Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00423:body:0:p14
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00423
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 36748–39537

all circumstances. This means the suspect material can remain undisturbed and the time and cost of sampling and analysis is avoided.
The person with management or control of a workplace can assume asbestos or ACM is not present as long as this assumption is based on reasonable grounds, which may include:
    * a workplace is constructed post 1990 and there is no plant or equipment made prior to 2004
    * pre-2004 buildings where the building is constructed (including the roof) wholly of metal, brick or concrete, and has no internal walls that are made of fibro, gyprock or similar cladding, for instance a corrugated iron shed or a colourbond type warehouse building constructed of double brick with bare brick internally. Flooring (vinyl tiles), switchboards and under eaves lining should also be considered
    * where a register indicates that all the identified and assumed asbestos has been removed.
Once the presence and location of asbestos has been assumed:
    * all requirements for managing asbestos must be followed until the material is removed or testing has confirmed that it is not or does not contain asbestos
    * the workplace asbestos register must include all the presumptions made about materials in the workplace with a simple, generic statement such as, 'Roof sheeting is presumed to contain asbestos' or 'All underground conduits are presumed to contain asbestos.'

Inaccessible areas
If there are inaccessible areas in the workplace that a competent person has identified as likely to have asbestos or ACM, it must be assumed they contain asbestos until they are accessed and it is determined whether asbestos is present or not.
As a general rule, an inaccessible area is an area that cannot be accessed during normal daily activities or routine maintenance. The following areas are not regarded as 'inaccessible areas' and must be inspected or assumed to contain asbestos:
    * locked rooms
    * crawl spaces
    * basement and cellars
    * storage areas
    * ceiling spaces
    * fire doors
    * locked security safes.
Accessing fire door and security safe cores to determine whether they contain asbestos may create a risk, for example drilling can result in the release of airborne asbestos. If this is the case, cores should not be accessed and must be assumed to contain asbestos until otherwise proven (for instance, during maintenance when access is obtained) or information is obtained from the supplier. Fire doors may have a compliance tag on the door jamb stating the fire rating and a compliance date. This can provide an indication of whether the door is likely to contain asbestos.

Examples of inaccessible areas that may contain asbestos or ACM are:
    * a cavity in a building that is completely (or almost completely) enclosed and