensues.

Asbestos and hurricanes

Although Australia is often hit the hardest by bushfires, long droughts and flooding, hurricanes also find their way to our shores, especially in the northern parts of the country. Unlike other natural disasters, hurricanes have three primary sources of destruction: powerful winds, storm surge, and rain. These ‘storm surges’ cause flooding along coastlines, causing much of the damage and resulting debris. As mentioned previously, it is this debris that can expose homeowners and emergency workers participating in the cleanup to airborne asbestos fibres. The amount of debris from a hurricane can be significant, and can overwhelm a community and break down the normally strict guidelines for handling hazardous materials.

How to handle asbestos safely after a storm

The majority of Australian homes and workplaces built before 1990 are likely to contain asbestos. If left undisturbed, these materials do not pose any immediate risk to health. However, in the event of a natural disaster, the damage of these components in the home can result in the release of small asbestos fibres that can become airborne, and easily inhaled.

As a result, it is essential to protect yourself and others when removing any debris after a disaster. During the cleanup of damaged or destroyed buildings, it is likely that there will be a need to handle, break up and dispose of asbestos-containing building and insulation materials that were compromised during the storm.

Due to these cleanup operations, there may be an accumulation of asbestos waste that could endanger not only homeowners and cleanup crews, but also to people in the neighbourhood, as well as those living in close proximity to the site of the material’s final disposal.

So, in the aftermath of a natural disaster, how can asbestos risks be minimised?

  1. Identify the locations of asbestos materials and carry out a risk assessment.
  2. Ensure people involved in cleanup know the risks and the best practises for removal.
  3. Restrict access to sites where there are building debris, and to demolition sites and waste sites.
  4. Do not disturb any waste containing asbestos materials. Asbestos structures should be dismantled as gently as possible.
  5. If you need to move or break asbestos materials, keep them thoroughly wet to reduce the amount of airborne fibres. Take particular care with friable asbestos materials.
  6. Keep piles of asbestos-containing materials covered with tarpaulins or sheets of plastic until they can be stored safely or disposed of properly.

Ideally, if asbestos-containing materials are suspected during cleanup, you should leave them alone until you are aware of the real dangers, and the best practises for removal. Agitating asbestos-containing debris can result in airborne asbestos fibres, resulting in a high risk of exposure.

If you’ve been adversely affected by a natural disaster and you’re unsure of what to do, call Airsafe immediately on (02) 9555 9034.

Our experts will talk you through the process of how to contain, destroy, and dispose of your emergency asbestos threat.

Accounting for asbestos

Many Australian homeowners are unsure if their properties contain asbestos. For these residents, knowing what to do or where to get support can be hard. While getting a sample tested for asbestos is a wise thing to do, the process can be confusing. With so many contractors now offering (supposed) certified asbestos testing services, how do you know who to trust? And where to spend your money?

What is asbestos testing?

The only way to determine whether the materials of your house contain asbestos is to have testing carried out by an accredited professional company, such as Airsafe. Testing is conducted using specialised microscopes. The scientific explanation is that this examination confirms if the fibres are composed of structured crystal lattice that exhibits refractive index within a specified range. But to put it in layperson’s terms, the materials of your home are looked at closely to determine if they might be dangerous to your wellbeing.

Because the process is so complex, when hiring a professional to carry out testing, it’s vital you ensure that the asbestos testing laboratory is accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA). This will ensure that the laboratory is the highest quality and that the report you receive can be trusted.

How much will it cost?

The amount you spend on having your home tested for asbestos will vary depending upon which company (or laboratory) you choose to engage. Given the rise in asbestos related illness in Australia, the market for testing services has grown. However, not all asbestos testing companies are created equal.

In the case of some companies, their “low prices” often include hidden extras that make the final price of your testing a lot more expensive than you’d originally assumed. These hidden extras can include:

Asbestos testing shouldn’t break the bank

Asbestos testing should be a simple and affordable process. Since the collection of your sample can be carried out by you (using tools purchased at your local hardware store), the delivery of the sample and its analysis is all that’s left to do. Certain companies however, with hidden fees here and mysterious dues there, make the process a much greater financial burden.

But at Airsafe, we make it simple. We charge a single, low flat fee per sample tested. It’s the same price per sample whether you’re having one sample tested or 10, and we offer fast turnaround times for every sample — at no extra cost. After all, you wouldn’t charge a diner more for wanting their meal on time, why would you charge a client more for expecting a timely result?

To check Airsafe’s current price for asbestos sample testing, please call us on (02) 9555 9034.

Does your home need asbestos testing?

