Asbestos remains a significant issue in New South Wales. State-wide flooding last year increased the risk that asbestos – which was either poorly disposed of or within detritus from older, damaged homes – could re-surface.
It’s why Coates and Local Government NSW collaborated over the past year to develop a unique one-day course to train local government officers who, during the course of their work, may come into contact with asbestos-related products.
“The value of public-private partnerships is critical when it comes to equipping people with the knowledge to keep themselves safe when faced with issues like asbestos in their line of work,” said Paul McDonough, RTO Manager, Coates.
Coates, more widely known for its leadership in equipment hire and solutions, is also a registered training organisation which has, to date, trained and certified more than 90,000 Aussie workers since 1996.
Last year it began working closely with LGNSW to determine how they could help local government officers understand what to do when faced with asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral fibre which was heavily used in Australian houses for insulation and fire-retardation until the mid-1980s. In 2003 asbestos use was banned in Australia but it’s estimated around one-third of homes in Australia still contain asbestos products.
“Exposure to asbestos was heightened last year with the state experiencing its wettest year on record; as flood waters rise, asbestos that may have been poorly disposed of or buried, or within detritus from damaged homes built prior to the mid-80s, could rise to the surface,” said McDonough.
The two organisations soon developed a unique one-day nationally recognised training course to help council workers across the state differentiate between the different kinds of asbestos, how to safely approach asbestos, and take steps to manage that asbestos safely.
“Since we started the training course, 39 councils have signed up to the course with over 1,200 local government officers achieving certification,” he said.
After the success of the training program in NSW, McDonough and Coates are looking to launch the training program nationally.
“Asbestos exposure remains a risk that isn’t isolated to New South Wales, and the safety of our communities and local government officers is paramount,” he said. “This is one way we can help equip people with the knowledge to stay safe.”
