Employers have a duty of care towards their employees. Australia takes this very seriously. It’s what led to the creation of Safe Work Australia. That’s the government agency tasked with improving health and safety arrangements in the workplace.

Part of any employer’s responsibility is to train all its staff in the nature of their work and the risks associated with it. There is no greater danger in the workplace today than asbestos.

QBM offers a user-friendly online asbestos training course. It keeps employers compliant with their legal obligations. Read on for more details about QBM’s essential asbestos awareness training.

QBM’s Asbestos Training Course

The purpose of QBM’s asbestos training course is to inform. Primarily, it helps owners & managers of buildings, real estate agents, and staff. It allows them to get to grips with their obligations under asbestos regulations.

The course will explain what asbestos is, what it looks like and where you’re likely to find it. It promotes awareness of asbestos management and asbestos safety with a focus on giving practical guidance. This relates especially to the actions needed to keep staff safe from asbestos contamination in the workplace.

The asbestos awareness training course has integral 3 parts:

Part 1 covers detailed information about asbestos and the dangers it presents

Part 2 reinforces the learning process with a multiple-choice assessment quiz

Part 3 results in a Training Certificate on successful completion of the quiz

 

The Truth About Asbestos

It’s hard to believe that until relatively recently we saw this naturally occurring mineral as a miracle product. It was seen as essential within the construction industry and it had excellent fire-retardant properties. It also had the ability to withstand erosion and decay.

As it became used more, the danger signs started becoming clear. Asbestos can cause cancer, specifically mesothelioma. When inhaled, its fine airborne fibres can cause serious lung diseases that can ultimately lead to death. That’s why training staff to understand where asbestos is likely to lurk can save lives.

There’s nothing like a few sobering statistics to hammer home the message about the risks asbestos poses:

• Asbestos exposure is the number 1 cause of work-related deaths in the world
• Around 4,000 Australians die each year from asbestos-related diseases
• Australia has the second-highest mesothelioma death rate in the world

 

How Asbestos Exposure Happens

Asbestos exposure can occur anywhere it’s present. When asbestos-containing materials get disturbed, they can cause the release of dust particles into the air. Anyone who inhales these tiny asbestos fibres is at risk.

The more fibres you breathe in, the greater the danger. Even if someone has suffered asbestos exposure already, it’s still vital to protect yourself from further risk.

Asbestos-related diseases can take many years to develop after initial exposure. It’s therefore important for employers to protect their workers from all types of asbestos fibres. They should do this by following all regulations regarding its use and disposal.

If someone suspects that asbestos may be contaminating a building, they should never try to remove it themselves. Professional removal is the only way to make sure that the asbestos gets handled safely.

 

Types of Asbestos

The course also covers the two main types of asbestos: friable and non-friable.

The non-friable kind is in any material that contains asbestos. In this state, you can’t crumble, pulverise or reduce it through the force of hand pressure.

If concrete containing asbestos suffers force such as drilling or blasting, the asbestos can become friable. That means it’s possible to crumble the material. That, in turn, can potentially release dangerous fibres into the atmosphere.

 

Stay Compliant and Book a Course Today

Our asbestos awareness training course will keep you and your employees compliant with current regulations. It ensures staff are bang up-to-date with asbestos management and asbestos safety.

Click here to find out how to book a place on QBM’s online asbestos training course.