If your house was built before the 1990s, it is likely to contain some form of asbestos material or product (unless it has been removed by a previous owner). As a result of the varied uses of asbestos, there are multiple places it can be found around the home. For this reason, the Australian Government have put together the brochure Identifying Asbestos in Your Home, a comprehensive resource designed to educate homeowners on the potential dangers in their house.

Collecting a sample yourself is a great option if there’s a particular material you suspect of containing asbestos, but if you’re planning general renovations or just want the maximum peace of mind, your best option is to engage Airsafe for a full-scale asbestos inspection. Our experienced inspectors will give your home a thorough going-over and collect any suspect materials for testing.

If you suspect that your home could be affected by asbestos, it’s important to try to identify the risks before it’s too late. Storm damage, home renovation, and general wear and tear can all lead to asbestos fibres becoming airborne in your home, endangering your health and wellbeing.

Airsafe, asbestos and you

The only definitive way to tell if there is asbestos in your home is through a sample analysis under microscopic examination. Here at Airsafe, we own a fully-equipped asbestos testing laboratory, ensuring that:

Airsafe is more than just an asbestos testing lab, we’re Sydney’s most experienced asbestos consultancy. For over three decades, we’ve been conducting asbestos surveys and air monitoring and clearance inspections. Not only do we service households, we’re fully equipped to inspect and test large corporations and government departments. WorkCover NSW even uses our documentation as an example of industry best practice. When it comes to testing for asbestos in your home, there’s no one better qualified to help than Airsafe.

If you’re concerned that your home could contain asbestos, get in touch today. Give us a call on (02) 9555 9034 and we’ll talk you through how to get your sample to us.

7 products you won't believe were made with asbestos

With the dangers of asbestos now common knowledge, it’s hard to imagine a time when it was a central part of commercial product manufacturing worldwide. But the uses of asbestos weren’t limited to just building and construction. Before its dangers were widely known, asbestos found its way into Christmas decorations, jewellery, and even clothing.

Why asbestos? The answer is simple. The material was cheap and durable, and acted as a natural insulator and fireproofing agent. Back in the day, asbestos was the go-to material, the affordable choice, the manufacturer’s dream.

So rampant was the asbestos craze, it’s estimated that the material has been used for more than 3,000 applications across the globe. And up until the mid 1980s, Australia was one of the countries with the highest users-per-capita rate in the world. Between 1930 and 1983, more than 1.5 million tonnes of asbestos were imported onto our shores, on top of the asbestos that we were already mining ourselves. We were asbestos addicted, and now many are paying the price.

Thankfully, times have changed. To show how far we’ve come, here are seven products that you won’t believe were once made from Asbestos.

1. Asbestos in clothing

Due to its small and fibrous nature, raw asbestos was once spun and woven into textile clothing and garments. The fireproof nature of asbestos garments made them ideal for use as protective clothing, such as uniforms for fire fighters, or jumpsuits designed for aviators flying aircrafts likely to crash and burn. It was believed that if you were wearing asbestos, you were indestructible.

As a result, factory workers often wore asbestos garments like coats, gloves and aprons, to protect themselves from extreme temperatures. Little did they know, their “protective” clothing emitted airborne fibres, exposing them to dangers of asbestos inhalation. Not unlike scrunchies, it’s a trend the world has thankfully left behind.

2. Asbestos in rope and string

Asbestos rope was an insulation material used to seal and protect boilers, pipes and heaters from fires. Asbestos string was composed of chrysotile and crocidolite, and was used in windings on welding electrodes and as thread for sewing together various textile products.

Since the days of its use, contractors, boilermakers, pipefitters and other workers have been exposed to asbestos in rope and string, in some cases contributing to a diagnosis of mesothelioma, asbestosis, or lung cancers. How long is a piece of asbestos string? You don’t want to know.

3. Asbestos in irons

The asbestos iron pictured above is a vintage household appliance, where asbestos was used inside the “hood” or cover that fitted over its heated “core”. The iron held the heat that was then channeled through the steel surface, before it pressed the clothing smooth.

Vintage irons were generally made from chrysotile asbestos. They put homemakers and their families at risk of exposure, as well as laundry workers. New intact irons posed few dangers, but wear and tear could make the asbestos friable, increasing the likelihood of fibres becoming airborne.

4. Asbestos in hair dryers

If you thought drying your hair was safe, maybe think again. Older hair dryers have been proven to contain asbestos insulation, and it’s even possible that some cheap overseas-made hair dryers still use asbestos. Unsurprisingly, the material was used because the device’s heating element was a fire hazard. Asbestos was a cheap and easily-available flame retardant, used in countless household and industrial products.

