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  1. Home
  2. Practical guidance
  3. Body corporate and apartment owner occupiers
  4. Asbestos in body corporate common areas
In this section

In this section

  • Is my body corporate a PCBU
  • Asbestos in body corporate common areas

Asbestos in body corporate common areas

The body corporate (owners or their representatives) makes decisions on matters with shared responsibility including maintenance and management of common property in their building structure.

They coordinate the engagement of tradespeople for the maintenance of common areas, such as plumbers and builders. Therefore it is important that information about any known asbestos materials in common areas is passed onto these tradespeople before they commence work.

If the body corporate is a PCBU they will have duties under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (PDF, 883 kB) in relation to the safe management and removal of asbestos. Where commercial/mixed common areas were built before 1990 these duties may also include:

  • the preparation, maintenance and review of an asbestos register and asbestos management plan
  • ensuring (where applicable) that the asbestos register and asbestos management plan are readily accessible to any worker or contractor who has carried out, carries out or intends to carry out, work at the workplace
  • ensuring the safe management, removal, transport and disposal of asbestos.

If the body corporate is not a PCBU then duties under the Public Health Act 2005 in relation to asbestos will apply. These duties relate to the:

  • removal of friable or bonded asbestos containing material (ACM)
  • taking reasonable measures to minimise the release of asbestos fibres
  • cleaning or cutting ACM (prohibiting the use of power tools, high pressure water cleaners and compressed air cleaning)
  • sealing bonded ACM if broken
  • packaging and disposal of associated asbestos waste.

The body corporate should also ensure that any asbestos removalist engaged holds a current asbestos removal licence suitable for the type of asbestos being removed. Find out which businesses are licensed to remove asbestos in Queensland.

Find out more about body corporate and community management.

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  • Common locations of asbestos in domestic and commercial buildings
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© The State of Queensland 2018-2023
Queensland Government

  • Home
  • General information
    • What is asbestos?
    • How was asbestos used?
    • Are there health effects?
    • The risks of exposure
    • Health monitoring
    • Legislation and codes of practice
    • Low density asbestos fibre board
      • Low density board photo gallery
    • Asbestos contaminated dust or debris
    • Fires
    • Cleaning up after floods and storms
    • Importation prohibited
    • Government and agency roles
    • Asbestos in government assets
  • Know where asbestos is
    • Common locations of asbestos in domestic and commercial buildings
    • Naturally occurring asbestos
    • Asbestos products gallery
    • Vehicles and plant
    • Electrical switchboards and meters
    • Marblesheen pool coatings containing asbestos
    • Testing for asbestos
    • Asbestos registers for workplaces
    • Asbestos management plans
  • Removing or disturbing asbestos
    • Prohibited activities
    • Wearing protective equipment
    • Safe work procedures
    • Asbestos removal work
    • Asbestos-related work
      • Induction and safety training for unlicensed work
    • Homeowner's certificate to remove asbestos
    • Air monitoring
    • Clearance inspections
    • Transport and disposal of asbestos waste
      • Important disposal information and illegal dumping
      • Requirements for transporting asbestos
      • Asbestos disposal information
  • Practical guidance
    • Asbestos workers and removalists
    • Trades and contractors
    • Homeowners and home renovators
      • Tips when home renovating
        • Homeowners: Look, check and prepare
      • Tips when hiring a contractor
    • Commercial building owners (of workplaces)
    • Body corporate and apartment owner occupiers
      • Is my body corporate a PCBU
      • Asbestos in body corporate common areas
    • Residential tenants, lessors and landlords
      • Add a warning sticker to your home
    • Volunteers
      • Is my volunteer association a PCBU?
      • Businesses and volunteers
    • Local government environmental health officers
      • Frequently asked questions from local government authorised persons
  • Resources
    • Asbestos alerts
    • Asbestos news
    • Codes of practice
    • Guidance
    • Films
      • Asbestos safety session 2021
      • Asbestos safety session 2020
      • Cleaning Asbestos Roofs
      • Shadow vacuuming with a H-Class vacuum cleaner
      • Use and maintenance of a H-Class vacuum cleaner
      • Identifying low density asbestos fibre board hazards and risks
      • Working safely with asbestos for the home renovator
      • How to properly wear personal protective equipment for airborne contaminants
      • Personal protective equipment
      • Dear Dad - An asbestos awareness film
      • Clear and present danger: Asbestos exposed
      • Uses and applications of asbestos - an extract from a film by Parsons Brinckerhoff
      • Asbestos health issues - an extract from a film by Parsons Brinckerhoff
      • Safe work procedure - storm and wind damage cleanup
      • Drilling into asbestos walls and ceilings
      • Asbestos - Removing switchboard panels
      • Decontamination procedure, personal decontamination and cleanup procedures
      • Asbestos awareness
    • Safe work procedures
      • Preparation before commencing the task
      • Preparing and painting corrugated asbestos cement roof and fences
      • Drilling into non-friable asbestos using a thickened substance to control airborne fibres and dust
      • Drilling into non-friable ACM using an H rated industrial HEPA filter vacuum to control airborne fibres and dust
      • Removing a small package electrical switchboard
      • Cleanup and disposal
      • Safe cleanup of storm damaged materials that may contain asbestos
    • Frequently asked questions for homeowners and the general public
    • Podcasts
    • Strategies
    • Working Safely with Asbestos Guide
    • Asbestos Awareness Week 2022
    • Induction and safety training for unlicensed work
  • Sanctions
    • Asbestos on-the-spot fines
    • Sanctions against asbestos licence holders
    • Prosecutions