Asbestos after a storm or fire in Queensland

Queensland’s procedure: safe cleanup of storm damaged materials

Every step printed word for word and in order, under the section headings Queensland uses on its page.

Equipment

• “The equipment used will be influenced by what is readily available following a storm event.”
• “plastic sheeting, tarpaulins (new tarp is preferable) or old bed sheeting, curtains”
• “plastic bags (thick 200 µm plastic is preferable) or plastic shopping bags or garbage bags that can be securely tied”
• “duct tape or gaffer tape”
• “bucket for water”
• “rags or chuck wipes”
• “garden hose”
• “shovel or garden spade”
• “PVA glue or acrylic paint”
• “paint brushes”
• “timber dunnage (to support the asbestos debris package off the ground)”
• “personal protective equipment:”
• “disposable P2 respirator”
• “disposable overalls (eg. European standards type 5 and type 6) or old clothing (e.g. long sleeve shirts) that can be thrown away afterwards”
• “gum boots or laceless boots.”
• “Always wear personal protective equipment when cleaning up debris that may contain asbestos.”

Potential hazards

• “Protect yourselves from other potential dangers after a storm, such as fallen power lines and control the risk of falling from heights if on a roof.”
• “Check the site for hazards from debris such as sharp edges or protruding nails.”
• “If electrical lines are down - do not enter the area, ensure electricity supply has been turned off by a licensed electrical contractor or energy supplier.”
• “Before picking up any asbestos containing material (ACM) debris, access to the area should be restricted by closing gates or doors and erecting signage or tape.”

Temporarily wet, seal, or cover debris

• “If there is insufficient time to clean up the area immediately, several tasks should be completed as soon as possible.”
• “Keep ACM debris wet by lightly hosing with water or spraying with a mixture of 5 parts water and 1 part PVA glue.”
• “For building materials still in their original position, seal any small fractured or exposed edges with paint or PVA glue.”
• “Temporarily cover debris with a tarp or sheet, or similar. Keep the cover moist and pegged to the ground or weighed down.”

Storm and wind damage cleanup

• “Remove hand jewellery such as watches and rings.”
• “Put on your disposable overalls over your clothes (or wear old clothes you can throw away).”
• “Put on gum boots or laceless boots.”
• “Put on the P2 disposable respirator and ensure the mask has a tight fit to your face and creates a good seal.”
• “Pull the hood over your head.”
• “Lightly spray the debris.”
• “For small pieces of debris, invert a plastic bag and pick up the wetted debris directly into the bag. Note that shopping bags and regular garbage bags have only thin plastic and should only be filled to a quarter to prevent splitting.”
• “Or, pick up smaller pieces using a shovel to collect debris and soil immediately below debris, and place all into a plastic bag.”
• “Double bag or triple bag collected debris to stop sharp pieces breaking through the bags. If the bag accidentally breaks then tape up the split with duct tape or insert into an additional plastic bag.”
• “For larger pieces of debris, set up some timber at a convenient access point to the property for later disposal (this is known as dunnage). This will ensure the packaged debris is off the ground for slinging into a truck or skip later. Then place two tarps (or plastic sheeting, bedding sheet or similar) over the top of the timber to form the bottom of the package of debris.”
• “Place large debris directly onto the tarp (or similar) to support the base of the package. Place other debris carefully on top.”
• “Wrap all the larger debris together with the first layer of tarp (or similar). Wrap it with a good quality tape.”
• “Wet wipe any horizontal flat surfaces around the storm damaged area using a wet rag once and then folding in half to use a second time only. Do not wash out rags or re-use them. Dispose of rags in a waste bag and seal it.”
• “Stand on a clean piece of tarp or plastic. Lightly spray your overalls or old clothes, and boots.”
• “Remove boots, followed by the overalls or old clothing. Dispose of overalls (or clothing) and piece of tarp or plastic, you were standing on, into a plastic waste bag.”
• “Lastly remove your P2 respirator and also dispose of it in the waste bag. Seal bag and wash hands. Place this waste bag with other waste.”
• “Use the second layer of tarp (or similar) to further seal the package. Tape around the whole package. Look for sharp edges that may tear through the tarp (or similar) and reinforce with tape if required. Now shower and wash your hair.”

Reproduced every step of the written procedure, word for word, from Safe cleanup of storm damaged materials that may contain asbestos, on asbestos.qld.gov.au, under its Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence.

Licensed removalists after severe weather

Normally a licensed removalist must give Queensland’s regulator written notice at least five days before licensed removal work. Queensland has granted a class exemption from that notice where the work is needed because of flooding or severe weather, so that damaged material posing an imminent risk can be removed without the wait. The exemption “does not continue indefinitely”: work done months later, for example through insurance claims, does not benefit from it. Queensland says it “took effect on 16 March 2023 and is in effect until 15 March 2028 unless amended or cancelled sooner.”

Queensland’s procedure: cleaning up after a fire

Heat changes asbestos materials. Queensland explains that they can crack or spall, which is when flakes “‘pop’ off due to the heat”, and that a fire can spread damaged material some distance from the building. It also says that unless fire debris is significantly disturbed, the risk to the public and neighbours from airborne fibres is low. Its precautions, printed whole and in order:

• “To minimise airborne asbestos fibres, the following precautions should be taken:”
• “perform a careful assessment of the location of fire damaged asbestos containing materials”
• “restrict people, animals and machinery from affected areas. Warning signage should be used.”
• “keep debris wet until it can be cleaned up by a licensed asbestos removalist – but do not use water under pressure.”
• “If you are just visiting a property but not cleaning up, to minimise exposure to airborne dust and other hazards from fire-damaged homes, wear protective clothing, including:”
• “sturdy footwear and heavy-duty work gloves”
• “disposable coveralls (with long sleeves and trousers)”
• “P2 face masks.”
• “Further information on managing the risks from fire damaged asbestos containing materials can be found in the Containment and disposal of asbestos contaminated dust and debris arising from fire damaged buildings guidance document (PDF, 191 KB).”

Reproduced every step, word for word, from Fires, on asbestos.qld.gov.au, under its Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence.