Latest News

Asbestos: a perennial threat

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 01:24:00 GMT

Asbestos is not a situation of the past. What is being called the 'third wave' describes victims of asbestos who do not work in the industry. There are concerns that non professional home renovators are not exercising proper amounts of caution.

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2011/s3372459.htm

Sydney's Asbestos Concerns - Featuring Ross Mitchell

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 01:12:00 GMT

A startling statistic highlights the risk for D-I-Y renovators with 2 out of every 3-homes in Sydney's west containing asbestos.

Asbestos, the outlawed fibre with a licence to kill

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 01:08:00 GMT

Ignorance, negligence and cover-ups led to the deaths of tens of thousands of Australians from asbestos-related diseases. When the building material was finally banned in Australia in 2003, too many people assumed it was a receding nightmare – that the real threat had died with one of its victims, the tireless campaigner Bernie Banton. They could not have been more wrong. Natalie O'Brien reports, Sydney Morning Herald.

TONNES of asbestos-contaminated materials are being illegally dumped across the state, exposing current and future generations to the deadly fibres.

Rogue dumpers, commercial contractors and home renovators are putting lives at risk as they dodge costly disposal fees.

An investigation by The Sun-Herald has established that 80 clean-up notices – a third of all the notices issued by the NSW Environmental Protection Authority in the past five years – have been for illegal or improper asbestos disposal.

Fighting the good fight ... John Limpus and his team remove asbestos from a house in Lake Haven. Photo: Anthony Johnson

A group of professional waste transporters became so fed up with rogues in their industry that they organised undercover surveillance – shown above – to follow trucks working for a company they suspected of illegal dumping. Their investigator followed and filmed one truck until it illegally dumped waste at Maroota, north-west of Sydney.

Their surveillance was handed to the Western Sydney Regional Illegal Dumping Squad – better known as the RID Squad – and resulted in the offenders being caught, fined and forced to clean it up. But many offenders are never caught.

When broken down, asbestos dust fibres can be carried in the air and, if breathed in, can cause the deadly lung disease mesothelioma, asbestosis or lung cancer.

Tireless campaigners ... the late Bernie Banton with his wife, Karen, at their Sydney home in 2004. Photo: Kate Geraghty

"There are people who are not even born yet that will come down with asbestos-related diseases because of this," warns Barry Robson, president of the Asbestos Diseases Foundation of Australia. "It should have stopped by now."

But it hasn't, and Mr Robson calls it a "time bomb".

In the past year asbestos has been found in:

Garden mulch sold to residents by Bega Valley Shire Council

A thousand tonnes of contaminated sand that was spread across a sporting oval at Rockdale. The culprit could not be identified so it was cleaned up at the council's expense;

Skip bins across Sydney;

Kerbside pick-ups for recycling;

Garden sheds and under homes;

A 30,000-tonne pile dumped on a private property at Mangrove Mountain on the Central Coast.

Stockpiled and buried on Norfolk Island properties because of a lack of funding to take it off the island.

Backyards, often rising to the surface. Asbestos removalists say this is a particular problem on the Central Coast, where waste from demolished asbestos homes is often buried on site. One 80-year old woman, who asked not to be named, told The Sun-Herald she had been pulling pieces of asbestos fibro out of her garden in Gosford for years.

In an operation late last year, the RID Squad's investigators and EPA officers covertly tracked vehicles dumping waste illegally in eight locations across Sydney's west. Asbestos was found at three of the sites.

The state government does not keep central records that can analyse or track asbestos dumping offences. The Sun-Herald manually trawled through the EPA's clean-up notices to determine how many related to asbestos and found the number of dumpings on the increase, at least on private properties.

There have been 35 notices issued since January last year. But there are no systems in place to tally dumpings on public land. However, the RID Squad, formed in 1999 by the state government and seven councils to fight illegal dumping, estimates it has investigated about 150 cases involving asbestos in the past year.

