Asbestos is the single biggest programme risk in older commercial strip-outs. It hides in vinyl floor tiles, ceiling panels, fire door cores, switchboard backing and wall sheeting. Disturbing it without the right process exposes workers and occupants to a serious health hazard and exposes the business to enforcement action. Here is how the rules work in Victoria.
Why does asbestos still matter?
Asbestos was widely used in Australian buildings for decades, and a total national ban took effect on 31 December 2003. Any building built or refitted before then may contain asbestos-containing material. It is generally low risk when intact and undisturbed. The risk comes when it is cut, drilled, broken or removed, which is exactly what a strip-out does.
The asbestos register
Under the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (Vic), a person who manages or controls a workplace, or an employer, must keep an up-to-date asbestos register recording identified asbestos. Before you sign a lease or plan a defit, ask for the register. It is the starting point for every demolition or refurbishment.
Identify before you disturb
Before demolition or refurbishment, the person with management or control of the workplace must identify any asbestos likely to be disturbed by the work. A general register compiled for day-to-day management is not always enough, because it may not cover hidden areas behind walls, above ceilings or under floor coverings. For strip-outs, a destructive or refurbishment survey by a competent person is often needed.
Who can remove asbestos?
Victoria's thresholds are clear:
- Non-friable asbestos, 10 m² or less, taking no more than one hour in any seven days: may be removed without a licence, using safe work practices.
- Non-friable asbestos over 10 m²: must be removed by a Class A or Class B licensed removalist.
- Friable asbestos, any amount: must be removed by a Class A licensed removalist.
Friable asbestos is material that can be crumbled or reduced to powder by hand when dry, such as some pipe lagging and sprayed insulation. It is the higher-risk category.
Notifying WorkSafe
For licensed removal of friable asbestos or non-friable asbestos over 10 m², the removalist must notify WorkSafe Victoria at least five days before work starts. Shorter notice periods apply in specific circumstances, including unexpected finds during work. Build the notice period into your programme. Discovering asbestos mid-strip-out is one of the most common causes of delay.
Clearance before reoccupation
After licensed asbestos removal, an independent person must carry out a clearance inspection and issue a clearance certificate before the area is reoccupied or work continues. No clearance certificate is needed where the only asbestos removed was non-friable material totalling 10 m² or less.
Transport and disposal
Asbestos waste is classified by EPA Victoria as reportable priority waste. It must be transported and disposed of in line with EPA requirements, including waste tracking, to a facility licensed to accept it. The general environmental duty under the Environment Protection Act 2017 also applies.
A practical sequence for a strip-out
- Obtain the asbestos register and building age.
- Commission a refurbishment or demolition survey for the areas to be disturbed.
- Price and programme licensed removal, including WorkSafe notice.
- Remove asbestos before general strip-out works in those areas.
- Obtain the clearance certificate.
- Proceed with the defit, with an unexpected-finds procedure in place.
- Keep waste tracking and clearance records in the handover pack.
How AxisPro helps
Hazardous materials assessment is step three of our Defit and Make Good pathway, ahead of pricing and approvals, so asbestos is identified before it becomes a surprise. We coordinate licensed removalists, notification and clearance, and include the records in your handover pack.