A NEW tool has been launched to help home renovators better identify asbestos before any work begins.
The Residential Asbestos Checklist, launched for Asbestos Awareness Week, encourages renovators to check when their home was built and visually inspect their property to identify potential asbestos products.
The list was developed by the Asbestos Coalition of South Australia and modelled on a national list available on the asbestos awareness website.
Industrial Relations Minister John Rau said it was essential to remain vigilant when working on a property.
“The risks posed by asbestos are simply too great, which is why people need to take every step possible to protect themselves when doing this work,” he said.
“This checklist offers simple, practical advice that helps people understand the risks of asbestos and how to identify it before undertaking any sort of renovation work.”
The information includes photographs from typical South Australian houses, helping local renovators to visualise and identify potential asbestos in their homes.
Home owners are urged to engage qualified professionals to undertake sampling and removal of suspect materials, protecting themselves and their families from unnecessary risk.
Asbestos was widely used in Australia prior to 1990.
More than 600 people in Australia are diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases each year and this number is expected to peak in 2020 due to decades-long latency periods.
Asbestos Awareness Week focuses on the dangers of asbestos to raise awareness of safe identification and handling procedures
Visit www.asbestos.sa.gov.au for the full checklist.
