National Strategic Plan for Asbestos Management and

Awareness

Peter TigheChief Executive Officer, Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency

Deaths due to mesothelioma: number by sex, 1997 to 2011

Safe Work Australia, Asbestos Related Disease Indicators, September 2014

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

700

Males

Females

Total persons

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

• Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency Act 2013 passed with bipartisan support - Agency commenced operation on 1 July 2013

• Focus on issues beyond work health and safety to encompass environmental and public health issues

• Implementation and delivery of National strategic Plan for Asbestos Management and Awareness

• The Agency and Minister will be informed by the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Council

• National Asbestos Exposure Register launched 3 June 2013, managed by agency. Over 2,000 registrations so far

Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

• Coordinate, monitor and report on the implementation of the National Strategic Plan for Asbestos Management and Awareness

• Provide advice to the Minister about asbestos safety and management

• Liaise with commonwealth, state, territory and local and other governments, agencies or bodies

• Commission, monitor and promote research about asbestos safety.

Functions of Agency

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

• Revision of National Strategic Plan through 2014

• Developed in consultation with all levels of government and stakeholders

• Principles to guide the plan include:

– Precaution

– Evidence-based decision making

– Transparency

– Public participation

– Collaboration

• All states and territories have endorsed the plan

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Revised National Strategic Plan

National Strategic Plan – 6 strategies Awareness

• Increased community awareness of risks & health impacts

• Improved accessibility to information

• Cultural and behavioural change in commercial and residential environments.

Best Practice

• Evidence-based best practice to minimise risks

• Model training for workers likely to be exposed and increased competencies

• Support for communities to manage risk during natural disasters and emergencies

• Improved ACM transport, storage and disposal.

Identification

• Evidence-based model for grading in-situ asbestos

• Improved stabilisation for ACMs in poor condition

• Improved ID and management of info regarding asbestos contaminated land

• Estimate total presence of ACMs in built environment

• Improved ID of risks, particularly in DIY renovators

• Coordinated response when ACMs in imported products are identified.

Removal

• Priority actions to support removal of ACM in poor condition

• Evidence-based practical options for removing ACMs in poor condition

• Asbestos removal infrastructure can meet the future needs and demands of ageing ACMs

• Review of barriers to safe removal of ACMs and evaluation of challenges faced by government, commercial and residential sectors.

Research

• Coordination of key research supporting evidence informed policy and practice

• Commission research identifying practical and innovative approaches to prevent or minimise risks from exposure to asbestos.

International Leadership

• Effective coordination of international issues relating to asbestos and ARDs

• Australia recognised an international voice of global campaign against asbestos hazards

• Best practice processes on awareness, management and eradication shared internationally.

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Next steps for National Strategic Plan

NSP 2014-2018

realistic achievements 2014 - 2018

aspirational goals beyond 2018

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Agency projects

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

• Revising national strategic plan – completed, endorsed by all states and territories

• Strengthening asbestos-related training materials in the utilities sector

• Provision of services to develop National asbestos awareness program for health professionals and general community

• Asbestos identification tool – pilot project

• ID of current and future capacity for asbestos waste disposal

• Development of asbestos awareness app and communications campaign

• Projections for the future burden of mesothelioma in Australia

• Buyer behaviour/influences towards the use of asbestos content reports in the residential property sector

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

• Asbestos in remote indigenous communities

• Additional research into asbestos identification and grading tools used in Australia

• Evidence based report on the risks of asbestos exposure in the Australian community

• Review issues and successful initiatives to combat dumping af asbestos-containing materials

• 2015 International conference on Asbestos Awareness and Management – November 2015

• Testing of actual asbestos fibres released during removal work

• Review of existing asbestos communications campaigns

Agency projects

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

• Study of existing asbestos regulations and their impact on business and productivity

• Asbestos identification in the home

• Explore how best practice of asbestos management is demonstrated through case studies

• Strategic review of the practice and use of asbestos registers in Australia

• Supporting Bernie Banton Foundation ‘Stan’s Van’ mobile awareness unit

• Remote community legacy asbestos mapping project

• Supporting Asbestos Diseases Society of South Australia – trades training program

Agency projects

www.asbestossafety.gov.au

Level 8, 255 Elizabeth Street, SYDNEY NSW 2000

Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency

enquiries@asbestossafety.gov.au

@AsbestosSafety @Peter_Tighe

1300 363 079