Asbestos Risk Assessment
Asbestos Risk Assessment & Register
Asbestos was once widely used across a huge range of building materials and products in Australia. Asbestos-free alternatives became the preferred choice from the 1980s onward, and since 2003 there has been a complete ban on all asbestos-containing products. Despite the ban, a large number of Australian buildings built before that date still contain asbestos in some form, which is why identifying and managing it correctly remains an ongoing legal obligation for building owners.
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Why a risk assessment matters
Before any maintenance or refurbishment work begins in or on a building, it's essential to consider all relevant OHS risk factors as part of a proper risk assessment, and that includes assessing the potential presence of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM). Getting this step wrong doesn't just create a compliance issue, it creates a genuine health risk for anyone working on or occupying the building.
Asbestos Register
Essentially, any building built before 31 December 2003 is required to have an Asbestos Register. This is a requirement of the Safe Work Australia Code of Practice - How to Manage and Control Asbestos in the Workplace, which governs the management of in-situ asbestos under the WHS Regulations or the equivalent OHS legislation in your state or territory.
How can Stokes Safety Help?
We follow the guidelines set out in the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission's Code of Practice for Asbestos in the Workplace [NOHSC:2018 (2005)] to carefully collect samples of suspected Asbestos-Containing Materials. These samples are tested by a NATA-approved laboratory, and the official NATA lab results are provided together with your Asbestos Risk Assessment report, giving you a fully documented, independently verified result rather than just an opinion.
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From assessment to management plan
Once we've completed a thorough assessment of your facility, we produce an Asbestos Register that documents exactly what was found and where. From there, a Stokes Safety team member can work directly with your WHS or OHS committee, or your management team, to develop a customised Asbestos Management Plan tailored to your facility, covering how identified ACM should be monitored, managed, or removed over time.
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Outcomes for our clients
Building owners who complete an Asbestos Risk Assessment with Stokes Safety end up with a legally compliant Asbestos Register, NATA-verified lab results, and a practical Asbestos Management Plan that protects both occupants and contractors working on site.
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Get started
If your building was constructed before 2003 and you don't currently have an up-to-date Asbestos Register, or you have upcoming maintenance or refurbishment work planned, contact Stokes Safety to arrange an assessment.