FAQ

• Vinyl flooring
• Cladding, including baseboards
• Electrical meter board
• Soffits
• Roofing panels, e.g. ‘Super Six’
• Hot water cupboard lining
• Ceiling tiles
• Textured ceiling
• Fireplace surrounding
• Fence panels
• Loose fill insulation

You can find information on where asbestos can be found via the WorkSafe website https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/asbestos

• Roof ventilators
• ‘Super Six’ or ‘Super Eight’ roof sheeting
• Gutters and downpipes
• Skylight and manhole frames
• Asbestos cement vent pipe, Rain heads and capping
• Ceiling tiles, textured ceiling and spray coatings
• ‘Super Six’, ‘Super Eight’, Wall Cladding
• Vinyl floor tiles or sheet vinyl floor coverings
• Textiles e.g.: in the fuse holders, fire blankets
• Backing to the switchboard and internal lining

You can find information on where asbestos can be found via the WorkSafe website https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/asbestos

The best way to know if there is asbestos in your home will be to employ a qualified asbestos surveyor to assess your building. Generally, if your home building was built prior to 1 January 2000, it is likely to have asbestos containing materials and you can assume that your building has asbestos. Take note if taking your own samples do not damage the suspected asbestos in any way when making this determination, and correct personal protective equipment (PPE) should be worn

The Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016 places a requirement on a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) – meaning business owners, landlords and yourself as a homeowner – to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that all asbestos is identified and if so, any risks arising from the asbestos are managed to eliminate or minimise exposure.

Class A asbestos is in a powder form and/or is able to be crumbled, pulverised, or reduced to a powder by hand pressure when dry. While all asbestos has the potential to become airborne, friable is more likely to become airborne and is far more of a health hazard and therefore requires more stringent and costly removal practices.

Class A is also known as Friable

Class B asbestos is not in a powder form or cannot be crumbled, pulverised, or reduced to a powder by hand pressure when dry. It is usually reinforced with a bonding compound.

NOTE: Class B asbestos may become friable through time as the product becomes old and weathered. Get a qualified asbestos surveyor to assess your property.

CLASS B is also known as Non-Friable

Before starting any construction work and your building is assumed to have asbestos, your contractor must see your Asbestos Demolition Refurbishment Survey. (if you are a landlord then an Asbestos Management Plan)

Asbestos removal work must be carried out by a licensed asbestos remover. They must prepare and deliver an asbestos removal control plan.

An Asbestos Demolition Refurbishment Survey states where any work is being undertaken if any products within the scope is Asbestos or not. These surveys are required to have sampling undertaken and with no products allowed to be presumed.

An Asbestos Management Plan sets out where any identified asbestos or asbestos-containing material is present, and how it will be managed. If you, or a surveyor identify or assume the presence of asbestos, an Asbestos Management Plan is required

We highly encourage you to get a qualified asbestos surveyor to assist you and ensure that you have a proper plan in place and the Survey/Plan you have is correct for the type of role/property you are having works undertaken (e.g.: Homeowner vs Landlord)

NO! The Licensed Asbestos Assessor must be financially independent from the asbestos removalist.

During the removal you are not allowed on the premises at all. This means if your job is over a few days unfortunately you will need to stay at another location during this time until a clearance is provided.

You need to secure a clearance from an independent licensed asbestos assessor (LAA) before being allowed back home.

You are not allowed back to your home until it is cleared by the licensed assessor.

In the event of asbestos contamination, all soft items (e.g. carpets, curtains, sofas, bedding etc.) that can absorb fibres need to be destroyed. They generally can’t be cleaned, so they immediately become contaminated waste.

Hard objects (e.g. chairs, tables, televisions, etc.) can be decontaminated and cleared for use by a licensed assessor

The Licensed Asbestos Assessor will identify to you the items that will need to be removed as contaminated and what items the removalists will be able to decontaminate for you to be able to reuse and keep.

Air monitoring is used to test the air for the presence of airborne asbestos fibres. This is required for Clearances in Class A Removal but also used in public situations to ensure the contamination is being contained and as an added security for public that it is being removed correctly.

This is to be undertaken by a licensed Assessor or competent independent person from the removalist.

Class A requires to always have air monitoring during the removal and clearance.

Class B does not require Air monitoring however it is best practise to have these if you are in a public space, your property is close to footpaths/sidewalks and if you are neighbouring a school.