Asbestos removal licensing in Australia: Class A, Class B and notification

Asbestos is still the biggest single cause of work-related death in Australia, and the rules around removing it are correspondingly strict. For most removal work you need a licence, and you must notify the WHS regulator before you start.

Class A vs Class B

A Class B licence allows removal of more than 10 square metres of non-friable (bonded) asbestos. A Class A licence is required to remove friable asbestos — the more dangerous, easily-crumbled form — and also covers non-friable work. Small amounts of non-friable asbestos (10 square metres or less) can generally be removed unlicensed, but the safe-work requirements still apply.

Notification

Licensed removal work must be notified to the regulator in your state, generally at least five days before it starts, with details of the site, the licence, and the removalist. Emergency situations have their own process. Friable removal also typically requires independent air monitoring and a clearance certificate before the area is reoccupied.

The records that matter

An asbestos removal job generates a trail: the licence, the notification, the asbestos removal control plan, SWMS, air monitoring results and the clearance certificate. Keeping that trail complete and against the job is both a legal requirement and your protection if anyone asks years later.