Asbestos products are commonly found in WA homes built before 1990 and a large portion of our residential and commercial building stock falls into that category.
Asbestos use was banned in Australia in 2003, but the ban did nothing about the thousands of structures already standing. When those asbestos containing materials are cut, drilled, broken or demolished, respirable fibres are released into the air. Inhaling asbestos fibres can cause severe respiratory illnesses, including lung cancer and mesothelioma, making uncontrolled disturbance a serious project risk.
Environmental Site Services (ENVSS) provides asbestos assessment, bulk testing, asbestos air monitoring and clearance inspections across Western Australia. We support developers, builders and demolition contractors with the field data they need to keep projects compliant and workers protected.
To learn more about our services and regulations around asbestos testing and removal, speak with our WA office.
Asbestos remains a critical issue for Western Australian property development
Much of Perth’s suburban housing and regional WA’s industrial and public building stock was constructed between the 1950s and late 1980s, when asbestos products were used extensively. Asbestos materials are commonly found in homes, but the same products appear in schools, hospitals, workshops and public buildings constructed during that period.
Infill development in established suburbs, brownfield conversions and refurbishment of older commercial premises all routinely intersect with legacy asbestos materials. Where asbestos is not identified before work begins, the consequences are predictable: unplanned stoppages, regulatory notices, budget overruns and potential exposure of workers or the community.
Developers must comply with Work Health and Safety laws, local government requirements and any conditions attached to planning approvals or demolition permits. Proper asbestos monitoring and documentation is essential to reduce the likelihood of these complications and protects the people involved in every stage of the project.
Common asbestos-containing materials in older WA buildings and structures
Asbestos was used in thousands of building products because it was cheap, strong and fire-resistant. These products were produced in large volumes and installed in structures across the state for decades.
Developers and builders commonly encounter asbestos in the following products:
- Wall cladding and eaves (flat and profiled fibro sheeting)
- Roofing sheets and gutters
- Fencing (corrugated asbestos cement panels, present in roughly 50 percent of older WA homes)
- Vinyl floor tiles and adhesives
- Electrical meter backing boards and switchboard linings
- Pipe lagging, flue pipes and boiler insulation
- Textured coatings and fire doors
- Soffits, splashbacks and wet-area linings
They are most commonly found in fibro cottages, industrial sheds and older government buildings.
Asbestos in good condition and left undisturbed generally presents low risk. The concern arises during demolition, cutting, grinding, drilling or fire damage. Here, proper inspection is needed to confirm the presence of asbestos in materials before any disturbance occurs.
What is asbestos poisoning? Health risks caused by asbestos fibres
Asbestos fibres are microscopic; individual fibres are 50 to 200 times thinner than a human hair. When inhaled, they lodge deep in lung tissue and cannot be expelled by the body. Damage then accumulates over a long period.
Asbestosis, for example, is a chronic fibrosis of the lungs that restricts breathing capacity. Its symptoms usually develop 10 to 40 years after exposure, which means most people who develop the condition were exposed decades before their diagnosis. Common symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath
- Clubbing of fingers and toes
- Increased risk of lung cancer
- Lung tissue damage
With these issues in mind, developers should treat asbestos as a hazard that must be actively managed, and integrate assessment and monitoring into standard project planning, ensuring that decisions are not left to ad-hoc responses once work is underway.
WA’s regulatory framework for asbestos management
Asbestos monitoring is regulated by Western Australian safety and health guidelines. The primary legislation governing asbestos on construction, demolition and refurbishment sites includes the Work Health and Safety Act 2020, the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022 and the Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulations 2022.
Key regulatory requirements for development sites:
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Asbestos register | Required for all workplaces, listing known or presumed asbestos-containing materials |
| Asbestos management plan | Outlines responsibilities, controls, training and monitoring |
| Licensed removalists | Class A licence for any friable asbestos removal; Class A or B for non-friable removal over 10 m² |
| Air monitoring | Western Australian Work Health and Safety regulations mandate air monitoring for asbestos removal involving friable material |
| Clearance inspections | A licensed asbestos assessor conducts air monitoring and clearance inspections for Class A work |
Failing to meet these obligations can result in enforcement action, penalties and project shutdowns.
Why your project needs a pre-construction asbestos audit
Identifying asbestos before design finalisation is more effective and more economical than reacting once works have started. An initial asbestos assessment involves our team inspecting properties for suspect materials, systematically checking accessible and concealed spaces, collecting bulk samples and preparing a site-specific asbestos register with condition ratings.
