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    • What is asbestos?
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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
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  • Removing or disturbing asbestos
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  1. Home
  2. Removing or disturbing asbestos
  3. Asbestos-related work
  4. Induction and safety training for unlicensed work
In this section

In this section

  • Asbestos alerts
  • Asbestos news
  • Codes of practice
  • Guidance
  • Films
  • Safe work procedures
  • Frequently asked questions for homeowners and the general public
  • Podcasts
  • Strategies
  • Working Safely with Asbestos Guide
  • Asbestos Awareness Week 2024
  • Asbestos management compliance campaign
  • Induction and safety training for unlicensed work

Induction and safety training for unlicensed work

It is essential that workers know how to identify and work safely with asbestos. The information below will assist tradesman employers (such as plumbers and electricians) induct and provide a level of safety training to their workers doing asbestos-related work and small amounts of non-licensed asbestos removal (up to 10 square metres).

Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) may choose to use the materials with other training materials when delivering asbestos safety training to:

  • vocational education students, apprentices and trade students in the building, construction, plumbing, and electrical trades
  • participants in the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) approved managerial course (BSATMC001).

Please note: The following training outline does NOT substitute the necessary licensing training requirements for non-friable asbestos removal of greater than 10 square metres or any friable asbestos removal. A person conducting a business or undertaking removing any amount of friable asbestos (material that contains asbestos and is in a powder form or that can be crumbled, pulverised or reduced to a powder by hand pressure when dry) or removing more than ten square metres of non-friable asbestos must be licenced.

Find out more about licensing training requirements.

Training outline

Component 1: What is asbestos?

Asbestos materials were used commonly in the building industry between the 1940s and late 1980s. The objectives of this component are to guide users to understand:

  • what asbestos is and its properties
  • what types of building products contain asbestos
  • the common locations where asbestos can be found in domestic and commercial buildings.

Use the following web links to better understand where asbestos was used and why.

  • What is asbestos?
  • Asbestos products gallery
  • How was asbestos used?
  • Asbestos: a guide for minor renovation [PDF 9.78 MB]

    pages 6-9

  • Electrical switchboards and meters.

There are three PDF diagrams that will show you where some of the common locations of asbestos materials in typical domestic and commercial buildings:

  • Common locations of materials containing asbestos in a house with a tiled roof [PDF 5.4 MB]
  • Common locations of materials containing asbestos in a 1970s house [PDF 4.31 MB]
  • Common locations of materials containing asbestos in a 1970s house [PDF 5.45 MB]

The following two films should help you better identify asbestos containing materials:

  • Clear and present danger: Asbestos exposed - a film showing common places where asbestos can be found in a typical Queensland home built before 1990
  • Uses and applications of asbestos - an extract from a film by Parsons Brinckerhoff showing where asbestos commonly occurs in the home and workplace.

Outcomes:

You should now:

  • understand the types of products to be aware of in your daily work, whether visiting domestic or commercial buildings
  • be able to adequately identify asbestos containing materials or assume which materials could contain asbestos
  • know where to send a sample to determine whether it is asbestos.

Component 2: Asbestos and your health

The objectives of this component are to understand the risks of exposure to asbestos fibres and the potential health effects that could affect you, your work colleagues or your clients. While many asbestos-related diseases may not manifest themselves for 20-50 years, there are cases where young and middle-aged people also suffer from an asbestos-related disease.

Read the following content and download the PDF for more information.

  • Are there health effects
  • The risks of exposure
  • Asbestos: a guide for minor renovation [PDF 9.78 MB]

     pages 4-5.

Outcomes:

You should now:

  • know about the diseases than can result from exposure to airborne asbestos fibres
  • understand the factors that increase the risk of exposure to asbestos
  • know how to be responsible when it comes to asbestos and avoid exposure to yourself, your work colleagues and any clients.

Component 3: Safe work procedures

It is important that safe work procedures are used when carrying out asbestos work or asbestos-related work to prevent fibres from becoming airborne.

The objectives of this component are to:

  • ensure you know how to use safe work procedures
  • always use personal protective equipment when doing asbestos-related work
  • always ensure that you protect your clients by properly cleaning up the work area after job completion.

For more information on how you can work safely with asbestos read the following content or download the PDFs.

  • Prohibited tools and work methods.
  • Working safely with asbestos - for the home renovator - a film that provides general advice about safe work procedures for conducting minor works on non-friable asbestos containing material in domestic buildings.
  • Asbestos: a guide for minor renovation [PDF 9.78 MB]

     pages 10-22.

  • Safe work procedures to protect yourself and others when disturbing asbestos, removing debris or disposing of asbestos waste.
    • drilling into non-friable asbestos including preparation, clean up and disposal
    • safe cleanup of storm damaged materials that may contain asbestos.

Outcomes:

You should now:

  • understand suitable control measures for the kinds of tasks that you perform at work to avoid exposure to asbestos fibres
  • know how to avoid incorrect practices
  • know how to safely handle and dispose of asbestos containing materials
  • be able to set up a perimeter to restrict access to the area of potential contamination.

Component 4: What does the law say you should know about asbestos before disturbing or starting work?

It is essential that workers know how to identify and work safely with asbestos. The information below will assist tradesman employers (such as plumbers and electricians) induct and provide a level of safety training to their workers doing asbestos-related work and small amounts of non-licensed asbestos removal (up to 10 square metres).

The objectives of this component are to:

  • be aware of Queensland legislation and codes and know how to access this information
  • know how to request to view the asbestos register and management plan at a workplace building
  • know how to safely dispose of asbestos waste.

Queensland legislation and codes of practice are in place to ensure persons are not put at risk of exposure to asbestos fibres by any work activities including home renovations, maintenance or removal work both at a workplace and domestic premise.

For more information about your legal responsibilities view:

  • Asbestos registers for workplaces.
  • Asbestos management plans.
  • Asbestos removal and licensing requirements.
  • Air monitoring.
  • Clearance inspections.
  • Transport and disposal of asbestos waste.

Outcomes:

You should now:

  • know when to view an asbestos register prior to work commencing
  • know when asbestos-related work becomes asbestos removal work and when air monitoring and clearance inspections are required
  • know how to lawfully and safely dispose of asbestos waste
  • know when licensed asbestos removal is required or when to use a regulated asbestos waste contractor
  • understand the kinds of prohibited activities when disturbing asbestos and avoiding using vacuum cleaners when cleaning up asbestos.
Garage with roof and walls

Films

  • Clear and present danger: Asbestos exposed
  • Uses and applications of asbestos - an extract from a film by Parsons Brinckerhoff

Related links

  • Licensed training requirements
  • Asbestos licences
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© The State of Queensland 2018-2025
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
    • Licensed Asbestos Assessors
    • 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 2024
    • Asbestos management compliance campaign
    • Induction and safety training for unlicensed work
  • Sanctions
    • Asbestos on-the-spot fines
    • Sanctions against asbestos licence holders
    • Prosecutions