Asbestos Policy V1.1
September 2012
Policy and Procedures
Management and removal of asbestos
SDMS ID Number
P2012/0178-059
SDMS Title
Management and Removal of Asbestos – Policy - P2012/0178-059
Effective From
1 September 2012
Applies to
All Housing Tasmania employees
Custodian
Manager, Housing Strategy
Summary
This policy defines the protocols and procedures for managing asbestos
containing materials in properties owned by the Director of Housing.
Replaces Doc. No.
n/a
Author Area
Housing Strategy - Asset Planning and Policy
Contact
Manager, Housing Strategy
Review Date
June 2015
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Policy Intent
To ensure that asbestos containing materials present in homes owned by the
Director of Housing (Director) are well managed and do not become a health
risk, prior to them being removed.
This is done by ensuring that the materials remain in a good and non-friable
condition.
Policy Statement
Housing Tasmania’s objective is the removal of all asbestos from its properties.
Until asbestos is removed, Housing Tasmania will work to prevent any asbestos
containing material from becoming degraded or damaged.
Degraded materials may become friable and release airborne fibres. When
inhaled or swallowed, the fibres can lodge inside internal organs and cause
serious illness or death.
To ensure safety, Housing Tasmania will:
Scope

quickly remove damaged or degraded asbestos containing materials
from homes

maintain materials ‘in situ’ in good condition

remove materials during maintenance and upgrading work, and

on a priority basis, remove and dispose of asbestos materials from
properties over time.
Properties owned by the Director and included in social housing rental
programs are covered by this policy. Included is Aboriginal housing and stock
where management is transferred under Better Housing Futures.
The policy does not apply to properties in which the Director of Housing has
equity ownership or other financial interests. Generally these are properties
held within the Community Housing Program, including those managed by
Indigenous Community Housing Organisations.
Background
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral used in building materials. It is no
longer used because it is dangerous.
The materials are still present in many houses built before 2003, including
public housing.
Asbestos containing materials may be present in some 6 000 properties owned
by the Director.
Housing Tasmania has identified the materials that may contain asbestos and be
present in its homes.
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To be certain a material contains asbestos it must be scientifically tested.
Housing Tasmania does not test all materials. Instead, materials are managed as
though they contain asbestos. The money that may otherwise be spent on
testing is used to keep materials in good condition, until they are removed.
Asbestos management
and removal-
Residences which are not places of work
Once damage is reported Housing Tasmania will act quickly to remediate any
suspect material.
Stable material will remain ‘in situ’ until removed.
Materials being managed ‘in situ’ are ranked to determine the priority for
removal.
The ranking system considers risk. The level of risk is based on material
condition and the likelihood of the material becoming damaged or degraded.
The ranking system is used to prioritise the removal of materials over time,
based on budget availability.
As far as is reasonably practical Housing Tasmania will continue to consistently
and routinely remove suspected asbestos materials as part of its maintenance
and upgrading activities.
Planned asbestos removal programs of ‘stable’ product will continue to occur,
as budgets allow.
Residences and other properties which are places of work
In accord with legislation, an asbestos register will be developed for each
property which is a place of work.
The register will be developed by an authorised person following an assessment
of the property.
Each register will be updated when a material change occurs.
All registers will be checked within a five year period from the date of the
initial register and each subsequent five year period.
Properties which require Form 56 Maintenance Compliance Certificates are
usually places of work as well as residences. These properties will receive
priority for the preparation of asbestos registers.
Until a register is developed, suspect materials will be managed in accordance
with the process for residences which are not places of work.
Once damage to a suspect material is reported, Housing Tasmania will act
quickly to ensure safety.
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A copy of the register will be maintained on the premises.
General
When properties are to be sold or transferred to other housing providers
there will be full disclosure of known or suspected asbestos materials.
Property assessment surveys of the Director’s properties will continue to be
undertaken on a planned basis.
Removal and disposal of the products will be undertaken by appropriately
licensed contractors and in accord with Housing Tasmania’s Asbestos Safety
System, or similar.
Application
Implementation of the policy and its associated documents will:

provide information and direction to Housing Operations which has
tenancy, maintenance, upgrading, sales and stock transfer
responsibilities

identify possible asbestos containing products and their likely location
in houses

require an assessment of the risk of the product to health, by taking
into account the products condition, type, location, and likelihood of
disturbance

require products to be ranked according to its potential risk to health;
manage the ongoing condition of the product in situ; and manage its
ultimate removal based on its risk factors and availability of funds

require the establishment of recording and reporting mechanisms
which will enable Housing Tasmania to monitor and report on
performance relating to the managed removal of asbestos from the
Director’s properties, as appropriate. Require that residential facilities
which are designated work- places, have an asbestos register on site,
and a twelve monthly condition inspection of suspected materials

provide direction to budget managers, in order to established funding
for asbestos removal programs, and

guide asbestos management practices which are consistent with
Commonwealth and State government legislation.
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Legal and Policy
Framework
The Homes Act 1935
The Residential Tenancy Act 1997.
Work Place Health and Safety Act 1995 – Applicable when residences become
places of work
Work Place Health and Safety Regulations 1998
The Public Health Act 1997
The Local Government Act 1993
Code of Practice for the Safe Removal of Asbestos
Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994
Environmental Management and Pollution Control (Controlled Waste Tracking)
Regulations 2010
Asbestos Safety Management System for Housing Tasmania July 2010
Exemptions
None
Responsibilities/
Delegations
Housing Tasmania staff and contractors are responsible for ensuring the
appropriate application of the policy.
Housing Operations, the Housing Innovations Unit, Finance, and Compliance
and Corporate Support, are responsible for implementation of the policy, as
appropriate.
Disclaimer
Audit and Compliance
This is a statewide policy and must not be reinterpreted so that subordinate
policies exist. Should discrete operational differences exist, these should be
expressed in the form of an operating procedure or protocol that must be
approved at the same level as this policy. This policy will be reviewed and
adapted as state policies change.
Failure to comply with this policy, without providing a good reason for doing
so, may lead to disciplinary action.
Compliance with this policy is monitored as appropriate by Housing Strategy
and with delegated responsibility 
Manager Housing Operations - responsible for maintenance,
upgrading and tenancy management

