Asbestos Awareness Training

The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 requires that a person conducting a business or undertaking must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that they provide any information, training, instruction or supervision that is necessary to protect all persons from risks to their health and safety arising from their work.

What training is accepted as meeting the requirement for asbestos awareness training?

Any training undertaken prior to 1 January 2008 is not accepted and the worker must be retrained by a registered training organisation accredited to deliver 11084NAT - Course in Asbestos Awareness.

Accredited training courses undertaken through an accredited registered training organisation, listed below, is accepted and workers who have undertaken this training do not need to be retrained.

Date range

Accredited course details

Registered training organisations

15/9/2006 to 31/12/2012

80803ACT - Course in The Identification and Safe Handling of Asbestos

  • Capital Training Institute
  • Creative Safety Initiatives
  • Housing Industry Association Ltd
  • John Geoffrey Kirwan and Sandra Mary Kirwan T/A Kirwan and Associates
  • MBA Group Training Ltd
  • Robson Environmental

19/10/2012 to 18/10/2017

10314NAT - Course in Asbestos Awareness

  • ACT Emergency Services Agency
  • AlertForce Pty Ltd T/A AlertForce
  • Asbestos and You Pty Ltd
  • Canberra Institute of Technology T/A CIT Solutions
  • Capital Training Institute Pty Ltd
  • Construction Employment Training and Welfare Ltd as Trustee for Creative Safety Initiatives Trust T/A Creative Safety Initiatives
  • Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union Construction and General Division Victorian Branch
  • Elbon Consulting Services Pty Ltd T/A Height Safety Engineers
  • Housing Industry Association Ltd
  • J Hutchinson Pty Ltd T/A Gold Coast School of Construction and Hutchies Training
  • MBA Group Training Limited
  • Pinnacle ACT Pty Ltd T/A Safenet
  • ROBSON ENVIRONMENTAL PTY LTD
  • RTO SAFETY TRAINING PTY LIMITED T/A RTO Sydney Safety
  • Trans-Plant Training Pty Ltd T/A Trans-plant training

19/10/2017 to 18/10/2022

10675NAT - Course in Asbestos Awareness

  • ACT Emergency Services Agency
  • AlertForce Pty Ltd T/A AlertForce
  • Asbestos and You Pty Ltd
  • Canberra Institute of Technology T/A CIT Solutions
  • Capital Training Institute Pty Ltd
  • Construction Employment Training and Welfare Ltd as Trustee for Creative Safety Initiatives Trust T/A Creative Safety Initiatives
  • Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union Construction and General Division Victorian Branch
  • Elbon Consulting Services Pty Ltd T/A Height Safety Engineers
  • Housing Industry Association Ltd
  • J Hutchinson Pty Ltd T/A Gold Coast School of Construction and Hutchies Training
  • MBA Group Training Limited
  • Pinnacle ACT Pty Ltd T/A Safenet
  • ROBSON ENVIRONMENTAL PTY LTD
  • RTO SAFETY TRAINING PTY LIMITED T/A RTO Sydney Safety
  • Trans-Plant Training Pty Ltd T/A Trans-plant training

19/08/2022 to 18/08/2027

11084NAT - Course in Asbestos Awareness

  • ACT Emergency Services Agency
  • AlertForce Pty Ltd T/A AlertForce
  • Asbestos and You Pty Ltd
  • Canberra Institute of Technology T/A CIT Solutions
  • Construction Employment Training and Welfare Ltd as Trustee for Creative Safety Initiatives Trust T/A Creative Safety Initiatives
  • Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union Construction and General Division Victorian Branch
  • Elbon Consulting Services Pty Ltd T/A Height Safety Engineers
  • LJS Constructions Pty Ltd T/A Quality Training in Construction
  • J Hutchinson Pty Ltd T/A Gold Coast School of Construction and Hutchies Training
  • MBA Group Training Limited
  • Pinnacle ACT Pty Ltd T/A Safenet
  • Sydney Safety Training

Any of the following training courses completed by the worker are accepted as meeting the requirement to undertake training required by section 445 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (the Regulation):

  • CPCCDE3014A - Remove non-friable asbestos;
  • CPCCDE3015A - Remove friable asbestos;
  • CPCCBC4051A - Supervise asbestos removal; and
  • CPCCBC5014A - Conduct asbestos assessment associated with removal.