"For the government not to have at hand the extent of illegal dumping is reckless," says the Greens environment spokeswoman Cate Faehrmann.

In the past five years the EPA has launched 11 prosecutions against seven defendants with $230,900 in fines issued and 450 hours of community service ordered. There are 16 charges of illegal dumping of asbestos currently before the Land and Environment Court.

Criminal proceedings have also begun against a consultancy, Aargus Pty Ltd, which allegedly provided false reports claiming a property was asbestos-free. It is yet to enter a plea.

Tony Khoury, from the Waste Contractors & Recyclers Association of NSW, said the single biggest factor behind the illegal dumping of asbestos – whether it is a home renovator or a rogue operator – is the high price of disposal. Tipping fees alone are between $200 and $400 a tonne, but removing an average asbestos roof can cost about $45 a square metre – amounting to as much as $5000. The state government needed to subsidise the cost so "price is not a disincentive to public safety", Mr Khoury said.

The Cancer Council's spokesman, Terry Slevin, also called for incentives for people to do the right thing.

The effects of asbestos have long haunted NSW, the first place in Australia to begin mining asbestos. In 2010 the NSW Ombudsman, Bruce Barbour, issued a report, "Responding to the asbestos problem; the need for significant reform in NSW". He said the "amount of asbestos remaining in NSW is immense".

The Asbestos Diseases Research Institute, in its 2010/11 annual report, said 700 Australians were diagnosed that year with mesothelioma and 1500 with lung cancer caused by asbestos. It predicts the number will continue to rise, as the disease can take decades to develop. Mr Barbour estimated about 200,000 tonnes of asbestos-contaminated waste is being properly sent to landfill each year. But waste industry sources estimate that at least twice that amount is being illegally dumped.

Last year a company owned by the Dial a Dump entrepreneur Ian Malouf's wife, Larissa, was ordered to clean up a stockpile of 170,000 cubic metres of asbestos-contaminated waste at its Alexandria property.

Two government inquiries, one state and one federal, are under way into asbestos management. The NSW inquiry is examining the impact of tipping fees on illegal dumping and ways to encourage proper disposal. All waste, including asbestos, is subjected to a $82-a-tonne recycling levy. Asbestos then attracts additional fees.

The Minister for the Environment, Robyn Parker, said the anecdotal evidence was that "illegal dumpers are motivated by the desire to avoid all waste costs, not just the levy".

The NSW government has also set up the Heads of Asbestos Co-ordination Authority.

Its chairman, Peter Dunphy, said: "We are developing a model policy to show councils what they should be doing. One of the problems has been that the issue is just pushed between agencies."

WHY IT KILLS

Asbestos fibres are small and light. The dust can stay in the air for a long time. People become affected by the dust when they inhale it.

Those most at risk are people whose work has brought them into contact with asbestos fibres and people who have lived or worked near asbestos-related operations.

The families of people who have been exposed to asbestos dust may also be at risk if there is asbestos dust on their clothes.

The main illnesses associated with asbestos exposure are asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer.

It can take from 15 to 60 years after the first exposure for fatal diseases to develop.

For more information:

www.asbestosawareness.com.au

www.adfa.org.au

Emergency Flood Recovery Response

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 01:43:00 GMT

In light of the extensive flooding across NSW and QLD, we would like to highlight we have on call all staff, 24 hours, 7 days per week to help deal with the emergency.

We will have available our Hazmat Response mobile decontamination units and full personal protective suits and respirators capable of safely dealing with a full range of hazardous issues likely to be found in flood affected houses and buildings. We also have on hand our qualified builders to help deal with property assessments and structural issues.

Please let us know how we can help 1300 798 808.

Emergency Reponse Unit- Mobile Decon

Decontamination procedures

Pumping flooded areas

Asbestos health fears from demolished boatshed

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:07:00 GMT

20 Feb 12 @ 07:12pm by Boel Eriksson- Source Manly Daily

Church Point resident Collyn Rivers at the demolition site of Bennett's boatshed today.

