Asbestos Management Plan

EAPL is an independent environmental consultancy specialising in the surveying, identification and analysis of asbestos containing materials (ACM) and deliver impartial trusted advice and professional services to our clients both national and international.

Meeting your obligations under WHS & OHS Law

Various Acts, Regulations, Codes of Practice and Policy Frameworks mandate specific responsibilities for the management of asbestos. It is mandatory to identify asbestos materials (ACM) and manage them in a safe manner.

Regulations require that “Persons with Control” of workplaces or “persons conducting a business or undertaking” (PCBUs) keep an accurate Asbestos Register of asbestos-containing materials (ACM).

“Persons with Control” or “persons conducting a business or undertaking” include:

  • Premises owner or occupier
  • Employer
  • Manager
  • Other representative with responsibility for workplace repairs or alterations
  • Landlords

All workplaces containing ACM must have an Asbestos Register and Asbestos Management Plan. Penalties may apply to “Persons with Control” or PCBUs who do not have a compliant Asbestos Register, or manage asbestos safely.

An Asbestos Register (AR) and an Asbestos Management Plan (AMP) are often confused. Although similar, and usually prepared at the same time, they are different documents with different functions. The fundamental difference is:

  • Asbestos Register documents where ACM have been found
  • Asbestos Management Plan describes the processes in place for dealing with ACM

ACM Management includes:

  • Identification (Asbestos Register and labelling)
  • Assessment of condition of ACM, and risk to health
  • Control (including Asbestos Management Plan)

New Obligations for Managing Asbestos in Commercial Premises

WHS & OHS Laws require:

  • All non-domestic properties built before 2004 must have an Asbestos Survey carried out and an Asbestos Register prepared
  • The Asbestos Register must be available for consultation so that ACM can be safely managed

Penalties may apply to owners or controllers of buildings who do not have a compliant Asbestos Register and/or fail to manage asbestos safely. Failure to comply with the new WHS & OHS Laws could result in fines of up to $60,000 or six years imprisonment.

Do I need an Asbestos Management Plan?

An Asbestos Register and Asbestos Management Plan are not required if:

  • no ACM identified during an Asbestos Survey
  • a workplace was constructed after 31 December 2003

It is a legal obligation to have an Asbestos Register and Asbestos Management Plan if:

  • ACM has been identified at a workplace

What is a Compliant Asbestos Management Plan?

A compliant Asbestos Management Plan (AMP) sets out how identified asbestos or ACM will be managed, it must include:

  • Key asbestos information (i.e. Asbestos Survey)
  • Identification, labelling and risk assessment of ACM (i.e. Asbestos Register)
  • Roles & responsibilities under the AMP and the person’s responsibilities
  • Communication and awareness strategies (i.e. Staff Training)
  • Decisions, and reasons for the decisions, about the management of asbestos at the workplace
  • Procedures for detailing accidents, incidents or emergencies of asbestos
  • Outline of how asbestos risks will be controlled i.e. appropriate control measures
  • Timetable for managing risks of exposure
  • Procedures, including a timetable for reviewing and, if necessary, revising the AMP and Asbestos Register
  • Air monitoring procedures

Regardless of any changes, the Asbestos Management Plan must be reviewed at least every 5 years or earlier depending upon changed circumstances to keep it current.

Assurance of Quality

For the purposes of inspection, EAPL is a Type A Inspection Body: i.e. not linked to any party directly involved in design, manufacture, ownership, use or maintenance of the establishments it surveys.

As an additional assurance of service quality, as well as NATA accreditation to ISO 17025 & 17020, EAPL’s Integrated Management System is also accredited to the following Australian and international standards:

  • Quality: AS/NZS ISO 9001: 2008
  • Health and Safety: AS/NZS 4801: 2001 and OHSAS 18001: 2007
  • Environmental: AS/NZS ISO 14001: 2004

NATA-Logo-SmallAccredited for compliance with ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO/IEC 17020

Why Choose Emission Assessments (EAPL) to prepare your Asbestos Management Plan?

  • EAPL is a NATA accredited TYPE A Inspection Body
  • EAPL’s Asbestos Surveys, Asbestos Registers and Asbestos Management Plans are NATA endorsed
  • EAPL’s Asbestos Surveys, Asbestos Registers and Asbestos Management Plans comply with the national Code of Practice and Chapter 8 of the model Work, Health and Safety Regulations (2011).
  • EAPL’s reports are presented in easily understood format
  • EAPL is a NATA accredited testing facility for Asbestos Fibre Counting and Asbestos Fibre Identification in materials and soil
  • EAPL holds $10m of professional indemnity insurance & $20m of public liability insurance

EAPL will conduct a free desktop audit to ensure existing Asbestos Register and/or Asbestos Management Plan comply with current regulations and provide you with a written report.

To organise a desktop audit or arrange an Asbestos Survey Contact EAPL on:
08 94942958.