Manager Housing Innovations Unit – responsible for demolitions to
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make way for new development, and

Procedures and Forms
Manager Compliance and Corporate Support – demolitions and
upgrades as a result of insurance claims.
All Housing Tasmania’s staff and contractors have responsibility for
implementation of the policy.
The procedural intent is that:

tenants develop awareness of the likely presence of asbestos in
properties, the risk of asbestos to health and how both staff and
tenants can assist Housing Tasmania to manage the risk

purchasers of Housing Tasmania’s properties are provided with all
information about suspect materials that may be present in a property,
as known by Housing Tasmania (vendor disclosure), and

Housing Tasmania’s records show work undertaken on asbestos
products including the removal of such products in accord with the
policy.
Residences which are not places of work
Tenancy Officers will provide the following information to tenants at lease signup - a copy of the policy, the Asbestos Fact Sheet and Product List, the
Asbestos Website: www.asbestos.tas.gov.au for general information, and the
Housing Contact Centre 1300 665 663 phone number, for reporting damage.
Tenancy Officers undertaking routine property inspections will provide the
Asbestos Fact Sheet and Product List to tenants, remind tenants of the
potential for asbestos to be in their home, and reinforce that tenants must not
alter their property in any way, without approval from Housing Tasmania.
Tenancy Officers will also reinforce the need for tenants to quickly report
damage to Housing Tasmania and will also report any observed property
damage to the Housing Contact Centre.
Tenancy Officers are not required to assess the likelihood that the observed
damage is or is not likely to involve asbestos containing materials.
The intention is that all visible damage to materials in a home is reported.
Damage reported to the Housing Contact Centre will be managed in accord
with the policy.
Residences and other properties which are places of work
Tenants in these properties will be provided with asbestos information in the
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same manner as for residences which are not places of work. For example,
information will be provided at sign-up by the person undertaking the sign-up
(see above).
In addition, these properties will have an asbestos register prepared by an
authorised provider. A copy of the register will be available at the property and
will be updated when work impacting of asbestos containing materials is
undertaken.
Until a register is prepared for a property, all potential asbestos containing
materials will be managed in accord with risk.
Sale Properties
The Home Ownership and Sales Officer is responsible for making full
disclosure of corporate knowledge relating to suspected asbestos materials
being in a sale property, to potential purchasers. This includes:

providing a copy of the Asbestos Register (where one exists) for an
individual property, to the Real Estate Agent responsible for selling the
property, for disclosure to potential purchasers

providing a copy of the Asbestos Fact Sheet and Product List, to the
Real Estate Agent for disclosure to potential purchasers prior to the
signing of a contract

ensuring sales contracts provide for appropriate asbestos exposure
information, and

a letter from the Director – Housing to potential home buyers
outlining the need for extreme care when dealing with asbestos
products, particularly in respect to home renovation, and the Asbestos
Fact Sheet and Product List.
Contractors including Marsh Insurance
Contractors are to provide Housing Tasmania with information relating to
work undertaken on Housing Tasmania’s properties, including an estimate of
the amount of asbestos removed by the date of removal and by property
address and cost; whenever such work is undertaken.
Where an asbestos register exists, the register is to be updated when work on
asbestos materials is undertaken.
Reporting
Compliance and Corporate Support will provide an annual report to the
Manager Housing Operations and Work Place Standards, which will identify the
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level of suspected materials removed from properties, by the estimated
amount (m2), cost and municipality.
Policy Updates
The policy will be updated to reflect legislative or state policy changes as
required.
Glossary
Friable: (loosely bound) asbestos materials. The Model Health and Safety
Regulations define friable asbestos as material that is in a powder form or that
can be crumbled, pulverised or reduced to a powder by hand pressure when
dry, and contains asbestos. This is the definition applicable to this policy.
Non-friable: (bound) asbestos materials. The Model Work Health and Safety
Regulations define non-friable asbestos as material containing asbestos fibres
reinforced with a bonding compound. Non-friable (bound) asbestos materials
are unlikely to release fibres, unless damaged through mechanical means such
as drilling and sanding. In general these materials are less risky to health than
friable forms. This is the definition applicable to this policy.
In situ: materials in their original position, not having been moved or transferred
to another position.
Appendices/Attachments
Attachment 1 Asbestos Removal – Standard Dwellings (Domestic Use) –
Material and Priority Risk Assessment
Attachment 2 Material Identification and Location
Attachment 3 Asbestos Safety Management System for Housing Tasmania July
2010
Attachment 4 Asbestos Fact Sheet
Policy Title and Version
Management and Removal of Asbestos v1.1
Effective Date
1 September 2012
Review Date
June 2015
Document Number
Replaces Document Number
n/a
Custodian
Housing Tasmania – Housing Strategy - Asset Planning and Policy
Approved by
Manager, Housing Strategy
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