Under NSW OHS legislation, a material comprising asbestos is divided as friable or non-friable.
Non-Friable Asbestos Material
Material that has asbestos in the bonded matrix form is called non-friable. It may comprise Portland cement along with binders and is hard to crush by hand when dry. Example of asbestos non-friable products includes asbestos cement and electrical meter boards.
Australian buildings, plant components, and motor vehicles still contain large amounts of non-friable asbestos. These include:
- Flat or compressed asbestos cement sheets
- Asbestos cement pipes are used in drainage, water supply, etc.
- Clutch and brake lining
- Friable asbestos material
Friable asbestos material contains asbestos in powdered form, which can be crumbled by hand. Examples include:
- Sprayed limpet
- Billboard
- Pipe lagging
- Boiler lagging
Asbestos cement products that underwent weathering get damaged are considered friable and licensed contractors can remove them only.
Control Measures
The primary goal is to free the workplace from ACM. Removal of ACM should be a priority during refurbishment or renovation instead of using control measures like encapsulation or sealing.
Before working with presumed ACM materials, the risk assessment team should determine control measures and follow the following principles.
Immediate Elevated Risk Level
Friable material is an immediate health risk due to its location and condition. Immediate control measures along with isolation should be the first step. Removal of hazardous material should be practiced as early as possible.
Potentially Elevated Risk
Damaged or unstable material imposes a high risk of health hazards if distributed in other areas. Control teams should immediately stabilize the product, with formal abatement being the next step.
Low Risk
Stable or non-friable materials that are damaged from minor areas require remedial action. Maintenance should be performed to repair or stabilize the product, along with measures to protect it from more damage.
Negligible Risk
Stable or non-friable material does not possess any considerable risk unless damaged due to any cause. However, these materials should be appropriately contained. If planned works could impact these materials, there should be a reassessment of control measures.