Who is required to do this training?

All workers who work in the occupations listed in the Minister's declaration of occupations, regardless of how long they have worked in the job, their level of seniority, their qualifications and regardless of whether they are licensed or an apprentice are required to complete training.

The list of occupations declared by the Minister includes:

Occupation code number Occupation title
334112 Air-conditioning and Mechanical Services Plumber
342111 Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic
232111 Architect
721212 Backhoe Operator
331111 Bricklayer and Stonemasons
821111 Builder's Labourer
312112 Building Associate
312113 Building Inspector
821411 Building Insulation Installer
721213 Bulldozer Operator
342411 Cabler (Data and Telecommunication)
331212 Carpenter
331211 Carpenter and Joiner
233211 Civil Engineer
312212 Civil Engineering Technician
811211 Commercial Cleaner
821211 Concreter
133111 Construction Project Manager
821711 Construction Rigger
821112 Drainage, Sewerage and Stormwater Labourer
334113 Drainer
821113 Earthmoving Labourer
721211 Earthmoving Plant Operator (General)
233311 Electrical Engineer
312312 Electrical Engineering Technician
899914 Electrical or Telecommunications Trades Assistant
341111 Electrician (General)
341112 Electrician (Special Class)
233411 Electronics Engineer
133211 Engineering Manager
721214 Excavator Operator
821311 Fencer
333211 Fibrous Plasterer
332111 Floor Finisher
334114 Gasfitter
233212 Geotechnical Engineer
333111 Glazier
899311 Handyperson
821412 Home Improvement Installer
399912 Interior Decorator
331213 Joiner
821913 Lagger
232112 Landscape Architect
341113 Lift Mechanic
721216 Loader Operator
323313 Locksmith
312512 Mechanical Engineering Technician
332211 Painting Trades Worker
334111 Plumber (General)
821114 Plumber's Assistant
312115 Plumbing Inspector
133112 Project Builder
334115 Roof Plumber
333311 Roof Tiler
312611 Safety Inspector
821712 Scaffolder
899918 Sign Erector
333212 Solid Plasterer
821713 Steel Fixer
331112 Stonemason
233214 Structural Engineer
821714 Structural Steel Erector
333411 Wall and Floor Tiler
322313 Welder (First Class)

In addition to the above list of workers, a person conducting a business or undertaking must ensure that any worker who the person conducting a business or undertaking reasonably believes will work with asbestos or asbestos containing materials must complete training in asbestos awareness.

There is no definition of what 'reasonably believes' means, however it is commonly used in legislation. It is based on what is reasonable in the circumstances. When in doubt whether a worker may work with asbestos or be exposed to asbestos fibres, it is better to ensure the worker is trained in asbestos awareness.

There is no definition of what 'work with asbestos or asbestos containing materials' means, so how this is interpreted relies on the ordinary meaning of the words. WorkSafe ACT interprets this as anybody who might:

  • penetrate or disturb asbestos in any way, for example, breaking, cutting, drilling or sanding internal and external walls, sheeting, ceilings;
  • penetrate or disturb asbestos by using power tools or high pressure water blasters;
  • work in the vicinity of friable asbestos material, including damaged or crumbling bonded asbestos;
  • handle asbestos such as through professional laundering of clothes or soft furnishing that have been in contact with asbestos, for example builders clothes or furnishing contaminated during unsafe building work; and
  • work where loose fill asbestos insulation may be present, such as in ceiling cavities or subfloors of homes constructed before 1980.

This would include all building and construction workers.

It would also include workers who may not physically handle asbestos or work in construction, but could be in the vicinity of work that is being undertaken, where there is a risk of exposure. For example, this might include a designer or colour consultant who conducts in home consultations during renovation work on pre-1990 homes.

It would also include facility and corporate managers who are responsible for ensuring their premises has an asbestos management plan in place.

