The Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate is marking National Asbestos Awareness Week this week by calling on Canberrans to stay safe during DIY home renovations.
In a statement, the Directorate said the Week, which ends next Sunday (28 November) aimed to raise awareness about the dangers of asbestos and asked people to think twice about the killer dust when doing home renovations or maintenance.
“Every year in Australia, an estimated 4,000 people die from asbestos-related diseases because of past exposure, including from the incurable cancer mesothelioma,” the Directorate said.
“Across the country, asbestos can still be found in as many as one in three homes, as well as in many commercial properties,” it said.
“With an increase in the rate of DIY home renovation and improvement works during the COVID-19 pandemic, the risk of asbestos exposure has unfortunately also increased.”
The Directorate asked people to stay safe while fixing up their homes by following three simple steps: ‘Get in the know’ by researching where asbestos could be located around the home; ‘take it slow’ and be careful not to disturb or damage asbestos; and ‘get a pro’ – know personal limits and hire a licensed asbestos professional who is trained to locate, manage or remove asbestos from a property.
“By preventing exposure to asbestos fibres, we can move closer to eliminating asbestos-related diseases from the community,” it said.
Further information on managing asbestos can be accessed on WorkSafe ACT’s website at this PS News link.