So if you see an attractive-looking “vintage” hairdryer on sale at a secondhand market, think twice! Sometimes vintage style isn’t worth the risk.

5. Asbestos in stove mats

Stove mats were protective devices designed to be placed over the top of a hot burner in order to prevent damage to pots and pans from hot stoves. They consisted of an asbestos cloth or canvas applied over a rigid material, often with an aluminium edge. The rigid material was often asbestos millboard, so stove mats were essentially made from asbestos wrapped around asbestos. These mats usually remained intact, but wear and tear could release asbestos fibers into the air.

6. Asbestos in wicking

Wicking is used for a variety of purposes, most famously to light candles, lanterns and stoves. Making wick from asbestos meant that the product could withstand extreme temperatures, and could even resist and help contain the spread of fire.

Unfortunately though, it couldn’t maintain good health—the wicking was highly poisonous. The toxins that were contained in even the smallest particles were enough to make a grown man extremely unwell.

7. Asbestos in fake snow

Many films shot in the early twentieth century, including the likes of The Wizard of Oz, featured their actors being sprinkled with fake snow. Little do viewers realise, this effect was created by showering performers with chrysotile asbestos fibres, small snow like particles that were once used on movie sets, in department store displays, and even in private homes. Everybody wanted to get in on the fake asbestos snow action. And why not? From the mid-1930s to the 1950s, asbestos was seen as a versatile and harmless substance.

To date, it’s difficult to know the hazard that was presented by asbestos-based fake snow products. Most asbestos products involved some quantity of the fiber being used as part of a chemical compound that bound the fibres together, making them difficult to inhale until the material was damaged. But fake snow, often used in displays or in family homes, was simply pure white asbestos fibre piled up in drifts. Anyone who had any contact was inhaling deadly fibres in quantities normally associated with those working in asbestos mines.

Thankfully, you can safely shop for fake snow this Christmas knowing you won’t be exposed to asbestos…but spare a thought for the innocent workers and householders of the past, many of whom are still living with the consequences of the 20th century’s addiction to asbestos.

Questions about asbestos? Call Airsafe on (02) 9555 9034 for testing, monitoring, and expert advice.

Renovators beware: Asbestos is about

In the past, the most reported stories of asbestos-related illness have come from the construction industry, with companies such as James Hardie often featured in the news. But today, a real and present danger for Australians is asbestos in the home — a threat that often remains unnoticed until it’s too late.

Is home renovation really that dangerous?

When it comes to home renovation, it’s easy to become preoccupied with budgets, fixtures, and colour palettes. But while asbestos may not be as interesting as aesthetics, it’s important for homeowners to be informed about the dangers of the mineral, and its potential to harm.

In Australia, every home built or renovated before the mid 1980s is highly likely to contain asbestos. It left undisturbed, asbestos generally does not pose a health risk. However, when tampered with during renovation and routine maintenance, asbestos fibres can be released into the air. When inhaled, these fibres are known to cause life-threatening diseases including lung cancer, pleural disease, asbestosis and mesothelioma—an incurable, terminal cancer.

Home renovators: the third wave of asbestos victims

Over the past decade, the popularity of home renovations and DIY has continued to rise. Given the fact that more and more Australians are diagnosed with mesothelioma as a result of renovating or maintaining their properties, the crucial importance of education about the dangers of the substance to homeowners cannot be overlooked.

So prominent is the risk, a study by Professor Anthony Johnson et al into ‘the prevalence of self-reported asbestos exposure during home renovation in NSW residents’ showed:

As a result of these findings, it was concluded that exposure to asbestos is quite common during home renovation in Australia.

In the years prior to asbestos being banned in Australia in 2003, those most affected by asbestos illnesses were asbestos miners and their families—the first wave of asbestos victims. In the years afterwards, tradesmen such as electricians and plumbers and their families made up a second wave of Australians falling ill; exposed largely by fibres brought home on workers’ clothing.

But today, with studies demonstrating that current asbestos exposure is directly linked to home renovations, the third wave of victims appear to be homeowners and families exposed during renovations and routine maintenance.

Asbestos safety check list

The Asbestos Education committee have composed a 20 point safety checklist for anybody considering home renovation or routine maintenance. Some of the more crucial points are as follows:

  1. If your home was built before 1987, it most likely contains asbestos.
  2. If asbestos is disturbed during renovation, you and your family are at risk of exposure.
  3. DIY renovation is not recommended where asbestos is present.
  4. Products made from asbestos include but are not limited to: fibro sheeting, roofing, insulation, guttering, and window putty.
  5. If you find asbestos in your home, there are legal requirements regarding its management, removal and disposal.

