Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00409:body:0:p15
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00409
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 37195–40197

substance or mixture in an airborne concentration that exceeds the exposure standard for the substance or mixture.
Demolition work may involve workplaces or structures that contain or have contained hazardous materials including chemicals. Hazardous materials include lead, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), contaminated dust and combustible materials:
The risks arising from potential exposure to hazardous materials must be managed in accordance with the WHS Regulations.
For hazardous chemicals, exposure standards must not be exceeded. These are set out in the Workplace Exposure Standards for Airborne Contaminants, and should also be listed in the manufacturer's Safety Data Sheet (SDS).
Before starting any demolition work, all areas of the workplace including basements, cellars, vaults and waste dumps, should be examined to determine whether:
    * there are any items which could be a fire and explosion risk
    * any previous use of the site might cause a risk because of the nature of and/or decomposition of materials, and
    * there are any toxic, radioactive or other hazardous chemicals present.
Any hazardous materials including explosives, should be clearly identified. Information about a chemical's hazards and control measures can be obtained from the chemical's Safety Data Sheet (SDS) or the label of the chemical's container. If available, the workplace's former hazardous chemicals register or manifest should be referred to for determining the nature and location of previous hazardous chemical storage areas.
The person conducting a business or undertaking and/or the principal contractor at a demolition workplace should inform all workers and other persons at the workplace of the presence of hazardous chemicals, and the control measures for exposure and safe disposal. SDSs for hazardous chemicals must be readily available for reference.
Appropriate, clean facilities and amenities must be provided for workers to minimise risks where there are hazardous materials present.
Further specific guidance on hazardous chemicals can be found in the Code of Practice: Managing risks of hazardous chemicals in the workplace.

Asbestos
Any construction work including demolition work that involves or is likely to involve the disturbance of asbestos is defined by the WHS Regulations as high risk construction work and a SWMS must be prepared before this work commences.
The person conducting a business or undertaking with management or control of the demolition work has specific responsibilities in regard to identifying whether asbestos is present and informing others if it is.

Regulation 450: Where a structure is to be demolished, a person conducting a business or undertaking carrying out demolition work must obtain a copy of the asbestos register for the workplace from the person with management or control of that workplace.
Regulation 451: If there is no asbestos register, the person carrying out the demolition work must:
    * not carry out the work