A Church Point resident has complained of asbestos dust after a 100-year-old boatshed was torn down opposite his home this morning.

Warning letters from Pittwater Council about the impending demolition of Bennett’s Boatshed and removal of the dangerous mineral were sent to neighbouring properties at the eastern end of Church Point Reserve about a week ago.

Asbestos warning signs were also erected around the site this morning.

But Collyn Rivers, who lives directly across from the site, said he was shocked to witness the council-contracted workers destroy the building with hammers without any apparent action taken to contain asbestos dust, apart from wrapping up some of the building material in plastic before putting it in on a truck.

He said much of the building material was left in a “huge pile” for hours.

“To my horror, they just smashed (the shed) apart and I didn’t see them take any precautions,” he said.

“I would have expected some occupational work and safety measures.

“They just wrapped some in plastic before putting it in the back of a truck.”

Asbestos can be hazardous when microscopic fibres become airborne and are inhaled.

Mr Rivers worried that people who waited at a nearby bus stop, walked past the site on the foreshore walk or were at the carpark could have been affected.

A Pittwater Council spokeswoman said the licensed building contractor hired by the council removed the asbestos according to Environmental Protection Agency rules.

“These guidelines stipulate that neighbouring property owners be notified seven days in advance; the asbestos is removed and wrapped; and that it is taken to a waste facility licensed to accept asbestos,” she said. “All these actions have been carried out by the contractor.”

As reported by the Manly Daily last October, the shed was listed for demolition after a council report said it posed “numerous hazards and presents as a potential nuisance to third parties”.

The decision upset the non-profit jewellery and metalworking organisation Silver Plus, which successfully applied for a $40,000 state government grant to have the boatshed rebuilt as a workshop.

ASBESTOS FACTS-Asbestos is a generic term for several fibrous silicate minerals.
-Products made from asbestos bonded material include fibro sheeting, roofing shingles and guttering and drainage and flue pipes, but only fibro products made before 1987 contain asbestos.
-The manufacture and use of asbestos products was banned nationally from December 2003.
-Breathing in asbestos fibres can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.
-The symptoms of these diseases do not usually appear until about 20 to 30 years after the first exposure to asbestos.

Is the site a health concern?

Builders gloomy about year ahead: MBA

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:53:00 GMT

Larry Schlesinger, Smart Company

Builders surveyed by Master Builders Australia expect overall residential and commercial construction activity to be lower over the next six months, in line with a bleak forecast released earlier by the Housing Industry Association.

In MBA's December quarter survey, builder sentiment sits below the neutral or satisfactory 50 mark with both residential and non-residential sectors experiencing poor conditions despite some recent stabilisation following the November rate cut.

Sentiment is particularly poor for residential construction with the index for current conditions falling again in the December quarter to 36.3 close to levels reached during the GFC. The index picked up in the December quarter but remains at a level indicating that builders expect residential building conditions to decline over the next six months.

In the non-residential sector, the index measuring current conditions registered 38.1 in the December quarter, down on the previous reading and well below the satisfactory level. Non-residential builders face the prospect of falling activity levels with the conclusion of government stimulus programs.

Sentiment is clearly being influenced by declining profit levels with overall industry profitability also sitting below the 50 mark, not far from lows reached during the GFC.

Source: Master Builders Australia.

"Builder sentiment remains gloomy, not helped by disappointing sales and display centre traffic/enquiries. Builders are not seeing any pick up in private sector demand to replace government economic stimulus programs," MBA reports.

As a consequence of a drop in activity and profits, builders surveyed by MBA say that they may need to reduce levels of employees and subcontractors in the period ahead.

In line with figures from the HIA showing new home sales rose by 6.8% in November, the December MBA survey, which took into account the November rate cut, does reveal "some early signs of improvement in a number of the indicators, an early indication of a possible turnaround in sentiment related to the November rate cut", but overall the picture is downbeat.

Responding the December quarter survey results, MBA chief economist Peter Jones says the RBA should consider further rate cuts to make sure a private sector recovery is able to gain momentum.

