I want to live in Oz
 

Hi, i wonder if you or anyone can help me.
I currently live and work in the UK as an Asbestos Removal Supervisor, I have over 4 yrs experience and work to strict HSE guidelines as we are not only concerned for our health and that of others but also legally responsible.
I am considering emmigrating to Oz but i am finding it very difficult to get any information about the Asbestos trade in Oz.
What i am trying to find out is, is there a demand for my skills, are there many removal companies, what income can i expect( in uk we earn approx £800 per week), who are the leading Asbestos Removal companies that demand experienced safety concious workers, in uk it is law to have a medical every 2 yrs, a facefit cert for both full face powered respirators and half face masks and a recognised training cert that is renewed every year, what would i need in Oz?
If you or anyone reading this can help in any way i would be very grateful.
I have read some posts relating to Asbestos and the safety aspects i found a little worrying. The Uk is the world leader in Asbestos removal due to the precautions we take, I would love to move to Oz and be able to pass on my skills and knowledge.
Thanks
Mike
:thumbup:

Re: I want to live in Oz
 

Why does your post seem like an advert for the company you work for?

Indeed all your posts say the same thing. Very bizarre!!

Re: I want to live in Oz
 

Hey sorry,
this is a serious post, problem is i'm not a computer expert, i must have sent over 15 e-mails this week and got no replies so i copied and pasted my queries in several pleaces in the hope someone could help so it's appeared more than once, my questions are genuine and it's definately not an advert for the company i work for, if you can help answer my questions i would appreciate it.
Thanks and sorry for the confusion
Mike

Re: I want to live in Oz
 

These are some of the Australian Standards that refer to Asbestos and its handling etc, so if you do a Google on them, you may be able to find out some useful info.

17.2 Asbestos

The following legislation applies to the management of asbestos:

• Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 (Qld)
• Workplace Health and Safety Regulations 1997, Asbestos Removal Work (Qld)
• Factories and Shops Act 1960, Asbestos Rule (Rule 9), 1977, was amended on 20 December 1980, 30 January 1982, and 11 June 1983.
• Construction Safety Act 1971, Regulation: Division V.A. Subsection 57.E. Licenses for demolition, involving asbestos.
• Building Act 1975
• Clean Air Act 1963
• Health Act 1937

I found them having done a search here : http://www.usq.edu.au/library/help/guides/aso.htm

I would imagine with the amount of asbestos in the old Fibro homes, it would be an expanding market for that skill.

Good luck!!

Steve

Re: I want to live in Oz
 

Many thanks my friend, i'll let you know how i get on, thanks for the possitive response...
Mike

Re: I want to live in Oz
 

Asbestos is a problem here in Oz but not too sure where to point you in the right direction.

My lads were working at Dreamworld in the staff canteen on the Gold Coast and asbestos was found in the ceilings and the walls:eek:

Re: I want to live in Oz
 

I believe you have two options and correct me someone if im wrong, you can either go the TRA website and see if your trade is a recognised skill, I dont think it is but you never know, alternativley you could look into finding an asbestos removal company in Ozz and seeing if they will sponsor you.

To find a local company (Australia is only just discovering the web, they are still in the early eighties here) you could call a local council and ask on the desk for the correct dept they should be able to point you at a company.

Dont rely on the web as most Australians think thats what a spider uses to catch flies.:rofl:

Re: I want to live in Oz
 

I'm sure the fencing round my garden is Asbestos, along with every other house in all the suburbs in perth...well alot of them anyway. I thought Asbestos was banned!

Very worrying.::ohmy:

Re: I want to live in Oz
 

Read this, should help :)

Asbestos products are still commonly found in homes. They can be harmful only if the asbestos fibres are released into the air and breathed in. If building materials like asbestos cement sheeting (used for walls and roofs) are in good condition, the asbestos fibres are tightly bound and very few escape into the air. These materials are very unlikely to cause health problems. Even if the walls or roof are not in good condition, the number of fibres released is very small.


See: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/B...ur_health?open for full article.

Re: I want to live in Oz
 

Not sure if your claims are correct mate, in good condition asbestos is relatively harmless unless drilled or damaged in any way to cause dust.
In bad condition it can be fatally dangerous, you can fit over 1 million fibres of asbestos on a pin head, the fibres are so small they can only be seen under a microscope. A lot also depends on what type of material it is, bonded cement sheets release few fibres but asbestos insulation board and pipe lagging can release millions upon millions of fibres just by breaking it.
hope this helps..
Mike

Re: I want to live in Oz
 

Hi,

I want to live in England :rofl:

The company I work for do Asbestos Removal, I will PM you with the details.
Where do you live?

Re: I want to live in Oz
 

It's just what I've read. Don't really know that much about it, but my FIL has been diagnosed with Asbestosis and has been given less than 12 months to live so that's why I had that link. :(

Re: I want to live in Oz
 

Working in a Qld Govt building; they recently removed asbestos from the roof of the building. The air conditioning was kept working throughout, and we were all working in, and walking around in, the building during the three weeks it took to remove it.
I just know that the Poms there were a bit stunned at the casual way the workmen approached the job, whilst the Aussies just carried on as normal and moaned about the skips and piles of old roof bits around the place.
Not knowing much about asbestos.......how risky was this?

Re: I want to live in Oz
 

I don't know mate.

My FIL worked for Bradford Council for 40 years, he used to clear out the vacated properties, do repairs to roofs, guttering, garages etc. The solicitor is suing the council for 100,000k as they are saying that is most likely the reason he has it. Apparantly it's quite common amongst the older council staff.


After saying that though, there are strict guidelines about the removal of Asbestos. I think new regulations came in to effect in Aus around 2001, which is probably about 5 to 10 years after the UK.

Re: I want to live in Oz
 

From what I remember in the UK there are requirements to seal off the area being worked on to avoid stray fibres escaping (sometimes done by setting up a -ve pressure area to keep fibres there), with removed materials being wrapped twice in thick polythene sheeting sealed at all edges. They should have been wearing paper suits and full ventilation masks as well as goggles etc.
If the asbestos removal was being undertaken near the air intake for the aircon, then I hope they did this. Otherwise there should not be a risk.

Hope that helps a bit (based on a limited experience of arranging asbestos removal in the UK )

Steve