Asbestos laws consultation deadline nears

Public comment on the proposed new asbestos safety laws will close on 19 May 2006.

WorkCover chief executive officer, Jon Blackwell, said that a seven-week period of public consultation had been provided on proposed changes to licensing requirements when bonded asbestos is removed.

Blackwell said the proposals were in response to significant community concern over risks posed by operators removing asbestos inappropriately.

"The new requirements are designed to ensure that all asbestos removal undertaken by the industry involving 10 m² or more of bonded asbestos material is carried out by appropriately qualified and licensed operators," he said.

"A two-stage phasing in period has been proposed to allow industry time to adjust to the new requirements."

The first stage will see the licensing threshold reduced from the current 200 m² "“ 50 m² by 1 September 2006.

The second stage will reduce the threshold from 50 m² to 10 m² by 1 July 2007.

The proposed changes are available on the WorkCover website at: www.workcover.nsw.gov.au