Understanding Friable Asbestos: Removal Challenges and Solutions
Friable asbestos is one of the most dangerous forms of asbestos, and likewise, one of the most dangerous materials encountered in demolition and remediation projects.
In Western Australia’s construction and remediation industries, managing asbestos risks is a crucial part of project planning, especially for older commercial and industrial sites. In this article we walk through what friable asbestos is, where it’s found, and how commercial asbestos removal in Perth is handled safely and in compliance with WA regulations.
Friable vs Non-Friable Asbestos
What is Friable Asbestos?
Friable asbestos is asbestos that can be easily crumbled or reduced to a powder by hand pressure while dry. As friable asbestos isn’t locked into a large solid form, once present it can easily travel through buildings and float loosely through the air into the lungs of workers or building visitors.
Once friable asbestos is breathed in, it can lodge deep in the lungs, with the potential to cause diseases such as asbestosis and lung cancer decades after exposure.
What is Non-Friable Asbestos?
Non-friable asbestos (also called bonded asbestos) is the opposite type of asbestos: it’s mixed with a binding agent like cement or resin, which stabilises the fibres. Common non-friable products include vinyl floor tiles, or textured coatings, where the asbestos fibres are firmly bound and less prone to releasing dust unless the material is damaged.
Over time, non-friable asbestos can be worn down into friable asbestos, as the binding agent deteriorates and ages.
Key Differences
The key difference is the risk of fibre release. Friable asbestos has a much higher risk of releasing airborne fibres even with minimal disturbance due to the fragility of the product. This is what makes friable asbestos an especially dangerous asbestos type, as it can easily become airborne and travel through the building. Other differences include where these products are found and how their removal is treated by experts and regulation.
Finding & Identifying Friable Asbestos
Knowing where to look for friable asbestos is an important step in preventing potential harm to health.
In past decades, friable asbestos was used for its heat-resistant and insulating properties, making it common within old buildings that have not been restored or properly maintained. If you are dealing with an old building, pay special attention to areas that require soundproofing, fireproofing, or thermal insulation.
Common Non-Friable Asbestos Uses
- Roofing, shingles and siding
- Exterior and interior wall cladding
- Fencing
- Floor tiles and linoleum
- Fire doors
Important: Recall that non-friable asbestos can become friable over time. In older buildings, the above non-friable asbestos (such as that used in roofing) may now be classified as friable.
Common Friable Asbestos Uses
- Boiler and pipe insulation (lagging)
- Sprayed-on fireproofing, insulation or soundproofing (also known as flock or limpet)
- Textured paints and decorative ceiling coatings
- Fire-resistant boards
- Heat-resistant fabrics
- Brick and plaster sealants, fillers and some adhesive products.
High-Risk Buildings
Due to asbestos’s popularity and powerful fire-resistant and insulating properties, it still lingers across a wide variety of building in WA.
If you are dealing with a building built before the early 2000s, there’s a chance that friable asbestos is present. While asbestos was gradually phased out of building materials during the 1980s, full manufacturing only stopped in 1987, and the use of the material wasn’t banned in Australia until 2003, causing friable asbestos to appear in some later developments.
As a rule of thumb, the older and less renovated a structure is, the more likely it is to harbour friable materials. Examples of high-risk buildings include:
- Historical and heritage sites – Public buildings from the mid-1900s (heritage-listed theatres, government buildings, and old hospitals) used asbestos insulation extensively.
- Schools and universities – Schools built before the 1980s in Western Australia may have pipe lagging in basements or friable sprayed insulation above acoustic ceiling tiles. Over time, without proper maintenance, these can deteriorate into friable asbestos.
- Industrial facilities – Old industrial plants, refineries, power stations, and mining sites often utilised extensive asbestos insulation on boilers, kilns, turbines, and piping. Our team’s soil remediation of the industrial Kwinana Terminal zone is an example of the extent to which asbestos can linger in industrial areas.
- Neglected or damaged buildings – Abandoned building structures, or buildings impacted by fire, can break down previously non-friable asbestos materials (like cement sheeting) into friable asbestos.
The prevalence of the material throughout the commercial and industrial sectors in the 1980s means that developers should remain especially mindful of asbestos in offices, warehouses, factories, and retail spaces.
High-Risk Areas
High-risk areas for friable asbestos are any areas where the above ‘Common Applications of Asbestos’ may have been applied. These include:
- Older steam pipes, hot water systems, and boilers that may have utilised pipe lagging or boiler insulation.
- Structural steel beams and ceilings in commercial buildings which may have been treated with asbestos for fire protection.
- Acoustic plaster, ceiling tiles, and wall insulations that required soundproofing and heat insulation. This type may be found in schools, theatres, or offices where soundproofing is a higher priority.