Renovate the right way

Dealing with asbestos in the home correctly is an important and serious issue, but don’t let it overwhelm you. Handling asbestos safely during home renovations and routine maintenance is a manageable task, if you follow procedure.

But this involves more than just a trip to your local hardware store for a magical “asbestos testing kit”. These do-it-yourself products may give you the impression that asbestos testing is something you can do yourself, but this is not the case.

The only way to test for asbestos is in a scientific laboratory, using specialised techniques like Polarised Light Microscopy (PLM) and Dispersion Staining (DS).

So-called “asbestos test kits” simply contain basic equipment for collecting asbestos samples, plus a certificate to have that sample tested in a lab. They’re nothing miraculous, they don’t let you test for asbestos yourself, and some hardware stores have even discontinued them.

An easier option is to buy the equipment yourself, then deliver your sample to the NATA accredited asbestos testing laboratory at Airsafe. All tools are easy to find; a P2 disposable dust mask (available at your local hardware story), a couple of zip lock bags (available at your supermarket), and hand tools for handling the sample (available in your garden shed). No specialised asbestos testing kit required!

If you’re in a rush, Airsafe can get a result back fasted than anybody else in Australia.

So, before you start your renovations, make sure your home is safe. If you have taken a sample from your home that is found to be asbestos, Airsafe can advise you on treatment options, recommend a removal contractor, and provide a legally compliant asbestos clearance certificate following removal.

Whether your asbestos issue occurs during major renovations, or minor routine maintenance, Airsafe is here to help.

Wunderlich: Another asbestos scandal hits Australia

Australia has the second-highest rate of mesothelioma deaths across the globe, with more than 10, 000 people falling victim to the disease since the early 1980s. Far from getting better, research by The Australian Mesothelioma Registry suggests that the disease toll has slowly increased over time. It’s a truth that hit close to home for residents of Sunshine North in Melbourne, where a five-month investigation by the Herald Sun newspaper in 2014 uncovered the biggest known suburban asbestos contamination in Australia to that date.

Twenty-five Sunshine locals are known to have died or fallen ill from environmental exposure to asbestos from the Wunderlich factory, an old cement plant that had been one of the two big asbestos manufacturers in the country during the fifties. Situated between local schools and residential blocks, the Wunderlich grounds were frequently walked through by those who lived nearby. As a result, unlike those who fall ill due to work-related exposure, the victims of Sunshine have contracted asbestos related diseases simply by living in the wrong area, at the wrong time.

What did the Wunderlich Asbestos Factory do?

How were locals exposed to asbestos?

Currently, in Australia, people exposed to asbestos are often working in older buildings undergoing renovation or demolition. However, it’s believed many of the victims in Sunshine North could be unwell due to an exposure to environmental sources much earlier in life. Given the factory’s central location, many local residents would cut through the grounds of Wunderlich on their way to school or to the shops. Little did they know, the land had been littered with waste asbestos dust and broken sheeting for twenty years from the mid 1950s.

As a result, residents currently living in this area are also concerned about their exposure. However, at this stage it’s not clear if there is a true increase in asbestos-related disease in the community residences surrounding Wunderlich, though the Victorian Department of Health says investigations are underway to clarify this issue.

How was the connection with the Wunderlich factory discovered?

Slater & Gordon lawyer Margaret Kent has worked with hundreds of asbestos victims who have fought and won compensation from the company responsible for the majority of the Wunderlich issues — CSR. She believes that the area that surrounds the Wunderlich factory is home to the greatest concentration of environmental asbestos cases in Victoria. Ms Kent discovered the connection earlier this year when she began seeing the same street names featured on multiple case files in the office.

An investigation led by the Herald Sun confirmed that at least 16 people who grew up within 1km of the plant — none of whom worked for the factory — have died of asbestos-related diseases. One family was later awarded $500,000 in compensation.

What should I do to prevent accidental asbestos exposure?

Remember, you don’t have to be living in a known asbestos-ridden area to be concerned about asbestos exposure. You can be exposed to asbestos simply by unwittingly disturbing asbestos-containing material while renovating a house.

If you’re planning to renovate or demolish your home or business premises, you can book an asbestos inspection from Airsafe. We’ll look over the building from top to bottom, inside or outside, test samples of any suspect materials in our state of the art laboratory, and advise you on what action you need to take, if any.

If there’s a particular material in your home that you suspects contain asbestos, find out how to safely collect a sample and send it to Airsafe for asbestos testing.

Finally, if you have any questions about asbestos, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Asbestos in window putty

As you know by now if you’ve been keeping up with the news from Airsafe, asbestos can be found in all sorts of places in older homes: in walls, under lino and carpet, in or behind heating appliances, in toilet cisterns and seats, in meter boxes…

But did you know that there might also be asbestos in your windows? Specifically, the putty used to seal windows can contain asbestos, especially in houses built in the early and middle parts of the 20th century.