However, this would not include workers who might:

  • work on asbestos in a theoretical sense for example academics and researchers who do not come into contact with asbestos; and
  • work in a building that contains asbestos, such as office workers in pre-2004 buildings.

However, any worker who has responsibilities for ensuring other workers in an office context are not exposed to asbestos, such as ensuring the premises built before 2004 are maintained in good condition, or through managing or arranging repairs, refurbishment and renovations must be trained in asbestos awareness.

Do workers need an asbestos awareness training card?

No. Some registered training organisations who deliver asbestos awareness training do issue cards, however cards are not mandatory and the statement of attainment for completing 11084NAT - Course in asbestos awareness is sufficient evidence that a person has completed the mandatory training required by section 445 of the Regulation.

WorkSafe ACT would accept a digital copy of the statement of attainment such as a scanned copy or photograph stored on a smart phone or tablet as being evidence of completion of this training.

Section 445 (3) of the Regulation provides that a person conducting a business or undertaking rather than a worker, must ensure that a record is kept of this training being undertaken by the worker.

How do I replace my asbestos awareness card or statement of attainment?

WorkSafe ACT does not issue asbestos awareness training statements of attainment or cards. If a worker has lost, damaged or had their asbestos awareness statement of attainment or card stolen, they will need to go to the registered training organisation who delivered the training in order to have the statement of attainment or card replaced.

What approach will be taken when an inspector visits a worksite?

WorkSafe ACT inspector may ask to see a record maintained by the person conducting a business or undertaking that their workers have been trained in one of the approved asbestos awareness training courses as required under section 445 of the Regulation.

If a person conducting a business or undertaking cannot provide such a record they will be allowed a reasonable period of time to produce the record. Initially, in the event that a person conducting a business or undertaking cannot produce such a record, the person conducting a business or undertaking will be issued with an improvement notice requiring them to have their workers trained by a certain date.

A person conducting a business or undertaking must meet the requirements of such notices by producing evidence that their workers have completed the mandatory training course.

Failure to comply with the requirements of such an improvement notice without reasonable excuse may result in an infringement notice being issued for breaching the requirements of an improvement notice. In that event a new improvement notice will then be issued.

Eligibility to provide training

11084NAT - Course in Asbestos Awareness is owned by the ACT Government. If a registered training organisation wishes to provide training in this vocational education and training course, they will need to apply to Access Canberra for a licence.

In order for an application to deliver 11084NAT to be approved the applicant must

  • be a registered training organisation registered with the Australian Skills Quality Authority; and,
  • ensure that any person appointed to deliver this training holds all the following as a minimum requirement:
    • Certificate IV Training and Assessment (TAA40104 or TAE40110); and,
    • Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety or equivalent; and,
    • a statement of attainment for one of the following asbestos related units of competency:
      • CPCCDE3012A - Encapsulate and remove asbestos;
      • CPCCDE3014A - Remove non-friable asbestos;
      • CPCCDE3015A - Remove friable asbestos;
      • CPCCBC4051A - Supervise asbestos removal; or,
      • CPCCBC5014A - Conduct asbestos assessment associated with removal.

List of registered training organisations

List of registered training organisations approved to deliver 11084NAT - Course in asbestos awareness can be found on the myskills.gov.au website.

Forms and fees

To apply for a licence to deliver this training, please complete an Application to deliver 10675NAT - Course in asbestos awareness (DOC 107KB) or (PDF 160KB).

The fee for approval to deliver 10675NAT - Course in asbestos awareness is a one off fee. The fee is $10,000 for registered training organisations who intend to deliver training in the ACT only. The fee to deliver training in the ACT and other states and territories is $15,000. These fees include the provision of all training content materials and an initial audit performed by the ACT Government.

Approval to deliver 10675NAT - Course in asbestos awareness includes a stipulation that the registered training organisation agrees to be subject to an annual audit of the course delivery to ensure that terms of approval to deliver the Course are being met. This annual audit incurs a fee of $1,000 for registered training organisations in the ACT and $2000 for registered training organisations outside the ACT at the cost of the registered training organisation.

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