Building owners, building managers and property managers are responsible for asbestos audits, which have been legislated due to the fact that asbestos-related deaths have increased every year for the past five years.
On 1 January 2012, new Australian Model Health and Safety legislation came into effect dictating workplace buildings constructed before 2004 must have an asbestos audit. The legislation outlines building owners, building managers and property managers are responsible for these audits.
Fines of up to $60,000 will be issued to those who fail to arrange a workplace asbestos inspection. Furthermore, should an employee develop an asbestos-related illness, the company will be liable for personal injury lawsuits and potentially face criminal charges.
“Many Australians don’t realise the enormous amount of asbestos laying dormant around them and presenting future danger. Visually, there’s no way to tell if you have asbestos in your workplace. The only way to tell is by conducting an asbestos analysis in a lab,” Donald Pitt, founder of Asbestos Audits International (AAI), states.
Asbestos related lung diseases cause 107,000 deaths every year. Australia has the 2nd highest rate, behind the United Kingdom, of asbestos related cancer deaths in the world. The legislation ensuring workplaces are safe and asbestos-free is in response to asbestos-related deaths increasing every year for the past five years.
Avoid fines and illness by checking your facility for asbestos.