Why was asbestos used in window putty?

Why would asbestos be used in window putty, of all things? For the same reasons that asbestos was used in any building product: it added strength and fire resistance. Fire resistance is an especially desirable quality in window putty. Some types of putty are intumescent, meaning that when the putty is exposed to heat, the material swells, increasing in volume but decreasing in density. This makes the putty very useful as a form of fireproofing, protecting the surfaces they are applied to from heat damage. These types of putty were the most likely to contain asbestos. (Interestingly, asbestos-containing putty was also used extensively in US naval vessels!)

As with most uses of asbestos, then, there were good intentions behind the use of asbestos in window putty. But the result is that old windows are now just one more source of possible exposure to asbestos, especially during renovation or when the windows are being replaced.

The risk is exacerbated over time as the putty becomes weathered and starts to break down. Anyone who’s ever lived spent winter in an unrenovated older house will be familiar with this problem: the putty around the windows becomes so broken down that it no longer does its job of keeping out the cold. This leads many people to use temporary solutions like insulating tape, but in the meantime, the putty is still gradually wearing away and becoming friable, which brings the danger of asbestos fibres being released into the air.

Precautions when repairing or replacing windows

Eventually, if you live in an older house you will want to replace or repair your windows. It’s been estimated that heat transfer through windows can account for 10 to 25 per cent of heating and air conditioning costs, so it makes sense from both a financial and an environmental point of view.

So what precautions should you take when replacing or repairing windows in older houses?

We recommend caution around window putty for the same reason we urge people to take care around asbestos roofs: although the material is not dangerous in its original, bonded form, the fact that it’s constantly exposed to the elements means that it will inevitably break down over the years. Weathering can make non-friable asbestos friable.

If any of the putty in your windows is coming loose, we strongly recommend you have a sample tested before doing anything else.

Window professionals urge asbestos caution

How serious is this issue? Well, you only need to see how people who work professionally with windows have responded.

Well-known glazing company O’Brien’s was so concerned about the possibility of asbestos in window putty that it issued an asbestos safety alert to its glaziers, with the following instructions:

The Australian Glass and Glazing Association (AGGA) issued a similar safety alert, noting that one of its members had recently had asbestos detected in a sample of old steel/ aluminium putty.

What’s safe to do around windows?

The European Federation of Building and Woodworkers have published a useful list of which activities related to windows contain which levels of risk of exposure to asbestos, as long as the window putty is undamaged:

Activities involving little or no risk of asbestos exposure:

Activities involving an increased risk of asbestos exposure:

Activities involving a very high risk of asbestos exposure:

However, if the window putty is damaged — if it looks weathered or has started to crumble — you shouldn’t undertake any activities until you’ve taken a sample and had it tested for asbestos by a NATA-accredited laboratory like Airsafe’s.

Bear in mind that if the window putty is old enough to contain asbestos, there’s a very high possibility that is has become damaged by the natural weathering process over the years. For this reason, we recommend that DIY enthusiasts with older houses err on the side of caution if you’re planning to do anything that might involve disturbing window putty.

If you live in Sydney or NSW and have any questions about possible asbestos in your windows, give Airsafe a call on (02) 9555 9034.

Airsafe supports Bathroom Blitz for disability services provider

We’ve all seen renovation shows on TV where a home is transformed overnight. This may make for an exciting storyline, but the reality is usually different.

It was certainly different for disability services provider Warrah, who decided to renovate a number of bathrooms in their residential accommodation units. Balancing the special requirements of residents with the need to maintain independence, safety and privacy proved to be a complex task.

Fortunately, construction company Brookfield Multiplex stepped in, and rounded up nearly 100 partners to donate their services. One of those partners was Airsafe, who provided asbestos surveys, testing and air monitoring. The result: residents of the units have 17 brand new, custom designed bathrooms, and the organisation has saved around $250,000.

About Warrah

Founded in 1969, Warrah is a disability services provider located in Dural in north-west Sydney. It provides services for people with an intellectual disability and moderate to high support needs.

Warrah provides about 100 residential places for adults and 20 places for school children. The residential units occupy 30 acres in Dural, and the organisation also owns and rents other sites in nearby suburbs.

As well as residential services, Warrah offers adult day services and runs a school for students with intellectual disabilities.

