Removing asbestos in workplaces - Compliance ... - WorkSafe Victoria

Additional requirements for licensedasbestos removal259. The licensed removalist must ensure that only persons performing asbestosremoval work, persons engaged in work incidental to the removal work whorequire access (eg an occupational hygienist) and persons with a statutory right(eg members of Victoria Police and WorkSafe inspectors) have access to theremoval area.260. Reliance on signs and barricades alone to deny unauthorised access to theremoval area is not sufficient. The licensed removalist’s system of work needsto include regular checking of areas where access is possible. In some cases,such checking may need to be continuous.261. All barriers and warning signs must remain in place until a clearance tore-occupy the site has been granted (refer to ‘Clearance to re-occupy asasbestos removal area’ on page 68).The decontamination unit262. Decontamination units are generally required for all friable asbestos removaljobs other than ‘wrap and cut’, ‘glove bag’ and gasket removals. Non-friableasbestos removal jobs of a certain size (eg where the ACM to be removedis greater than that contained in the cladding of an average size house) mayalso require the use of decontamination units. A risk assessment needs tobe conducted to determine this while also taking into account the:• condition of the ACM• difficulty in performing the removal• level of airborne dust likely to be generated• available cleaning/washing facilities at the site• duration of the task.263. Where men and women are required to use the same decontamination unit,a system of work needs be implemented to enable them to access the unitseparately.264. In many instances, the only satisfactory way of providing appropriate changingfacilities is to provide a mobile or specially constructed on-site decontaminationunit.265. This decontamination unit needs be immediately adjacent to and directlyconnected with the enclosed asbestos work area. It needs to be locatedas far away as practicable from amenities and lunch rooms.266. The decontamination unit needs to be divided into three distinct areas:• dirty decontamination area• clean decontamination area• clean changing area.267. All of these areas need be large enough to enable employees to adequatelydecontaminate themselves.268. These areas need to be separated by suitable airlocks or buffer zones. Normallythese airlocks have spring-loaded doors or two or more overlapping sheets ofplastic sheet that are positioned to define the boundary between each segmentof the decontamination unit while allowing access and airflow towards theasbestos work area. To ensure there is sufficient airflow through thedecontamination unit, doors (if used) need to have large openings with a hingedflap operating as a one-way valve. See Figure 8 on page 50 for a typical layout.WorkSafe Victoria Compliance code / Removing asbestos in workplaces 49