25 January 2024
A demolition contractor has had their asbestos removal license suspended for failing to set up air monitors while removing asbestos from a house.
The contractor also failed to give SafeWork SA the required five days’ notice prior to commencing the work in the Barossa.
The company, which has a history of safety breaches relating to the safe removal of asbestos, had its class B asbestos removal licence immediately suspended on Friday 12 January 2024.
SafeWork SA inspectors investigating this matter, identified the removal of a licensable quantity of asbestos.
The contractor failed to notify SafeWork SA prior to commencing the work and failed to engage an independent licensed asbestos assessor to set-up air monitors during the removal.
SafeWork SA is currently undertaking a statewide proactive compliance campaign on asbestos licence holders.
One of the functions of SafeWork SA as the regulator, is to monitor and enforce compliance with the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA).
When making the decision, SafeWork SA considered the company’s:
- failure as a licence holder to undertake the work competently and safely
- history of repeated contraventions including:
- ability to protect workers and members of the public from exposure to asbestos.
- two expiation notices
- five prohibition notices
- nine improvement notices
- Letter of warning and reminder of legal obligations
SafeWork SA Executive Director Glenn Farrell said SafeWork SA will suspend, cancel or refuse a person’s licence in response to unsafe practices.
‘This contractor’s failure as a licensed asbestos removalist required such a sanction and should be seen as a warning to any other business who fall short of ensuring the health and safety of their workers and members of the public,’ he said.
‘SafeWork SA’s role is to ensure that the community can be confident in South Australia’s asbestos licensing regime by taking action to cancel or suspend an asbestos removal licence where there is evidence a removalist has not demonstrated safe and competent asbestos removal practices.’
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