The Bathroom Blitz Project

The Bathroom Blitz came about after Brookfield Multiplex chairman Ross McDiven visited Warrah and decided he wanted to do something to help update the organisation’s bathrooms at their facilities in Dural, Cherrybrook and Baulkham Hills. Client needs and expectations had changed since the facilities were built 30 years ago. With some residents partially ambulant and others non-ambulant, there was a real need to upgrade the bathrooms to improve independence, safety and privacy.

Airsafe’s involvement

Knowing that Warrah’s facilities were several decades old and therefore likely to contain asbestos, Brookfield Multiplex asked Airsafe to help. We were happy to do so, at no charge.

Our initial work on the project involved inspecting the bathrooms scheduled for renovation. As with any other asbestos survey, we took samples of materials we suspected might contain asbestos, and analysed the samples in our NATA-accredited laboratory to determine asbestos content.

Some of the facilities did indeed turn out to contain asbestos. In those cases, Airsafe donated more of our time for air quality monitoring to make sure that contractors were safe from airborne asbestos fibres. Finally, we performed asbestos clearance inspections to confirm that it was safe for residents to start using their beautiful new bathrooms!

The results

Chris Johnson, former NSW Government Architect and now CEO of Urban Taskforce (a not-for-profit organisation that represents property developers) visited Warrah’s residential complex at Dural while Bathroom Blitz was in progress. He reports on his visit:

I recently visited Warrah in the middle of the bathroom blitz. Workmen were stripping old, sub standard bathrooms to their frames while plasterers, plumbers, painters, electricians and more were rebuilding the rooms as sparkling modern bathrooms worthy of a five star hotel. In one spot you could see the old and new side by side and the Warrah staff could hardly believe their eyes at the transformation. I spoke to one of the foremen wearing a blue BM shirt who said his own son had autism and he was keen to help the people at Warrah. An incredible commitment from Brookfield Multiplex and their teams of subcontractors all contributing their time and materials for nothing for a good cause.

It’s always great when tradies pitch in together. At Airsafe, we’re especially happy that we were able to make a contribution to the project that ensured all these subcontractors’ safety while the job was in progress.

The CEO of Wallah, Georgina Michaelis, was effusive about the Bathroom Blitz project and the difference it has made to residents:

With eight bathrooms now complete it is wonderful to see the residents enjoying and having pride in their new bathrooms. The re-design and modern renovations have made a significant difference to both our residents and our staff. Bathrooms that previously had accessibility issues or lacked circulation room for staff to easily help clients requiring assistance are now completely functional for people with disabilities. All the teams involved in Bathroom Blitz have also shown incredible good-will and generosity going above and beyond the bathroom renovations. Teams in some of the houses are now looking at re-doing the flooring and polishing the floor boards or replacing carpet in rooms and decks have been cleaned and re-painted and we cannot thank them all enough.

Airsafe is proud to have been part of a project that makes such a difference to people’s lives.

Support Warrah yourself

If you’d like to support Warrah yourself, you can make a donation to their current appeal, aimed at improving hydrotherapy services for their residents:

Hydrotherapy provides many wonderful therapeutic benefits for people with disability. Improving mobility and agility, relieving stress, and providing healthy sensory stimulation are just a few of them!

Airsafe supports the good work that Warrah does, and we encourage you to support them too if you can.

What if you’re renovating your own bathroom?

Warrah was fortunate to have a partner in Brookfield Multiplex who understood the need to take proper precautions around asbestos before commencing a bathroom renovation.

Unfortunately, not all home renovators take the same precautions. Encouraged by reality TV shows, homeowners will rip up old tiles and lino, or knock holes in walls, without considering that these are prime locations for asbestos containing materials – especially if the building is a few decades old.

Nor is there any guarantee that a professional builder will take the right precautions. We’ve talked before about a case where a a builder reassured a Canberra couple that the asbestos in their bathroom was “not the dangerous kind”.

The safe thing to do is to contact Airsafe for an asbestos inspection any time you’re planning renovations to a bathroom or any other part of your house. If we find suspect material, we’ll test it in our laboratory, and if it does turn out to be asbestos, we’ll give you reliable advice about how it should be removed and disposed of.

Asbestos removal control plans: Do your due diligence

If you’re having asbestos removed at your premises, your asbestos removal contractor should supply an asbestos removal control plan, as required under Work Health and Safety Regulations.

But how do you know that this asbestos removal control plan is up to scratch and complies with the legal requirements?

That’s easy: get Airsafe involved. Whether you’re dealing with an asbestos removal contractor you’ve engaged yourself, or one we’ve recommended, Airsafe’s asbestos consultants can do a detailed review of the documentation to /commercial/asbestos-removalmake sure everything is legally in order.

