INTRODUCTION
Asbestos is the name given to a group of six naturally occurring minerals. This essay will focus on methods of recognition, evaluation and control of asbestos in an occupational setting in Australia.
BACKGROUND
Products manufactured from asbestos demonstrate durability, flexibility and excellent insulative and fire resistant properties, for this reason asbestos has been used extensively in many industries worldwide. Until the mid-80’s Australia’s use of asbestos was one of the highest worldwide, per-capita (Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency, n.d.).
Asbestos has a carcinogenicity classification of 1a under the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). This classification means that a …show more content…
This ban was outlined in the Amendments to Schedule 2 of the National Model Regulations for the Control of Workplace Hazardous Substances (Prohibition of Asbestos) 2001 which has since been superseded by the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011. The three remaining types of asbestos; actinolite, anthophylite and tremolite do not have any known use in Australia and as such are not covered by the national prohibition (National Occupational Health & Safety Commision, 2005a).
In conjunction with the national ban on asbestos; the importation and exportation of asbestos and ACM to or from Australia was prohibited under Regulation 4C of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 . New Zealand has very recently joined Australia in banning the importation of ACM as of October 1st 2016 (Mantesso, 2016). …show more content…
For example, the true effectiveness of Australia’s 2003 ban on asbestos may not be measurable until the 2030’s or 2040’s onwards.
CONCLUSION
Asbestos has had a terrible impact on human health over the course of the 21st century and continues to take a terrible toll worldwide. By banning the manufacture and importation of asbestos, Australia has taken the most important step possible towards controlling the risk to human health; however, there is much more to be done.
The key to further reducing risk into the future is total prevention of human exposure to asbestos fibres, whether that is through encapsulation and isolation in the shorter term or total eradication in the longer term. A duty of care exists with all business owners and managers to ensure that any potential ACM in their workplace is identified, risk assessed and controlled. Additionally, education initiatives will help to prevent homeowners, tradespeople and small businesses from exposing themselves to ACM by allowing them to more accurately assess the potential for encountering asbestos in their homes and
Asbestos is the name given to a group of six naturally occurring minerals. This essay will focus on methods of recognition, evaluation and control of asbestos in an occupational setting in Australia.
BACKGROUND
Products manufactured from asbestos demonstrate durability, flexibility and excellent insulative and fire resistant properties, for this reason asbestos has been used extensively in many industries worldwide. Until the mid-80’s Australia’s use of asbestos was one of the highest worldwide, per-capita (Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency, n.d.).
Asbestos has a carcinogenicity classification of 1a under the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). This classification means that a …show more content…
This ban was outlined in the Amendments to Schedule 2 of the National Model Regulations for the Control of Workplace Hazardous Substances (Prohibition of Asbestos) 2001 which has since been superseded by the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011. The three remaining types of asbestos; actinolite, anthophylite and tremolite do not have any known use in Australia and as such are not covered by the national prohibition (National Occupational Health & Safety Commision, 2005a).
In conjunction with the national ban on asbestos; the importation and exportation of asbestos and ACM to or from Australia was prohibited under Regulation 4C of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 . New Zealand has very recently joined Australia in banning the importation of ACM as of October 1st 2016 (Mantesso, 2016). …show more content…
For example, the true effectiveness of Australia’s 2003 ban on asbestos may not be measurable until the 2030’s or 2040’s onwards.
CONCLUSION
Asbestos has had a terrible impact on human health over the course of the 21st century and continues to take a terrible toll worldwide. By banning the manufacture and importation of asbestos, Australia has taken the most important step possible towards controlling the risk to human health; however, there is much more to be done.
The key to further reducing risk into the future is total prevention of human exposure to asbestos fibres, whether that is through encapsulation and isolation in the shorter term or total eradication in the longer term. A duty of care exists with all business owners and managers to ensure that any potential ACM in their workplace is identified, risk assessed and controlled. Additionally, education initiatives will help to prevent homeowners, tradespeople and small businesses from exposing themselves to ACM by allowing them to more accurately assess the potential for encountering asbestos in their homes and