SOUTHERN Downs Regional Council is urging homeowners to be vigilant about risks associated with the restoration of asbestos roofs, and to be on the lookout for ‘dodgy’ contractors following a recent incident in the region.
Southern Downs Regional Council’s manager Environment Services Tim O’Brien said council had received a complaint about a roof restoration contractor who used a water pressure cleaner to clean a painted asbestos roof, a practice which is illegal, in preparation for painting.
“As a result of the pressure clean, asbestos-contaminated paint flakes littered the property, and attracted a sizeable clean-up bill,” he said.
“It’s understood that when the contractor heard that council wanted to speak with him about the incident, he fled, and has not been able to be contacted either by council or by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland.
“When asbestos fibres are wet, they don’t pose a significant problem; it’s when the fibres are dry and become airborne that they become a health risk as they can be inhaled.
“In cases where unpainted asbestos roofs have been pressure cleaned, asbestos fibres have been dispersed uncontained over the property, and this is particularly concerning.”
The recent incident offers a timely reminder for homeowners considering roof restoration to check to see if their roof contains asbestos and to ensure that they engage a licensed contractor.
“As a general rule, if a building was constructed before 1990 and has a cement roof, you should assume it contains asbestos,” Mr O’Brien said.
“If you’re unsure when the building was constructed, it’s safer to assume the roof contains asbestos or, alternatively, have the material tested for asbestos through a laboratory.
“Fibro roofs such as ‘Super Six’ and ‘fibro-cement’ contain asbestos and must not be cleaned using a water blaster.
“Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) advises that the practice of using water blasters or high pressure cleaners on asbestos cement roofs is illegal, as it can destroy the roof surface, causing cement debris and asbestos to spray into the air, and result in widespread contamination. Homeowners can be fined up to $10,000 for doing so, and may incur additional clean-up costs which could be an extremely expensive exercise, and businesses could face heavier fines.”
WHSQ suggests that instead of cleaning an asbestos cement roof, apply a fungicide or sealant or consider having the roof replaced by a qualified person. For further information visit Workplace Health and Safety Queensland’s website: www.deir.qld.gov.au/asbestos/resources/pdfs/cleaning-asbestos-cement-roofs.pdf.
The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) also suggests that homeowners do their research before engaging contractors, and recommends engaging a licensed contractor even for small jobs.
To do a licence search, visit the QBCC website at www.qbcc.qld.gov.au or contact the QBCC on 1300 272 272.
