Question: What is an asbestos risk category for older buildings? If an older building is not aware of whether they have asbestos in the building or not, should they have an asbestos report carried out?
Answer: If you live in an older-style building and asbestos has been identified at a property, there would be an asbestos register on site.
Asbestos was predominantly used up to about 1985, give or take. After that time it started to be phased out and they stopped using asbestos in products. Some older properties have had renovations. Sometimes asbestos has been removed during the renovations, and other times it has not.
If you live in an older-style building and asbestos has been identified at a property, there would be an asbestos register on-site for contractors to refer to. This register will clearly identify where in the building the asbestos is located. If there is any work that needs to be done, contractors can refer to this register?
If no asbestos register exists and you suspect there may be asbestos present, the best thing is to call in a hygienist to have a sample tested at a lab to confirm whether asbestos is present. This will also help inform whether it needs to be removed or rectified.
This post appears in the November 2022 edition of The NSW Strata Magazine.
Ryan Richards Sedgwick E: Ryan.Richards@au.sedgwick.com P: 1300 735 720