Question: If an older building is not aware whether they have asbestos in the building, should that building have an asbestos report carried out?
Answer: If there is no asbestos register, however you suspect asbestos may be present, call in a hygienist.
Asbestos was used in buildings up to around 1985. After this, they stopped using asbestos in construction. Some older properties have been renovated, and during the renovations, the asbestos may or may not have been removed.
If asbestos has been identified in a building, there’s normally an asbestos register at the property. For older style strata buildings where asbestos has been identified, there would be an asbestos register on site. Contractors will refer to this as it will clearly identify where in the building the asbestos is located and if any work needs to be done on the property.
If there is no asbestos register, however, you suspect asbestos may be present, call in a hygienist. A hygienist will carry out lab testing to confirm if asbestos is present, and also identify whether the asbestos needs to be removed or rectified.
This post appears in the April 2022 edition of The QLD Strata Magazine.
Ryan Richards Sedgwick E: Ryan.Richards@au.sedgwick.com P: 1300 735 720