Victoria: commissioning asbestos removal carries responsibilities too

WorkSafe Victoria’s Removing asbestos in workplaces compliance code was published on 19 December 2019 and remains available on its official resource page. It operates within Victoria’s OHS framework.

Practical points

The removal code is relevant both to removalists and to those commissioning work or controlling the workplace. It addresses licensed and limited removal, access controls, contamination prevention, waste and clearance.

For Class A or Class B removal, the commissioner generally must obtain an independent clearance certificate before reoccupation. The code specifies an exception for removal consisting only of non-friable material not exceeding 10 square metres. That exception is not permission for untrained people to undertake removal or disregard other requirements. Check the full work classification and applicable duties with competent specialists.

A corrections example

For hypothetical removal near an occupied prison area, establish who controls access, communicates restrictions and verifies completion before reopening. A contractor saying the job is finished is not necessarily the required clearance evidence. This is a commissioning checklist example, not removal instructions.

Status and source

Following the code provides deemed compliance only for duties it covers. Other lawful methods are possible; the code does not replace the legislation. General education, not individual legal advice.

Read the official WorkSafe resource page and complete official PDF.