OH&S - Asbestos Risk Appraisal - Hawthorn Campus (29 July 2005)

The asbestos risk management program established at the University has enabled the University to manage and control asbestos-related risk at the Hawthorn campus, and will continue to be managed in accordance with regulations and standards until all sources of asbestos products and materials are removed from the older campus buildings. The risk of exposure of staff and student to asbestos in air is negligible and is technically no different from other asbestos-containing buildings managed in a similar manner elsewhere in Melbourne .

Asbestos products and materials were commonly installed right through to the late 1970s in most Australian commercial, government and residential buildings. In Victoria , the banning of asbestos in new construction use in workplaces from 1978, gave impetus to a program of removal of asbestos materials, however, the total eradication of asbestos in buildings will take time.

Targeted asbestos removal programs normally addressed asbestos products that were in construction and redevelopment areas or were assessed to be potentially more hazardous (e.g. friable asbestos materials from which fibres could be readily released). Swinburne University , as in other sectors of industry and government, has progressed an extensive removal program coinciding with building development and upgrade. Swinburne initiated asbestos risk surveys from 1984 and programs for asbestos removal date back to the early 1980s. Swinburne has employed various occupational hygiene consultants as independent assessors to conduct audits, prepare technical guidelines for asbestos removal and air monitoring services.

The University has implemented asbestos management plans and conducted periodic air monitoring, installed asbestos warning signage and taken rigorous precautions during renovations and building works. Our management policies ensure that asbestos removal will continue to be conducted in accordance with relevant standards. Air testing conducted in association with these programs has indicated asbestos-related air quality is satisfactory with air test results reported to be below background detection limit of the test method. The level cited in records of less than 0.01 fibres per millilitre of air and this level is used nationally as a clearance standard for safe re-occupation after removal processes. It is only when the asbestos fibre has been disturbed that it can cause a possible health risk.

Working with independent industrial hygienists has ensured that Swinburne has closely managed asbestos exposure risks to staff, students and visitors in accordance with relevant regulations, standards and codes of practice to ensure the safety and health of personnel in their daily activities.