"Builder sentiment remains gloomy with the latest survey revealing poor profitability as well as disappointing sales and display centre traffic/enquiries," Jones says.

"The building industry is struggling, with little evidence of the pick-up in private sector demand needed to fill the gap left as government economic stimulus programs end."

"The building and construction industry has lost the cushioning effect of government stimulus programs whilst the credit squeeze and other regulatory constraints continue to affect business operating conditions," Jones says.

"The national survey confirms how weak conditions have become, with the December quarter revealing significant excess capacity in the industry as well as evidence that builders are experiencing very little difficulty finding labour resources."

"The latest readings do not auger well for activity in the building and construction industry over the next six months and with profits under pressure it is little surprise that builders are indicating they may reduce levels of employees and subcontractors in the period ahead," he says.

This article first appeared on Property Observer.

Seeking Environmental Project Engineers and Supervisors

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 07:47:00 GMT

Company Background

Ross Mitchell & Associates is a leading environmental and civil contracting services provider to the public and private sector market Australia wide. RMA is a hybrid company specialising in site remediation, waste management, civil works, hazardous material removal, demolition works and building construction works.

Duties & Responsibilities

The key function of the role will be to provide support to current senior site remediation and civil project managers in the company and continue to promote the growth of the site remediation division. It is expected that the role will be approximately 60% site based and 40% office based.

The key duties and responsibilities of the role will include providing technical input on a site based level to site supervisors including environmental guidance, preparation and implementation of safety, quality and environmental documentation.

At an office level, the role will include providing assistance to senior managers in project estimating/tendering and project management, review of previous environmental project reports including site assessments and RAPs, preparation of detailed remedial cost estimates, budget control and programming, Quality, OHS & environmental management.

The role will have a strong focus on remediation but will allow flexibility to work between the key buisness units. A rapid transition and promotion to a project manager role is anticipated within 12 months.

Qualifications & Experience

Degree in environmental science or environmental engineering is essential. Minimum 3 to 5 years experience in environmental site assessment and remediation with a major consultancy firm.

At least 1 years experience in environmental contracting & site remediation including petroleum industry experience and application of remediation treatment technologies would be an advantage but not essential. Industry specific training & development will be provided to the successful candidate.

Remuneration Package

An attractive base salary based on experience will be negotiated with the successful candidate which will include a company vehicle, mobile phone and laptop.

Please email your CV and a covering letter (optional) to Ross Mitchell & Associates

Attention: Miguel Canas (Remediation Division Manager)

Email: miguel@rossmitchell.com.au

Seeking qualified carpenter/supervisors and painters for multi-trade upgrade and maintenance work

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 02:06:00 GMT

Multi skilled carpenter and painters required for a long term multi site project. Drivers license necessary.

Good communication skills and a willingness to travel to country regions are essential.

Please send your expressions of interest to wendy@rossmitchell.com.au.

Happy New Year- Are you ready for the new Workplace Health and Safety Laws?

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:36:00 GMT

As you may be aware the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 and Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 will be repealed on 1 January 2012 and replaced with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (the WHS Act) and Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (the WHS Regulation).

The WHS Act and WHS Regulation are now available on the WorkCover website at the following link

http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/newlegislation2012/WHSlawandpolicy/Pages/WorkHealthandSafetyRegulations.aspx

While there are few significant impacts for NSW businesses , you are encouraged to familiarise yourself with the new legislation for any changes or new requirements . Some of the key changes in relation to asbestos and demolition can be viewed at the following link.

http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/newlegislation2012/whstransitionalarrangements/demolition-transitional-arrangements/Pages/default.aspx

Source: WorkCover NSW

Toxic Trade of asbestos in India- The next big clean up waiting to happen

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 03:45:00 GMT

Interesting documentary about the trade and use of asbestos which has long been banned in Australia.