You can trust Airsafe to review your asbestos removal control plan because we’ve been in the asbestos industry for over 30 years, and the authorities know us and trust us: in fact, they use our paperwork as an example of best practice!

What should be covered in an asbestos removal control plan?

According to SafeWork NSW’s code of practice How to safely remove asbestos, “A licensed asbestos removalist must prepare an asbestos removal control plan for any licensed asbestos removal work they are commissioned to undertake.”

The purpose of an asbestos removal control plan is to identify the specific measures that will be in place during asbestos removal to make sure workers and others won’t be it risk, and that the asbestos removal is carried out in a safe, well-planned manner.

The plan is prepared by the asbestos removalist in consultation with the person who commissioned the work, the person with management or control of the workplace (if they’re not the same person), workers themselves, and health and safety representatives.

Specifically, the asbestos removal control plan must outline:

What else can Airsafe check?

As well as the asbestos removal control plan, Airsafe can make sure that your asbestos removalist’s other paperwork is in order.

Most importantly, we’ll look at their insurance coverage and make sure it’s up to scratch. There are two main types of insurance that asbestos removalists need: public liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance.

When it comes to public liability insurance, it’s particularly important that the insurance policy specifically mentions asbestos. Most standard Australian public liability policies don’t cover asbestos at all, which means that you could end up being legally liable if something goes wrong.

Airsafe will also check that your asbestos removalist is appropriately licensed for the type of asbestos removal they are carrying out. Legally, the kind of license required differs according to whether or not the asbestos is friable (easily crumbled). But the distinction between friable and non-friable asbestos is not hard and fast; rather than taking the removalist’s word for it, it’s better to rely on Airsafe’s expertise.

How else can Airsafe help with asbestos removal?

One of the safety measures that should be detailed in the asbestos removal control plan is air quality monitoring. Air monitoring ensures that dangerous asbestos particles aren’t being released into the air during asbestos removal. It gives you a record that can be referred back to later on, in case any questions come up about the asbestos removal process.

Airsafe is one of Sydney’s most experienced and respected providers of air monitoring services during asbestos removal. So as well as checking that your paperwork is in order, we can actively ensure that the asbestos removal is proceeding safely.

How will an asbestos removalist feel about me getting Airsafe involved?

The good ones will love it!

Let’s explain a bit about how Airsafe works. We’ve spent so many years dealing with the very sensitive subject of asbestos that we’ve become experts in working with people as well. The last thing we would ever do is go onto a construction site and start throwing our weight around, telling asbestos removalists they’re doing everything wrong without offering a constructive solution.

Instead, Airsafe asbestos consultants are diplomats and problem solvers. If we can see that an asbestos removalist is doing something wrong, hasn’t completed the asbestos removal control plan properly, or hasn’t got the rest of their paperwork in order, we’ll offer constructive advice on getting the issue sorted out as quickly as possible, so that the asbestos removal process can be expedited and construction can recommence.

In fact, good asbestos removalists — such as the ones we recommend — actually prefer having Airsafe involved. If there’s an issue with the asbestos removal control plan, it’s much better to get it sorted out on the spot rather than risk having it rejected by WorkCover and have to be done again.

What are the risks of not getting the asbestos removal control plan checked?

Is an asbestos removal control plan just “red tape”? Why is it important to have one, and to get it checked by experienced asbestos consultants like Airsafe?

Hopefully, we don’t have to try too hard to convince our readers that when it comes to asbestos removal, it really is important to make sure a rigorous plan is in place to keep people safe.

But just in case you need further convincing, have a look at this article about a recent study concluding that the toxicity of asbestos does not diminish over time. In other words, if someone is accidentally exposed to asbestos during construction work that you’re in charge of, they are effectively sentenced to a life of uncertainty. There will never be a point when they can consider themselves safe from contracting devastating asbestos-related disease like mesothelioma.

As researcher Alison Read of Curtin University puts it:

We have always known that the risk of mesothelioma increases the longer it is since you were first exposed….What the study has shown is that even after 45 years, there still is risk for developing the disease.

So there’s ample reason to dot the i’s and cross the t’s when you’re dealing with asbestos removal. It will set your mind at rest for many years to come.

Make sure you and your employees are protected: call Airsafe on (02) 9555 9034.

You may have seen the phrase “asbestos hygienist” used to describe a person who conducts asbestos surveys, audits or inspections.

So what is an “asbestos hygienist”? Is it something different from an asbestos inspector, asbestos assessor, or asbestos consultant? If you suspect you have asbestos in your workplace, or if you need help creating an asbestos register and asbestos management plan, should you be looking for an asbestos hygienist, or someone else?