Accurate audit data lets your team avoid disturbing high-risk materials. Without this information, unexpected discoveries of friable asbestos can halt works, trigger regulatory action and cause schedule blowouts that the original budget never accounted for.
Air monitoring is another important step in detecting hidden asbestos during renovations and demolitions. These programs can be planned and scheduled alongside construction staging or arranged at short notice after a problem surfaces.
Environmental Site Services conducts targeted asbestos surveys for residential knock-downs, commercial fit-outs, industrial decommissioning and large-scale redevelopment projects across WA. ENVSS can assist project teams with developing a clear picture of asbestos risks before the first contractor mobilises to site.
Asbestos registers and management plans: the core documents for safety and compliance
An asbestos register is a live document listing known or presumed asbestos containing materials on site. Each entry records the material’s location, type, condition, friability and risk rating. Under WHS laws, a current asbestos register is required for workplaces in buildings constructed before 31 December 2003, unless asbestos has been verified as absent through sampling and inspection.
An asbestos management plan sits alongside the register. It sets out:
- Responsibilities for managing identified asbestos
- Control measures for routine maintenance and planned works
- Training requirements for workers and contractors
- Asbestos monitoring approaches during handling or removal
- Emergency procedures for accidental disturbance or damage
Both documents must be updated after removal works, new sampling results, incidents or changes to building use. Keeping them current protects your compliance and gives sub-contractors the details they need to work safely.
ENVSS can prepare or update asbestos registers and develop practical management plans tailored to the specific staging and construction methodology of a development project.
When asbestos testing and asbestos air monitoring are required
Asbestos testing and air monitoring provide objective data to support risk assessment, removal works and re-occupancy decisions. Monitoring is essential for confirming safe conditions during disturbance work.
When bulk testing is recommended:
- Uncertain materials in older buildings where visual identification alone is insufficient
- Due diligence for property acquisition
- Validation that suspect products are asbestos-free before demolition or refurbishment
- Confirming the type of asbestos present to determine the correct removal approach
When air monitoring applies:
- Background monitoring to establish baseline levels
- Confirmation of control measures
- Working with high risk, friable materials
- Working near sensitive receptors (schools, hospitals etc.)
ENVSS field technicians set up and manage asbestos monitoring programs, interpret results against guideline values and provide clear reporting for developers, principal contractors and regulators.
Clearance inspections and verification before re-occupancy or handover
After licensed asbestos removal, an independent clearance inspection is required before areas are re-occupied or further trades enter. A clearance inspection verifies areas are safe for re-occupation after removal work.
The clearance process involves several steps:
- Visual inspection of all surfaces, voids, ledges, ducts and crevices to confirm that no visible asbestos debris or dust remains
- Verification that all asbestos waste has been removed and disposed of correctly
- Review of asbestos air monitoring data (where applicable) to confirm fibre levels are below clearance thresholds
- Issue of a clearance certificate documenting the inspection findings
ENVSS provides independent clearance inspections and documentation, giving developers confidence that asbestos risks have been appropriately managed before the next project phase proceeds.
The practical benefits of early asbestos assessment and monitoring for developers
Early asbestos assessment delivers measurable project benefits across cost, schedule and compliance.
Knowing where asbestos is located before construction starts allows the demolition methodology and staging to be developed around real site conditions. Services routes can be designed to avoid asbestos pipe lagging rather than being redesigned after discovery. Unplanned site shutdowns caused by uncontrolled asbestos fibres during demolition can add weeks to a program and generate regulatory scrutiny that follows the developer beyond the current project.
Partnering with a specialist like ENVSS helps developers demonstrate due diligence and maintain a safer working environment across their project portfolio.
How Environmental Site Services supports asbestos risk management on WA projects
We’re a Western Australian environmental consultancy with strong field capability in asbestos assessment and asbestos monitoring. The ENVSS approach is practical, field-focused and built around delivering defensible data that supports project decisions.
Our asbestos services include:
- Asbestos audits and surveys (pre-demolition, pre-refurbishment, due diligence)
- Asbestos registers and asbestos management plans
- Bulk asbestos testing through NATA-accredited laboratories
- Asbestos air monitoring (background, control, exposure and clearance)
- On-site supervision support during removal works
- Independent clearance inspections and certification
Speak with an asbestos expert today
ENVSS works with developers, builders, demolition contractors, environmental managers and local governments across Perth and regional WA.
Our experienced technicians, modern monitoring equipment and clear reporting aligned to project milestones mean that asbestos data is available when project teams need it, not after the fact.
Contact our office to discuss your development.