We encourage all to watch to see the use in India, but also have an insight into its use in Australia.

http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2011/s3359246.htm

Asbestos Awareness Week - Ross Mitchell, Founder, contributes his years of experience to help spread the message

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 03:34:00 GMT

Asbestos Awareness Week - Ross Mitchell, Founder, contributes his years of experience to help spread the message

"Next week is National Asbestos Awareness Week.

After the natural disasters that have swept through our region over the last few years, there has been a focus on the dangers of asbestos as people began cleaning up there homes and businesses.

This needs to be continued and will be something that is talked about nationally during the week, however, when Chris Coleman spoke to President of the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association Ross Mitchell it was clear the major focus around asbestos still concerns educating people about the dangers.

Ross said there have been a few developments in recent years surrounding asbestos and how it is best to be handled.

He stressed that if you are about do to some work around your house where you know or think asbestos is present to call in the professional removalists to ensure it is done correctly and without harming you or your family".

Source: ABC News

http://blogs.abc.net.au/nsw/2011/11/asbestos-awareness-week.html

Manly Hospital Upgrade is Open for Business

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:15:00 GMT

1/9/11

RMA Group’s upgrade of the Emergency Department, PECC and Decant areas at Manly hospital has been received well and is now open for business. In fact, all works were carried out while the hospital operated, which meant important coordination with the hospital, its staff and the patients. Having expanded the capacity and functionality of the departments, RMA Group has been praised with another great project within a hospital environment.

No lost time injuries for August

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:14:00 GMT

31/8/11

On the back of another good 12 months of safe and strong project management, we are happy to report no lost time injuries for August.

3 Cheers

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:14:00 GMT

1/9/11

RMA Group renews its certification and achieves an integrated management system, for quality, environment and safety. This reflects our intense focus on maintaining high standards on all our projects. Well done to the team and to everyone for living and breathing these standards every day.

National asbestos management review must not increase risks

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:35:00 GMT

National asbestos management review must not increase risks to workers

16/9/11

“Master Builders’ Board has, as an aspirational goal, the removal of asbestos from Australia’s built environment in the long term. The way to achieve this aim is for asbestos to be removed when it has deteriorated or where the building is undergoing renovation or alteration that might disturb asbestos.” “The recent University of Western Australia research on asbestos disease indicates that home renovators are the third wave of asbestos disease victims. Any education activities under a National Strategy need to have two clear messages - home owners should not do any renovation until they are sure that they will not disturb asbestos and asbestos removal should be undertaken by experts.”

Buildings should be cleared of asbestos by 2030

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 10:34:00 GMT

ACTU – All buildings should be cleared of asbestos by 2030 to save future generations: unions

16/9/11

An Asbestos Safety Certificate should be required every time a residential property is sold or leased in order to protect future generations of Australians from asbestos diseases, say unions. It is estimated that more than a million houses in Australia contain asbestos, which was banned from production in 1988. More than 500 Australians die each year from the asbestos disease, mesothelioma, and these numbers are expected to increase over the next decade “But here we are in 2011, and the number of Australians dying from mesothelioma is on the rise, with a 10% rise in new cases to 660 recorded in the most recent statistics. It is simply unacceptable that more than two decades since the use of asbestos in construction was banned, we have growing numbers of people dying from its effects.

Housing finance rise no cause for rate rise

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:42:00 GMT

6/9/11

The headline rise in housing finance in July is no cause for the Reserve Bank to raise rates, according to peak building and construction organization, Master Builders Australia

“The key finance indicators show that demand remains flat.” Mr Jones said, “Loans for construction of dwellings and purchase of new dwellings, combined, fell back in July but are almost on par with July last year and beginning to show signs that a period of unchanged interest rates may be working to at least stabilise demand as a precursor to an upswing in residential building.” He said, “The Reserve Bank has an important role in underpinning consumer confidence and needs to keep interest rates on hold to encourage an upswing in housing.”

“The period of rates stability has allowed the housing market to find a floor but consumer caution and overseas events appear set to work against any upswing.”