It does get confusing that there are all these different terms for people who work with asbestos. The main thing to bear in mind is that if you think you have an asbestos problem, the person you want to talk to is the one with the most knowledge, experience and accreditation in the field of asbestos. Their job title doesn’t matter so much! At Airsafe, we’re the most experienced asbestos people in the business, so call us first. If you need to speak to someone else (like a qualified asbestos removalist, we’ll let you know and recommend someone you can rely on.

As for “asbestos hygienist” this is not a term we generally use internally at Airsafe, but we do hear it in conversation. When people use the term “asbestos hygienist”, what they seem to be asking for is an asbestos specialist within the overall discipline of occupational hygiene.

Occupational hygiene and asbestos

Occupational hygiene is a broad discipline dealing with all kinds of workplace hazards that might cause injury or illness. The Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists (AIOH) promotes and represents the occupational hygiene profession within Australia. Occupational hygienists divide these hazards into five categories: biological, chemical, physical, ergonomic, and psychosocial.

What this means in practice is that occupational hygienists need some level of knowledge in a huge number of different areas. Occupational hygienists deal with everything from mould to airborne diseases to dangerous chemicals to excessive noise or heat.

At Airsafe, we’re experts in all kinds of workplace hazards, so part of our commercial offering is a full range of occupational hygiene services. But when it comes to asbestos, we hand over to our specialist asbestos consultants.

Outside of Airsafe, occupational hygienists certainly can have a role to play in the asbestos identification process. This makes sense, since asbestos can certainly be an occupational hazard if it’s not dealt with properly. So, for instance, WorkCover’s Code of Practice How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace lists the following as “Persons who may be considered to be competent in the identification of asbestos”:

  • occupational hygienists who have experience with asbestos
  • licensed asbestos assessors
  • asbestos removal supervisors
  • individuals who have a statement of attainment in the unit competency for asbestos assessors
  • a person working for an organisation accredited by NATA under AS/NZS ISO/IEC 17020:2000 General criteria for the operation of various types of bodies performing inspection for surveying asbestos

When people use the phrase “asbestos hygienist”, they’re really talking about the first of these categories, “occupational hygienists who have experience with asbestos”.

But, however much experience an occupational hygienist has with asbestos, given a choice, it’s always better to talk to someone who is specialised in asbestos. Asbestos comes in so many different types, appears in so many different places, and requires so many different kinds of treatment, that it really is a speciality in itself. We can’t imagine that somebody who deals with asbestos as one of a range of other workplace issues could have the same amount of expertise as someone who deals with asbestos every single day.

Incidentally, we’d say the same thing about generalist Risk Management consultants…only more so. If your field of expertise is something as broad as “risk”, you may not be the right person to be drawing up detailed plans on how to deal with something as complex and technical as asbestos.

With asbestos, accreditation is more important than job title

That’s why Airsafe’s clients like dealing with us…they know that we’re some of the most experienced specialised asbestos consultants in the business. In fact, we’re specifically accredited for our expertise in asbestos. This means that our expertise goes beyond what a generalist occupational hygienist can offer, even if they refer to themself as an “asbestos hygienist”.

Our most important accreditation comes from NATA, the National Association of Testing Authorities. Don’t think of NATA accreditation as a rubber stamp: it’s very hard to come by, and it’s given only to the most experienced businesses which pass a rigorous assessment process. Many Australian businesses which advertise asbestos services don’t have NATA accreditation. Even those that do aren’t necessarily accredited for the full range of asbestos-related activities, as Airsafe is. (Don’t take our word for it: you can see Airsafe’s full NATA accreditation details on the NATA website.)

A second way in which Airsafe’s consultants are officially recognised as asbestos experts is with “Licensed Asbestos Assessor” accreditation from WorkCover NSW. Since July 2013, Licensed Asbestos Assessors have been required to conduct air quality monitoring and clearance inspections, and to issue asbestos clearance certificates, during all friable asbestos removal works in NSW. Because of Airsafe’s acknowledged expertise, our 30 years of experience, and our excellent reputation in the industry, all of our consultants have been recognised by WorkCover as Licensed Asbestos Assessors.

To sum up: there’s no special accreditation that anyone needs to describe themselves as an “Asbestos Hygienist”. Although Occupational Hygienists may have experience with asbestos, we always recommend engaging a specialised asbestos consultant when you think you may be dealing with asbestos. After all, it’s about keeping your employees and the general public safe, and avoiding potentially catastrophic legal action in the future.

And if you’re looking for a specialised asbestos consultant in Sydney, Airsafe are among the most knowledgeable and experienced in the business, and we have the industry accreditations to prove it. To get help with asbestos, give us a call on (02) 9555 9034.