- High-temperature equipment that would benefit from the insulating of asbestos to run efficiently.
- Areas marked as fire-resistant including fire doors, elevator shaft linings, or duct insulation.
Visual Identification
Asbestos cannot be reliably identified visually. Identification of asbestos is only possible by an asbestos removal team or asbestos expert using sample testing. Without testing, it is impossible to be sure if something is asbestos or not but understanding what to look for can help you understand when testing is necessary.
If you think you’re building may have asbestos, here are some signs to look out for:
- Dirty cloth-like appearance
- Flaky plaster
- Discoloured foam
- Excessive and unknown dusty material
- Soft, wool-like or powdery texture
- Old, crumbly insulation
When in doubt, always call for professional testing and treat it as asbestos until verified otherwise. Asbestos is highly regulated in Western Australia, and guesswork or visual assumptions in the face of doubt is not compliant with local safety regulations.
Risk Assessment & Compliance
Friable asbestos removal is heavily regulated in Western Australia and there are strict laws to protect workers, the public, and the environment.
Before Friable Asbestos Removal Begins
Class A Licencing
Only a Class A licensed asbestos removal contractor can remove friable asbestos as their staff is specially trained to handle all types of asbestos, not just non-friable materials.
Asbestos Removal Control Plan & Early Notification
Western Australian regulations (aligned with Safe Work Australia’s codes) requires preparing an Asbestos Removal Control Plan (ARCP) for friable removal jobs. As advised by the Safe Work Code of Practice, the ARCP is a detailed plan that includes details of:
- How the asbestos removal will be carried out, including the method, tools, equipment and PPE.
- An identification of the asbestos including the location, type and condition.
The plan may also contain drawings relevant to the asbestos removal.
A Class A removal job must also be notified to WorkSafe at least 5 days before starting, per WorkSafe guidelines.
Site-Assessment
As part of the above ARCP, a site-specific risk assessment is typically conducted upfront to determine how the friable asbestos will be contained, what equipment is needed, and how workers and occupants will be protected during its removal.
During the Friable Asbestos Removal
Containment Requirements
Friable asbestos must be removed under full containment. Your chosen licensed asbestos removal company will begin by sealing up the work area to ensure that fibres cannot escape during the removal process.
Example of full containment setup for friable asbestos removal: a sealed enclosure with plastic sheeting and negative air pressure isolates the work zone, while industrial ducting and floor protection prevent fibre spread during pipe lagging removal.
Continuous Air Monitoring
In WA, continuous air monitoring by an independent licensed asbestos assessor is mandatory for friable removal jobs. The licensed assessor will sample the air around the work area throughout the removal to ensure fibre levels do not exceed safe thresholds. If fibre counts spike, (typically above 0.01 fibers/mL) work stops until the issue is resolved.
Clearance Inspection
Following the friable asbestos removal, the independent assessor will then also perform a clearance inspection and air test to certify the area is safe for re-occupation. This clearance is a legal requirement for reopening the area.
Following the Friable Asbestos Removal
Safe Disposal
During, and following the successful removal of friable asbestos, licensed removers are bound by environmental laws to ensure the safe disposal of asbestos.
The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) oversees asbestos waste removal in WA, and compliance requires all asbestos to be double-bagged or double-wrapped and disposed of at a landfill site licensed by DWER to accept asbestos.
Complete Documentation
The removal control plan, training records, air monitoring results, waste disposal dockets, and clearance certificates should all be properly recorded.
In commercial asbestos removal, it is important that the property owner or manager obtains copies of the clearance certificate and waste disposal receipts from their contractor to demonstrate that the asbestos was removed and disposed of legally.
Managing Friable Asbestos Safely in Perth
Friable asbestos presents serious health and compliance risks that require careful management and professional expertise. As this guide demonstrates, successful identification and removal depends on understanding where friable asbestos is likely to be found, recognising the warning signs, and following WA’s strict regulatory requirements.
The complexity of Class A licensing requirements, mandatory air monitoring, and comprehensive documentation means that friable asbestos removal is not a task for general contractors or DIY approaches. Only licensed specialists have the training, equipment, and regulatory knowledge to handle friable asbestos safely whilst ensuring full compliance with WorkSafe and DWER requirements.
If you’re managing an older building in Perth or planning a demolition or renovation project, early professional assessment is essential. Focus Demolition’s Class A licensed team can conduct thorough site assessments, develop compliant removal control plans, and execute safe removal with all necessary monitoring and documentation.
Contact Focus Demolition to discuss your project requirements and ensure your site meets all WA safety and environmental standards. Our expertise in Perth’s commercial and industrial asbestos removal challenges means you can proceed with confidence, knowing your project will be completed safely and compliantly.
