Demolishing a house with asbestos in Queensland

Demolishing a house with asbestos in Queensland follows one main rule: the asbestos comes out before the building comes down. Knock a house down with asbestos still in it, and the fibres spread through the rubble, the soil and the neighbours' yards.

What the rules say

Under the Work Health and Safety Regulation, asbestos must be removed before demolition starts, so far as reasonably practicable. If it is not removed first, the person responsible has to show evidence of why not.

There is an exception for emergency demolition, which applies when a structure is unsound or about to collapse. Even then, the aim is to keep fibres out of the air.

If removing the asbestos first genuinely is not practicable, including on domestic premises, the fibres must be minimised. A wet spray is one method, along with controlling run-off.

Find it before you plan

Queensland buildings built before 31 December 1989 are the ones where asbestos is likely. For workplaces, the owner or person in control must keep an asbestos register, and the register must be reviewed before demolition. A copy goes to the demolition contractor before work starts.

For a private home, the same thinking applies. Before demolition, someone competent should look at the whole building and sample what is doubtful. A house can have asbestos in:

• Roof sheeting, ridge capping and gutters.
• Eaves, gables and external cladding.
• Wet area walls, laundry linings and ceilings.
• Vinyl flooring and its backing.
• Old fences, sheds and carports on the block.

Start with testing, so the plan is based on results and not guesses.

Who is allowed to do what

Removing more than 10 m² of bonded (non-friable) asbestos needs a Class B or Class A licensed business. Friable asbestos needs Class A. Our contractors hold a Class B licence, so we handle bonded material. If the house has friable asbestos, such as fire-damaged or crumbling material, call us and we will talk through what is needed.

The person demolishing may also need a demolition licence under the work health and safety rules. Specific approval from the local council can be required too. Check with Toowoomba Regional Council about approvals for your block.

Paperwork that comes with licensed removal

• A written asbestos removal control plan, which must be in place before licensed removal or demolition starts.
• Notice to WorkSafe Queensland on Form 65, at least five days before licensed removal starts.
• Notice to owners, occupiers and neighbours before the work begins.
• A clearance inspection after the removal, and a clearance certificate if the area passes.

We prepare the Asbestos Safe Work Method Statement for our part of the job. Clearance inspections and any air monitoring are carried out by an independent assessor or competent person, not by us.

Soil under the house

Soil can carry fragments of asbestos. The WorkSafe guidance is to scrape about 30 to 50 mm of soil from under the structure and seal it in two layers of 200 micrometre polythene, then dispose of it as asbestos waste. If all visible asbestos debris has been removed, soil sampling is not required.

Do not hose the site down, and keep power tools and high pressure cleaners away from asbestos.

What happens to the waste

Asbestos waste is regulated. It must be double wrapped, sealed, labelled and taken to a facility licensed to take it. Toowoomba Regional Council's Wellcamp facility takes domestic asbestos only, up to 175 kg a load, and does not accept commercial asbestos. A whole house will usually be more than that, so we handle the transport and tell you the details when you call.

Steps in order

1. Test and map the asbestos.
2. Plan the work and prepare the paperwork.
3. Notify WorkSafe, the owners, occupiers and neighbours.
4. Remove the asbestos and clean the site.
5. Get the clearance inspection.
6. Demolish.

Rules change, so check the current rules at asbestos.qld.gov.au.

Related pages

Our strip outs and demolition service covers the whole process. If you plan to keep the frame, see the guide to a house strip out. If the block has a garage or outbuilding, read about shed demolition. Back to Asbestos Removal Network Toowoomba for our other services, or call (07) 3185 2323.