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    • What is asbestos?
    • How was asbestos used?
    • Are there health effects?
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    • Low density asbestos fibre board
    • Asbestos contaminated dust or debris
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  • Know where asbestos is
    • Common locations of asbestos in domestic and commercial buildings
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    • Marblesheen pool coatings containing asbestos
    • Testing for asbestos
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    • Asbestos management plans
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  1. Home
  2. Practical guidance
  3. Homeowners and home renovators
  4. Tips when home renovating
  5. Homeowners: Look, check and prepare
In this section

In this section

  • Homeowners: Look, check and prepare

Homeowners: Look, check and prepare

It's important that home renovators and owner-builders plan the renovation work they do.

Look

If your house was built before 1990, there is a good chance that it contains asbestos. Before carrying out any renovations, maintenance or repairs, it’s important to know where asbestos is likely to be lurking so that you can take the proper precautions before starting any work around your house.

Asbestos containing materials can be:

  • inside and outside your house,
  • in large amounts (e.g. a roof, under vinyl floors) and in small amounts (e.g. the backing board inside an electricity meter box), and
  • in wet areas (e.g. wall sheeting in kitchens, bathrooms and laundries) and dry areas (e.g. wall sheeting in bedrooms and lounge rooms).

Refer to the Downloads section of the right hand column of this website to help you identify typical places where asbestos can be found in houses.

Check

The age of a house and the location a material are good indicators for asbestos. However, if you are not sure whether a building material contains asbestos, assume it does until a sample of the material is tested by an accredited laboratory.

Laboratories that test building materials for asbestos can be found by contacting the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) laboratory. The laboratories can also give you advice on how to correctly take and send a sample. There will be fees involved.

Whether you are planning to do something as minor as putting up a new towel rail in the bathroom or undertaking a major extension in your home, before you get started it's important you get the facts; it's an investment in your health, your family's health and the health of others. Under the Public Health Regulation 2005, you have a responsibility to make sure that you protect your health and the health of your family and neighbours by not releasing asbestos fibres into the air during your work.

You should also speak to your neighbours about the work you are about to do. It is particularly important to explain the safety precautions you will be taking to minimise the chance of asbestos fibres getting into the air.

Prepare

If materials containing asbestos are in your house and are in good condition, sometimes the safest option is to leave them alone and not disturb them.

Minor work can be done safely by following established safe work practices or methods to prevent hazardous asbestos fibres becoming airborne and reduce the risk of them being inhaled.

There are laws about the removal of non-friable asbestos from your home.

Homeowners and home renovators must hold a certificate obtained under arrangements approved or established by Queensland Health to remove more than 10 square metres of non-friable (also known as bonded) asbestos materials.

There are different law for tradespeople, contractors and business operators working on a domestic property. These businesses can only carry out removal work under the authority of a Class B or Class A asbestos removal licence issued by the Department of Justice and Attorney-General.

You are obligated to comply with laws about transporting and disposing of asbestos. Contact your local council for more advice about where you can dispose of asbestos waste. An alternative is to employ a licensed asbestos waste contractor to remove this on your behalf.

Friable asbestos must only be removed by holders of an 'A' class licence.

Downloads

  • Common locations of materials containing asbestos in a house with a tiled roof [PDF 5.4 MB]

Films

  • Clear and present danger: Asbestos exposed

Related links

  • Asbestos removal work
  • National Association of Testing Authorities
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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