Asbestos testing in Toowoomba

Asbestos testing in Toowoomba is the only reliable way to know whether a material in your home or building contains asbestos. You cannot tell by looking. A sample has to be examined in a laboratory, and that is what we arrange for you.

If your place was built before 1990, there is a fair chance some of it contains asbestos. The Queensland Government estimates that one in three Australian homes has some. Testing turns a guess into an answer.

Why test before you do anything else

Well-maintained asbestos cement sheeting is generally not a risk unless it is disturbed. The trouble starts when someone cuts, drills, sands or breaks it without knowing what it is.

Testing first lets you:

• plan a renovation around what is really in the walls
• avoid paying for removal you may not need
• hire the right kind of removalist if the result is positive
• protect your family and any tradies on site

What our testing service covers

We offer asbestos testing as part of our wider asbestos services. That means sampling, lab testing and an asbestos safety consultation so the result makes sense.

Sampling is itself a hazardous job. Queensland guidance says it should be done by a competent person, so we do not suggest you scrape a piece off yourself. Our sampler wets the area, takes a small piece, seals it and records where it came from.

Samples then go to a NATA-accredited laboratory. NATA is the body that accredits Australian labs, and Queensland guidance says samples must go to a lab accredited for the relevant method. Handheld near infrared analysers are not an appropriate test method. You can read more in our guide to how asbestos samples are tested.

We have not confirmed standard turnaround times or lab fees to put on this page. Ask us when you call and we will go through what applies to your job.

When testing makes sense

Testing is worth doing when:

• you are about to renovate, strip out or demolish part of an older home
• sheeting, a roof, a fence or a shed is cracked, weathered or storm damaged
• you are buying a house and want to know what is behind the walls
• you manage a commercial building and need to identify what is in it
• you are unsure about a material and do not want to guess

If you are planning building work, start with our guide to asbestos testing before you renovate. If you are not sure where to look, see where asbestos is found in Queensland homes.

What happens after the result

A negative result means that sample did not contain asbestos. Other materials may still differ.

A positive result does not mean panic. Most asbestos in homes is non-friable, also called bonded, where the fibres are locked into cement. Our contractors hold a Class B licence, which covers non-friable asbestos only. If the material turns out to be friable, such as crumbling or fire-damaged asbestos, a Class A licensed removalist is needed. Call us and we will talk it through.

If removal is the next step, our asbestos removal service in Toowoomba takes it from there. We prepare the Asbestos Safe Work Method Statement, carry out disposal and give you a clearance certificate when the job is done. Clearance inspections and air monitoring are carried out by an independent assessor or competent person, not by the removalist.

A note for homeowners doing their own work

Homeowners can remove 10 m² or less of non-friable asbestos without a certificate, but must still follow strict safety steps. The whole job counts, so you cannot split it into smaller pieces on different days. Homeowners must never remove friable asbestos. Rules change, so check the current requirements at asbestos.qld.gov.au.

Workplaces and older commercial buildings

If you manage a workplace in Queensland built before 31 December 1989, you generally need an asbestos register, and a management plan if asbestos is identified. Testing is how unknown materials get added to that register.

Talk to us first

We are based at 1 Margaret St, East Toowoomba. Call (07) 3185 2323 (8am to 8pm weekdays, 8am to 5pm weekends) and tell us what you have found. We will explain whether testing makes sense.