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Asbestos
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Asbestos
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    • What is asbestos?
    • How was asbestos used?
    • Are there health effects?
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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

Guidance

Guidance

Guides

Asbestos and home renovations

Play it safe with asbestos - Don't risk exposing yourself or others to airborne asbestos fibres during your renovation.

Order a copy of this brochure.

Asbestos - A Guide for householders and the general public

Asbestos - A Guide for householders and the general public

The Commonwealth publication for the general public on health risks associated with asbestos, especially during home renovations.

Prohibited activities

Prohibited activities

Queensland laws prohibit the use of certain tools and work methods when working with asbestos-containing materials as they can generate dangerous airborne asbestos fibres.

Asbestos: a guide for minor renovation cover
Asbestos: a guide for minor renovation [PDF 9.78 MB]

Find out how to handle, remove and dispose of asbestos safely and legally in Queensland.

Containment and disposal of asbestos contaminated dust and debris guide cover
Containment and disposal of asbestos contaminated dust and debris arising from fire damaged buildings [PDF 2.89 MB]
This guidance note provides information on the management of fire damaged buildings that have asbestos containing materials (ACMs).

Posters

Asbestos awareness poster cover
Asbestos Awareness Week 2018 - advocates [PDF 4.41 MB]
Asbestos Awareness Ambassador, Trevor Gillmeister, and safety advocates, Julie and Don Sager.
Asbestos Awareness Week 2018 - bike poster
Asbestos Awareness Week 2018 - bike [PDF 5.87 MB]
The impact isn't immediate.
Asbestos Awareness Week 2018 - saw [PDF 1.52 MB]

Investigate before you renovate.

Play it safe with asbestos poster
Play it safe with asbestos [PDF 2.46 MB]
Check before you start - don’t risk exposing yourself or others to airborne fibres.
Is that asbestos? [PDF 2.8 MB]
Take precautions to avoid an expensive clean-up bill and minimise exposure to yourself and others.
Common locations of materials containing asbestos in a house with a tiled roof [PDF 5.4 MB]

Example of a house with a concrete or clay (terracotta) tiled roof poster.

Common locations of materials containing asbestos in a 1970s house poster
Common locations of materials containing asbestos in a 1970s house [PDF 4.31 MB]

Example of a house built in the 1970s poster.

Common locations of materials containing asbestos in a commercial building poster
Common locations of materials containing asbestos in a 1970s house [PDF 5.45 MB]

Example of a commercial building poster.

Prohibited use of water blasters [PDF 203.54 KB]
It is illegal to use a high pressure water blaster on asbestos cement roofs, fences and walls.
How should asbestos be disposed of?
How should asbestos be disposed of? [PDF 80.34 KB]
How should asbestos be disposed of?
Identifying asbestos products inside
Identifying asbestos products inside [PDF 92.31 KB]
Identifying asbestos products inside
Identifying asbestos products outside
Identifying asbestos products outside [PDF 2.49 MB]
Identifying asbestos products outside
What not to do with asbestos
What not to do with asbestos [PDF 2.47 MB]
What not to do with asbestos
Where asbestos may be found in bathrooms
Where asbestos may be found in bathrooms [PDF 87.56 KB]
Where asbestos may be found in bathrooms

Fact sheets

Carpet underlay

Asbestos - carpet underlay

The Western Australian Department of Health (WA Health) has found that a significant quantity of hessian bags used to transport asbestos, wool, superphosphate and potatoes were recycled with other material, such as jute and goat hair, to manufacture carpet underlay prior to the early 1970s

Asbestos and fire damaged buildings [PDF 398.26 KB]
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fibre that was used in many building materials until the late 1980s, such as asbestos cement (fibro).
Cleaning asbestos cement roofs [PDF 176.07 KB]

Cleaning a fibro roof with a high pressure water blaster is illegal as it can destroy the roof surface, cause cement debris and asbestos to spray into the air, and result in widespread contamination.

Handling asbestos safely after a storm [PDF 249.91 KB]

It is essential to protect yourself and others when removing debris particularly when asbestos is concerned.

Is it safe? Cracked, damaged or weathered asbestos cement sheeting [PDF 49.58 KB]
Asbestos cement sheeting is a building material used in many Queensland houses. If a house was built before 1990, it is likely to have some asbestos cement sheeting in it.
Management of asbestos incidents [PDF 369.33 KB]

Guide to agency response and management of events involving asbestos containing material (asbestos incident).

Maintenance, inspection and testing of H-Class vacuum cleaners [PDF 932 KB]
The best way to clean up asbestos contaminated dust and small pieces of debris is by using an H-class industrial vacuum followed by a wet-wipe of any surfaces. It is important that these vacuums are regularly maintained, inspected and tested.
Preventing goods or materials containing asbestos being supplied in Queensland [PDF 241.5 KB]

Businesses importing material must ensure products do not contain asbestos. The importation of asbestos is regulated at the Australian border.

Play it safe with asbestos: tips for property managers [PDF 251.26 KB]
Play it safe when repairing or renovating rental properties.
Asbestos health risks [PDF 267.47 KB]
This guidance note is about the hazards that asbestos presents to human health through occupational exposure and/or environmental exposure.

Flyers

Cleaning asbestos containing-materials – DL flyer [PDF 1.75 MB]
It’s illegal to use a high-pressure water blaster on asbestos cement roofs, fences and walls.
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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